Tissot Chemin Des Tourelles is a classically styled collection from Tissot, the Swiss manufacture founded in Le Locle in 1853 and one of the most respected names in mid-range mechanical watchmaking. The name translates loosely to 'path of the turrets', a reference to a historic street in Le Locle where Tissot's roots lie. The collection sits firmly in the dress-watch tradition: round cases, restrained dials, and movements that reward close inspection.
What defines the Chemin Des Tourelles as a collection
The Chemin Des Tourelles is built around mechanical movements — both automatic and hand-wound variants have featured across the line — making it one of the few Tissot collections where the movement itself is part of the visual appeal. Many references include an exhibition caseback, allowing the wearer to observe the oscillating rotor or the balance wheel in motion. Case sizes across the collection span a range that accommodates both men's and women's proportions, and the dials typically feature applied hour markers and dauphine or leaf-shaped hands, details that place the watch clearly in the heritage dress category rather than the sport or everyday casual segment.
Choosing between men's and women's references
Men's references in the Tissot Chemin Des Tourelles tend toward larger case diameters — generally in the 42 mm range — with darker dial options and leather straps that suit business or formal wear. Women's references are typically smaller, often featuring mother-of-pearl dials or two-tone treatments, and are equally well-suited to both dressed occasions and smart-casual contexts. Because all references in this collection are mechanically driven, they require no battery replacement; an automatic version will wind itself through wrist motion, while a hand-wound reference needs manual winding every one to two days. If you are choosing between the two movement types, automatic suits daily wear, while hand-wound appeals to those who enjoy the ritual of winding.
Tissot Chemin Des Tourelles in our selection
The Tissot Chemin Des Tourelles pieces in our selection are priced in the £1,150–1,500 range, placing them at the upper end of Tissot's catalogue and in the entry tier of serious mechanical watchmaking. This is a small, focused group of references covering both men's and women's styles. For those drawn to Swiss mechanical craftsmanship at this level, it is worth comparing the Chemin Des Tourelles with the Tissot Le Locle, another classically oriented Tissot line that shares a similar movement philosophy. The broader Tissot collection spans a much wider range of styles and price points if you are still exploring the brand. For context on how Tissot sits within the wider landscape of Swiss Made watches, that category covers the full spectrum from entry-level quartz to high complications.
Is Tissot a luxury brand?
Tissot is a Swiss manufacture and a member of the Swatch Group, which also owns Omega, Longines, and Breguet. Tissot itself occupies the 'accessible Swiss' tier — genuine Swiss Made movements, strong quality controls, and a long heritage, but priced well below the traditional luxury bracket. The Chemin Des Tourelles, with its mechanical movement and exhibition caseback, represents the more considered, craft-oriented end of what Tissot produces.
