Hands-on: Tissot T-Complication Squelette
Tissot has a stellar reputation for well-made watches at notably affordable prices, like the recent Ballade Powermatic 80 or Heritage Petite Second. Switzerland’s biggest watchmaker by production, Tissot maintains a vast portfolio of vintage-inspired, dress and technology-focused watches, including a skeleton wristwatch with modern styling. Skeletonised watches are intriguing as the intricate mechanics that make a movement tick are front and centre. Combining both aesthetics and mechanics can be a tough nut to crack, however, as legibility in particular suffers when a movement is open-worked. Tissot managed to nail both looks and legibility with the T-Complication Squelette, which retails for a little under US$2000. At 43mm in diameter and 12mm high, the T-Complication Squelette is a sizeable watch on the wrist – it has presence – but also an expansive canvas of gears and springs. The stainless steel case is fully brushed with substantial “horn” lugs, and a handful of interesting details that contribute to its character. Most notably is the asymmetry on its upper right flank that is not initially obvious. The case subtly widens from the crown to the top-right lug, filling the angular space between the lug and case that’s present on the other three lugs. And the signed crown has an interesting knurled pattern reminiscent of a turbine, creating a subtle mechanical motif that is echoed in the movement. The bezel is relatively narrow and simply gets out of the way....
Time+Tide
