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Posted on Jul 10, 2018 by Rodney

Tissot: Official Timekeepers of the Tour de France 2018

Tissot News and Releases

Tissot has been involved with cycling for half a century, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that they are official timekeepers for the Tour de France 2018. The Swiss luxury watchmaker has always been passionate about sports and looked for a way to become ‘more than just a sponsor’.

By doing what they do best, timekeeping, Tissot have left their mark on the world of sports and stood out from the competition for their focus on performance, technology and precision.

History of Tissot

Tissot was created in 1853 by Charles-Félicien Tissot, a fitter of gold cases, and Charles-Émile Tissot, his son, in the Swiss city of Le Locle (which is situated in the Jura Mountain range). The brand’s initial focus was very much on pocket watches, luxurious pendant watches and complication watches, mainly destined for the United States market.

In its first year, the company delivered between 1,100 and 1,200 watches to the region around the city and, by 1858, Charles-Émile was in Russia selling Tissot Savonnette pocket watches across the Russian Empire. In 1930, Tissot merged with Omega and has been a subsidiary of The Swatch Group since 1983. Tissot’s first partnership as an official timekeeper was in 1938 during a number of ski races in Villars-sur-Ollon, near the Jura Mountains.

‘Innovators by Tradition’, Tissot’s slogan, truly defines and represents the company and its values.

They were the first watchmakers to create watches out of plastic, stone, mother of pearl and wood and have since developed highly technological products with advanced functionalities that remain affordable, whilst also being accessible to a wide audience of watch aficionados.

Tissot markets to 160 countries and are renowned around the world for their accurate timepieces and partnership with numerous sporting events. Due to their emphasis on style, innovation and creativity, the company has flourished in the global watch marketplace and its watches have been worn by famous figures worldwide, including the Duchess of Cambridge, Elvis Presley, Nelson Mandela and Grace Kelly.

Tissot and a Sports Tradition

Tissot’s connection to sports started at the end of the 19th century and by 1938 they had already become official timekeepers in many sporting fields. The luxury watchmakers believe in delivering the most precise timepieces possible, as timing is everything in sports.

For this reason, Tissot works with several sporting organisations to create increasingly innovative and precise systems. One example is the technology they specifically developed for competitive cycling, such as sensors placed on the bikes and on the tracks to provide accurate timings and performance data.

Keeping time can be a challenging task, however, when even a millisecond is enough to declare victory or defeat.

 

The timepieces manufactured by Tissot with sport in mind, like their T-Sport watches, have a wide range of technical variations – you can find models with automatic and quartz movements, as well as a myriad of material options, which includes platinum and titanium.

All of them have one thing in common, of course: they are incredibly accurate.

Tissot have created the perfect watches for a variety of events and competitions around the world, one of which being cycling. This is perhaps one of the sports the brand has been most involved in, and they were previously Official Timekeeper of the Tour de France from 1988 to 1992.

The Prestigious Tour de France

Traditionally held in July of every year, the Tour de France has become synonymous with excellence in the cycling field. This Grand Tour is an annual multiple-stage bicycle race held in France, though it may pass through nearby countries as well, such as Andorra, Belgium or Luxembourg.

Its origins date back to 1903 and, since then, this race has been occurring every year until now, except during both World War I and II. The Tour de France usually follows the same format, which includes a passage through the Pyrenees and the Alps and the finish line on the Champs-Élysées.

The famous yellow jersey is given to the rider who has the lowest cumulative finishing times at the end of the race’s 21 stages (equivalent to approximately 3,500 km).

Due to the extreme precision needed in such a sporting event, as well as Tissot’s connections and heritage in the cycling world, it’s difficult to consider any other watchmaker for the Official Timekeeper of the Tour de France position.

Tissot and the Tour de France 2018

The Swiss company has partnered with the Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) to run cycling events around the world and aid with major time trials, including this year’s Tour de France.

Both Tissot and A.S.O. understand that high-quality timekeeping is necessary at all times during the Tour. The high standards shared by these two companies, as well as their belief in offering the utmost precision and performance, make theirs a perfect partnership for this competition.

According to Christian Prudhomme, French journalist and general director of the Tour de France since 2007, “it’s essential to be able to trust a timekeeper that shares the same vision of our sport as A.S.O., by putting the cyclists’ efforts first and giving them the credit they deserve in the eyes of the public.”

This sponsorship helps Tissot to ‘draw in a large number of cycling enthusiasts committed to endurance and performance’.

Tissot’s innovative, state-of-the-art technology is reflected in each timepiece they create and sought after by sports fans worldwide. You can always rely on the watchmaker’s focus on high precision and calibre (perfect to keep time during the fast-paced Tour) and wear the gorgeous sporty designs on your wrist every day as a celebration of your favourite cycling event.

From the Grand Départ at Vendée to the finish line, Tissot will keep time every step of the way.

Tissot T-Sport Range

Banks Lyon stock all the sporty watches for your adventure-filled life. Whether you are out bike riding, running, at the gym, or enjoying any other sporting activity, Tissot has the perfect timepiece for you. The T-Sport range is well known for creating powerful engines for the wrist that are sleek, modern and stylish – and ideal for those living an active lifestyle full of adrenaline-rich moments.

The Tissot V8 Alpine watch and the Tissot PRS 516 Powermatic 80 watch are fantastic choices if you live on the racetrack (or are a fan of motorsports), while the Tissot PRC 200 Six Nation watch is perfect for rugby lovers. If you prefer bike racing, the Tissot T-Race Quartz watch (image) has all the features you need to enjoy the sport to its maximum and not miss out on the action.

Robust, dependable and eclectic, the T-Sport range is truly one-of-a-kind and a landmark in both sports and horology.

Our Tissot watches are the epitome of accessible luxury, as well as a stunning balance of functionality and style, so don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more about them. You can also visit us in Lancaster (01524 38 10 20) or Kendal (01539 73 03 00) and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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