Tag Heuer vs Tissot: Which Is Better Of Two?

Story Of Tag Heuer

Formed in 1860 inside Jura bernois municipality Tag Heuer is the vision of the late Edouard Heuer. In the beginning, it wasn’t the global entity it is today, of course. There have been many changes at the helm of the Swiss luxury brand.

And all of them for the better.

In 1985, TAG Group came knocking down and purchased the major stakes in the company. Formally naming it what it is known today: Tag Heuer.

It didn’t remain the only acquisition it has been subjected to in the last 162 years.

French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH bought almost 100% of the Swiss Water Maker in 1999. Ushering a new era for the company entering the 21st century.

And was the new era kind to the greater ambition?

Very! Although, given the company record even before TAG Group absorbed it. It is quite inspiring to see they were doing more than fine on their own. From 1860 to 1985, a period of almost 125 years, Uhrenmanufaktur AG (English: Heuer Watchmaking Inc), as known till the late 70s was involved in thousands of projects, products, and patents.

So the acquisition by the TAG group didn’t matter?

It’s not simple to say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ When TAG Group took the company under its wing, it provided the identity for the future. The identity played its part perfectly in elevating the potential. However, we meant to infer that the success afterward wasn’t an anomaly. If anything, it was a familiar sight and something that had been within the brand’s culture since the start.

What is Tag Heuer culture?

We’ll get onto it later in this piece. For now, you need to understand Tag Heuer is familiar with more than we could ever imagine. While their products are synonymous with the words “elegance” and “grandeur” for a reason.

Story Of Tissot SA

Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Emile Tissot formed Tissot in 1853 as a family business. Just like Tag Heuer, it took many years for Tissot to enter the global stage. By the end of the 20th century, the foundations had been laid perfectly for success to follow suit.

However, Tissot didn’t enjoy the same commercial success as Tag Heuer.

So Tissot is not better than Tag Heuer?

No, there are too many contributing factors to jump to that conclusion. But had History been the only thing in contention, then perhaps yes. In terms of past success and how both found the path out of Switzerland, Tissot doesn’t have an illuminating story.

Although, that doesn’t mean they never did. As of now, Tissot serves 150 countries. That’s a lot of people.

And a bit ironic too.

While true, Tissot couldn’t share the same state of fame on a global scale. When it was finding its feet to settle down, one of its co-founders, Charles-Emile Tissot, was in Russian Empire selling their flagship savonnette pocket watches.

There is no greater example of noticing ambition. It was always there. Instilled just within the institution. Even two years before Heuer Watchmaking was formed.

So Tissot failed to capitalize on early success since they let Tag Heuer gain the ground later?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

When you are in a landscape where you are directly or indirectly competing with a business that’s similar to you. There is something that can make all the difference and it is called a Business Model.

What is Business Model, and how does it help in answering the question of Tag Heuer Vs Tissot?

Well, that we’ll discuss later. You should remember by now that Tissot – despite its shortcomings here and there – is a global corporation dating back more than a century. What they have to offer are not just watches but the history, culture, and heritage that live within those watches.

Ablaze Time: Tag Heuer Vs Tissot

Until now, if you haven’t skimmed anything, you know the backstory of both companies. However, if you did, it is pretty simple. Both of them are Swiss-Based and better known for their innovation in watchmaking.

In Tag Heuer’s case, their expertise is also in Fashion Designing. At the moment, for us, it feels out of scope. We are only focusing on their ability to envision, manufacture, and market watches.

Therefore, to make it spicy and easier to follow suit for you. We will put them under the three inspection lenses to truly see their colors.

Round One: Budget

Unless you burn money for fun or you’re Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, you would’ve given the price tag a thought before buying something. I know I have.

So, more often than not, how much something costs and if it is ‘want’ or ‘need,’ money we would need to buy something always kind of influences our decision.

It is inherent.

And believe it or not, brands consider this when forming a strategy to market their products. It is not a coincidence prices of Apple’s products are in four figures. Because it is not the perceived valuation of their product but rather the ideal customer they’re targeting.

And Tissot and Tag Heuer aren’t any different. 

Tag Heuer

Tag Heuer defines them with the word “Luxury.”

Luxury: A state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense.

It is unlikely to catch a guy who picks up your garbage under comfort or be involved with great expanses. Unlike the owner of Tesla right across the street. His social status and standing in the overall paradigm just don’t justify it.

Are you seriously throwing shade at Capitalistic practices?

No, not at all, although I might someday.

What the above-written words meant to mean is that Tag Heuer isn’t catering to the people who are not accustomed to extravagant life. Because let’s be honest, time is time. You can buy a $5 watch from Walmart, and it will show you 4 AM at 4 AM just the same way any Tag Heuer watch would show you 4 AM at 4 AM.

Are they fraud for it?

No!!! Not at all. It is their identity. They’re expensive, not just for the sake of it. They are not cheap because that is against what they are: A luxury brand.

And what is a brand without its identity? Not a brand.

Tissot

While unlike their competitor Tissot isn’t exactly made from the same Swiss-Cloth. It is not wrong to assume they happen to have a similar mindset.

On average, Tissot watches are priced between 500$-1500$. Their most expensive production “Tissot Heritage Navigator Limited Edition” was priced at almost 8,500$.

In contrast, Tag Heuer’s most expensive watch was sold for 340,000$.

Do you see the difference?

Because if you do, then you would’ve spotted a similarity too. 

Although there is an enormous difference of 315,000$ between their flagship models. Both were not meant to be for the common man. Buying a watch that costs 8K is just as insane as having one costing 332K.

At least to us or for me.

Although, upon seeing the bigger picture, it is also not wrong to say: Tissot happens to be more budget-friendly.

Which isn’t surprising?

In the words of Swatch Group – The parent Company of Tissot.

Tissot watches are for: the “mid-range market.”

So, if a budget was round one, Tissot would win it easily.

Round Number Two: Built

All of us have seen or heard of Harry Potter. For me, I think they are the best books ever written. Now consider the Hogwarts castle Harry loves to adore and live in. Then imagine the house Order used as their headquarters.

One is the castle where he almost died every year.

Another is the house not really remarkable.

Do you see the problem here?

No, it’s not Harry being a lunatic. It is the quality difference between the fine qualities of a castle compared to an average house in the middle of London.

In terms of the body, physical feel, and overall aesthetic, Tag Heuer is Hogwarts and Tissot is Headquarters of Order (Ouch).

Controversial Much? Hmm

Let’s make it more…

Tag Heuer

From the very beginning, Edouard Heuer had a plan. In his plan, words were only synonymous with ‘precision,’ ‘luxury, and ‘innovation.’ There were never plans to go beyond them.

Tag Heuer laid its foundations upon those ideas. 

If we were living in a world where words were alive, ‘luxury’ and ‘fashion’ would be CEOs of the Tag Heuer.

Because that’s what the brand stands for, what it manufactures to be, and that’s what it makes present. They create products with high precision, fine details, and diamond dials. 

For sure, not every watch would have a diamond, there are variations within the models, and it’s always your choice. Just the fact you can choose is their way of being thoughtful of your needs.

And it’s not just the only thought.

The company understands the need of its customers. They innovate in what they believe would be useful to them, yes. But they innovate how they think would be useful to you.

And History is the witness to it:

• In 1916 Tag Heuer introduced the world to ‘Mikrograph,’ the first stopwatch accurate to 1/100 second. Leading to fair results in the Summer Olympics of the 20s.

• By 1933 ‘Autavia’ a dashboard timer created by Tag Heuer was used by most of the Aviation and Automobile Industries.

• During World War II, Luftwaffe pilots used timer Tag Heuer created specifically for them.

Upon closer look, a pattern can be noticed, a solution made for high-profile problems. Which is not surprising given their working model. There is no denying they place special emphasis on dictating the pain points of their consumers.

Even today…

Tag Heuer watches in the market today aren’t all the same. They have a distinction between their ranks. They are made not just for the sake of selling. But to serve a purpose.

Some are Water Resistant up to 50m.  

Some have a rubber surface.

Some are touchscreen.

There are many places to point the finger and see the difference, one similarity remains in all of them, and that is their quality. And if anyone is thinking all of it is another way of saying Tissot doesn’t produce quality products, they are wrong.

Tissot has an amazing line-up and even an amazing build.

It’s not the same.

And there is no shame in admitting it.

So, round two, it goes to Tag Heuer.

Round Three: Brand Culture

Until now, we have talked a lot about the two brands and how they compete on different fronts, but there still remains a question we left unanswered above.

What is Tag Heuer Culture? 

What is Business Model?

Well…

Don’t Crack Under Pressure: Tag Heuer

More often than not, mottos are just words jumbled, meant to state a meaning that’s not quite clear to understand for the audience. Tag Heuer couldn’t be any easier to understand.

And it ends up saying a lot…

It takes special something to be someone or something to not crack under pressure. And Tag Heuer has something special within their culture.

They are brand-driven, not just with changes but to drive a change with themselves. Maybe it is one of the reasons they happen to have a broader scale of options for women. Or maybe that is the reason they focus so much on the sporting world. To voice their voice through influential people, millions of kids look up to for a better time.

“But Is it true that they were given below-average rating for activities affecting the environment?”

Yes, it is true. In 2018 Tag Heuer was rated below average on the WWF scale. Evidently, the company has a shady reputation when it comes to taking care of its activities affecting the climate. 

They were also assumed to be complicit in the lack of transparency that goes behind the scenes in the watchmaking industry related to natural resources like gold.

“So they’re not exactly the good guys?”

No. Not necessarily. Just like everyone else’s morals that can be bendable, Tag Heuer finds themselves on similar ground. Their business model focuses on the elites around the world, and as it happens, riches are not always the product of pressure.

While pressure cracks open everything. 

Even your Tag Heuer smartwatch would be crushed under the ocean.

Innovators by Tradition: Tissot

If you’ve been with us from the beginning, you’d know Tissot always has remained grounded. Even their first chapter was written out of a passion for manufacturing watches. Not to mention it was rallied across the nation and out of the border by a son following his father’s wishes.

In terms of having an amazing first chapter to the story, it doesn’t get any better, much like Fossil’s, where it all began within the family.

So, their motto: Innovators by Tradition. It makes sense, and it is true to their identity. Earlier, we brought up the matter of business model and how it creates a difference to approach between two Swiss competitors.

Well, this is what the business model means: It is a result of the close relationship between the profile of a brand and its ideal customer.

And we have seen it…

Tissot’s business model focuses on customers hailing from a middle-class background with limited financial capacity. Just like their own profile. Although, unlike their competitor: Tag Heuer.

So Tissot isn’t a failure compared to Tag Heuer just because they are not a household name. Their identity and culture reside and persist upon things not akin to Tag Heuer. They are based on morals totally off the ground to their, and comparing the two is not the smartest thing to do.

So if round three was about culture, it is tied.

And the Answer to Tag Heuer Vs Tissot

Your friends are closely watching you as you sit down to take a deep breath, their mouth dry and face lit up. 

It feels as if they are never going to say something. 

Until…

Friend Number One: “I can’t believe I let myself believe that Tag Heuer was the best.”

Friend Number Two: “No. It is me who was wrong. You were right. You have always been right!!!”

Oh no…

“Tell them he is right, and I am wrong.” Both of them yell at you.

And it begins…