About Tissot
Tissot was founded in 1853 and has a legacy of building attractive watches at reasonable prices. They are part of the Swatch Group and are headquartered in Le Locle, Switzerland. Tissot has extensive history in sports, including cycling, fencing, ice hockey, formula one, and more.
Tissot is a reputable Swiss manufacturer and is generally well-regarded.
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Review Summary
My experience with the Tissot Couturier Automatic has been wonderful. For nearly three years it has been a reliable and accurate automatic that has held up quite well aesthetically. I like the C01.211 chronograph movement- it’s given me no reason not to. As a result of the C01.211, you can get a mechanical chronograph from a Swiss manufacturer for under $1,000- and I like that, too.
Tissot Couturier Automatic Chronograph Technical Specifications
- Model Number: T035.627.16.031.00
- MSRP: $995
- Case Diameter: 43mm
- Alternate Models: Different color and complication combinations available
- Movement: Automatic chronograph, C01.211
- Complications: Date display, chronograph
- Power Reserve: Approximately 45 hours
- Water Resistance:10 0m/330ft
- Crystal Material: Sapphire
Setting the Time
Setting the time and date using the C01.211 movement is identical to other date display movements. Operating the chronograph is also simple: press the button above the crown to activate the chronograph (press it again to stop the chronograph); press the button below the crown to reset the chronograph.
How To set the time:
- Pull crown to the furthest position (position 3). Turn the crown clockwise to set the time. Note that the date display will rollover at at midnight, indicating AM time.
How To set the date:
- Pull the crown to the middle position (position 2) and turn clockwise to set the date.
Tissot Couturier Automatic Aesthetics & Design
The first thing I noticed about this watch when I unboxed it is that it is much bigger than it looks in a catalogue. Pictures of the Couturier (that I found prior to purchasing) simply don’t do an effective job of showing how big this watch truly is.
At 43mm the diameter of the watch isn’t over the top, but from certain angles the case looks rotund and larger than it really is. This is due to the two contours on the left side of the case, which add both a touch of class and depth to this timepiece.
On the wrist, the Couturier’s size is significant. While the face may be somewhat minimal, this is not a discreet watch. It’s size alone will draw attention.
The white and chrome dial is completely devoid of color, relying instead on angled hour markers and the prominent brown crocodile-grain leather strap to break up its monochromatic face. I appreciate how minimal the face is, though the Couturier doesn’t feel handsome to me. It feels well put together, no doubt, but its minimal interior doesn’t seem to match the presence that its size dictates.
The brushed contours on the sides of the case contrast nicely with the polished stainless steel- as does the brushed finish on the top of the lugs. The little details like this, as well as the “T” on the seconds hand and the fine grooves of the 6, 9, and 12 o’clock subdials, do a great job of bringing the Couturier upmarket. Unfortunately, the subtle dial details are easily overlooked because of how well they blend in with the rest of the face.
Tissot Couturier Automatic Chronograph Build Quality
This watch, like basically every Tissot watch that we’ve experienced, is built well. The quality of materials aids its durability, which appears to be better than average. After many months of wear it only shows minor signs of use. If you like your things looking new, the Couturier is happy to oblige.
Crystal, Case, and Dial
The sapphire crystal on the Tissot Couturier is of the quality you’d expect from a major Swiss watch brand. One nitpicky comment I have is that there is a slight but noticeable groove between the crystal and the case, and while it looks fine aesthetically, dirt/dust/fibers love to get trapped in it. This is annoying if you’re a clean freak or an aspiring photographer.
The stainless steel case feels solid. It has good weight on the wrist and exudes a feeling of quality. The buttons and crown all operate with a solid range of motion, and each activates with a satisfying click.
Strap and Clasp
Where the leather strap meets the lugs and case is about 50% thicker than the ends that connect to the deployment clasp. This contributes to its largeish feeling, as when viewed from the side it is easy to see the difference in thickness. That said, the brown crocodile-grain leather looks and feels great.
The deployment clasp, made of a brushed finished stainless steel, is solid and quite secure once closed. It will not pop open when tugged with moderate force. If you want to open it, you must use the buttons. This makes the Couturier feel quite secure on the wrist.
More About the Tissot Couturier
Movement
The relatively new C01.211 movement, which made its debeut in 2008, is somewhat polarizing because it uses some plastic parts. Many enthusiasts write off the movement as a result, but despite my Googling I was unable to find much evidence that the plastic parts inside have compromised the reliability of the movement.
Accuracy so far has been excellent, running about six seconds fast per day. This is acceptable for an automatic of this calibre. I suspect that with regulation it could even be more accurate.
Value for Money
The Tissot Couturier comes out of the box with a strong value proposition. It’s MSRP is $995, which is quite low for a Swiss-made automatic chronograph with a sapphire crystal. Even then, while it’s MSRP is $995, I regularly see it on Amazon for well under $750.
The movement inside may not be the Ferrari of movements, but it enables us to today enjoy something that just 10 years ago was not possible: a Swiss auto chronograph for under $1,000. Combined with its excellent quality of build, date display, and durable and attractive strap/clasp combo… I feel the Couturier auto is great value.
Photo Gallery
Have you had an accuracy problem when you take it off at night and the following morning your time js late for 2-3minutes?
I have not experienced this accuracy problem. Is your Tissot fully wound by the time you take it off? With a 30+ hour power reserve it should be within 2-3 seconds, not minutes…
I was told that i have to wound it up around 15 times if im going to take it off at night. I thought the power reserve will take care of it. Is this really the case? And why is that?
Like everyone, people have different opinions about how to handle that situation. I don’t wind my watches before going to bed if I’ve been wearing them throughout the day and have had a moderate amount of movement.
With the Couturier specifically I haven’t had it run out on me over night, not have I had accuracy problems by not winding it. However, your mileage may vary. If you wear it while you are mostly sedentary it may well go dead overnight, but if you walk/move a little bit throughout the day I don’t suspect you’d have a problem.
Hi I’m very late seeing this forum but I thought I’d give some feedback I have on this watch. I’ve had issues! It’s been returned 4 times and one one occasion, it’s been replaced. Currently it’s running fast. According to the Tissot labs it’s running within specification and therefore a watch that’s currently running 8 mins fast over a 3 month period, is acceptable. I’m angry and frustrated.
Hi Alan. I think your watches pretty good. Read this.
http://www.awci.com/wp-content/uploads/watch-tech-guides/ETA-TECH-GUIDES-AWCI/ETA_C01.211_TECH_E.pdf
8 mins fast over 3 months is well within specs for the watch. automatic watches, unless certified chronometers, are NOT drop dead accurate. A minute or two per month ‘off’ is acceptable for an automatic. If you want spot on accuracy, either buy a certified chronometer (likely more expensive that the tissot we are talking about here) or get a quartz movement.
How is the watch in low light conditions?
The hour and minute hands feature a luminescent strip inlay and I found them to be quite visible. The hour markers do not feature lume, but if you are comfortable telling time on an analog watch you’ll have no issues telling time.
Does it fit under the shirt cuff comfortably?
This watch is thicker than other automatics, but that’s not surprising given its chronograph movement. It is just slightly thicker than the Hamilton Jazzmaster Auto Chrono that I am currently reviewing.
That being said the answer to your question is this: it depends. It’s subjective- if you wear tight-cuffed shirts it may not fit, but if you wear fairly relaxed cuffs it should fit without issue. I’ve never encountered a long-sleeved shirt where it didn’t fit, but I always wear fairly relaxed cuffs (as opposed to cuffs that are quite fitted).
I hope that helps 🙂
Thanks really appreciate the information. You do great reviews
watchesyoucanafford.com has become my number 1 place to check out watches and reviews
Lastly im considering buying this exact same watch but which other watches would you recommend in this price range with automatic movement, which find middle ground between a daily and dress watch?
Hey thanks Bhavesh- I’m glad you enjoy the site 🙂
The Tissot Couturier has a $995 MSRP and is a chronograph- you just don’t see a lot of automatic chrono’s for under $1,000. If you want something that can double as both a daily wearer and something that you can dress up there are a few “rules” I’d stick to:
1) Keep the face relatively simple. Overly complicated faces don’t always dress up too well.
2) Stainless steel bracelet or leather strap. Polyurethane and NATO straps are too casual.
3) Keep the face black, white, or silver. Other colours may not match with a good variety of colours.
Now, if you want a Chronograph movement you’re going to be somewhat limited in selection unless you’re open to Chinese made movements. For Swiss made chronographs in the $1,000 range I’d look at:
a) Hamilton Jazzmaster Chronograph (H32616133) – Selling for about $910 on Amazon.
b) Tissot T-Touch Classic – Read my Tissot T-Touch Classic review. This would be an excellent choice and it’s around $900.
c) Catorex C’Chrono Tradition 8169-2 -About $950 on Amazon. Uses ETA 7750 automatic movement.
d) Hamilton Linwood Automatic (H18516131) – About $650 – $750 online.
e) Tissot PRC100 Automatic Chronograph (T0084141603100) – About $840 online.
For Chinese made Chronograph movements:
a) Sea Gull M1992 Chronograph – About $749 for stainless steel, $900 for rose gold online. Also features a moonphase complication.
b) Lucien Piccard 28139BK Chronograph – About $80 online.
For Japanese Chronographs:
a) Citizen CA0020-56E – Not an “automatic”, it features their solar powered Eco-Drive movement. About $450 online.
Now, if you have a budget of around $1,000 but don’t need the automatic chronograph your options open up a lot:
a) Hamilton Jazzmaster Automatic – Anywhere from $450 to $1,000 depending on the variation you choose.
b) Citizen Signature NB0040-58E – About $1,000 – Japanese made automatic movement.
c) Bulova Accutron 63B011 – About $1,000.
d) Oris 73576514163MB T1 – $830 online – Day/date complication.
e) Seiko Premier 57051 – About $950
f) Bulova 96A108 – $200ish online – I reviewed its cousin, the Bulova 96A101. Also worth considering is the Bulova 96A111 ($220ish)
There are lots of other brands that will meet your needs and come in well under $1,000. The above are just a few recommendations from brands I know of 🙂
Thanks a ton!!
Quick question can you give a quick review on raymond weil freelancer 7730-STC-65025
http://www.raymond-weil.com/EN/Watches/Watches-Print.html?id=510680&name=RAYMONDWEIL-Freelancer-7730-STC-65025.pdf&method=inline
I’d love to review that watch but unfortunately I don’t have access to one to review. This site isn’t big enough yet where manufacturers send me review samples and none of my contacts that do provide me review samples (just Gem by Carati right now) have access to Raymond Weil pieces.
Do you have one to send me? 🙂
Hello there..i have the same Tissot watch like yours..I noticed that the date automatically changes at 1.30am not at 12am..its late by 1 hour and a half..did u face this problem?..any step by step tutorial would be fine..tq..
According to the user manual it should be changing at 12 am. If it isn’t something may be wrong with the watch and it might be a good idea to have it serviced. However, I can not say for sure.
Does it have a screw lock? Can i use the chronograph nonstop? Does it affect the accuracy or power reserve?
The main advantage of a screw lock crown is noticeably improved water resistance. I am unsure of the Couturier has a screw lock, though I don’t know if I’d allow that to heavily influence my buying decision given it’s ideal presence in the market.
You can use the chronograph nonstop, though you will exceed its display capabilities. When running it will impact the power reserve but should not impact the accuracy of timekeeping.
It’s worth mentioning that running the chronograph non stop will place significant wear on the movement and is not recommended.
I just got a C01.211 movement in a Tissot T-Race. So far it runs fast, 8 secs/day if not faster. Is this “good” for this movement?
I was initially surprised it was off by minutes in the first three days and I figured it wasnt wound well enough for the night and must have stopped a few times – pretty sure that was the case. But it lead me to track it closely and honestly I’m dissapointed with 8-10secs/day as I was expecting closer to ONE second per day – which was close to what my $150 Seiko 7S36A was getting.
8 seconds per day is a little high, but not exactly out of the realm of possibility. Standard deviation for a lot of movements is in the 6-10 second range. Most people with the C01.211 movement have deviations in the 4-6 second range. I’d take it in to your dealer to have it warrantied, though chances are good all that is required is for it to be regulated.
hello,
i have recently bought the couturier automatic, and i think it really looks great, mechanism is pretty accurate -just a bit faster, but perhaps because its new)
well it is not whats bothering me. i noticed that the mechanism is making noises in certain angles of my hand,
i.e when i have my hand slightly bent forward, and i move it (not even a swift move) up and down i hear a small crack as if the parts hit each other… as if something is loose
i went to the watchmaker and he said that as long as the watch is working its fine because each mechanism works a bit differently.. as far as im concerned, i have another watch by oris and its mechanism was as silent as a grave.
its really bothering me, each tiny gesture with my hand in a certain position makes that noise from my watch..
i wanted to know if it really is normal for this watch and thats just the way the mechanism in this watch is built.
because if not i will have it checked (it is brand new and has warranty).. if it is i just dont want to waste my time on it and try to get used to it..
anyone else experiencing these noises?
I have experienced this kind of sound from other watches, but don’t really notice it with the Couturier. However, if it continues to bother you I’d have it serviced under warranty. Peculiar that it doesn’t seem to be impacting timekeeping though…
Hello, I have this model (in black), for now I can’t complain about any feature of the watch. By time goes by, i have noticed the band is getting old. I try to find an alternative to change it on amazon, but Im not sure which one can i get (please notice that I’d rather have more choices with a generic watchband than the original, that force to ask one directly through a Tissot agency). Thanks in advance for your attention. Looking forward to hear news from you. Best Regards.
I believe the lug width is 24mm, so any 24mm strap should do 🙂
Poor experience with Tissot Ladies Watch. Barely three years into purchase, digits keep coming off and rare to find service shops seem hapless and helpless. Don’t recommend this poor quality product from a so called Luxury Brand.
I’m sorry to hear about your experience with Tissot. That’s always frustrating. Which model do you own?
Hi, thank you so much for your review, I was hesitate of buying this watch but not anymore, in fact I will receive this watch from amazon tomorrow, really excited. Can you tell me the quality of the leather band, like how long you think it will last if I wear it every day? Again I must say that Im really thankful with your review.
Great reviews, good practical information – thanks.
I just purchased what I guess would be called the step down The Tissot Couturier model # T035.617.16.031.00. Can you tell me what to expect ? I’m not figuring much difference in the two models but they are a couple of hundred dollars apartment price .
It’s the quartz model (I believe), so expect more accurate timekeeping (compared to the automatic version) and having to change the battery every couple of years 🙂
Ok, thanks for the prompt reply , I wanted to make sure I wasn’t getting a knockoff Tissot.
I’ve been salting away money for a Tissot and the one I bought on Amazon today is the most I can afford while having two kids in college. I really like the look of this watch.
In fact it looks so cool they’ll be fighting over who gets it when I shuffle off!
You DO have good taste in timepieces 😉
Please excuse the spelling errors above. Terrible keyboarder and even worse editor!
Hi Cameron,
Actually I have just bough this watch and with all these comments and reviews makes me very frustrated. I had compared it to the steinhart ocean one yet since I couldn’t manage to buy the steinhart due to the lack of maintenance and that there is no one who is aware of it in the MENA region. did I make a good choice buying the Tissot Courtier.
Thanks!
Yes. I owned the Courturier for several hassle-free years (recently traded it). I doubt you’ll have a problem. 🙂