On The Wrist: The Tissot Carson Powermatic 80

An affordable Swiss watch just in time for the holidays

In partnership with Tissot.

As I’ve gotten deeper and more serious into developing my watch collection over the past two years, I have become something of a “go-to guy” amongst my friends getting passionate about it as well.

While there are those “grail” watches that we may all covet, chances are when you’re just getting into developing a respectable watch collection, many of those are way out of your price range. (Mine as well.)

The good news is that there are some high-quality watches that are still very affordable. And the Tissot Carson Powermatic 80 is one of them.

There’s a lot to like about this particular Tissot timepiece. First, let’s talk about the case size. At 40mm wide and a thickness of 9.6mm, this is a very wearable watch. Not too large, while still being sizeable enough to satisfy someone for whom 36mm might feel a touch too small.

| WEARING | Reiss blazer, Uniqlo cardigan, Brooks Brothers shirt, Banana Republic pants, Drake’s pocket square, Tissot watch, Carmina loafers | PHOTOGRAPHY | by Rob McIver Photo

Now, I have worn a few 40mm watches in the past and they have felt like 40mm on my smallish wrist. The Carson Powermatic 80, on the other hand, somehow wears a bit smaller. Maybe it’s an optical illusion, but the point is that if you generally consider your taste to be in the “less than 40mm only” category, this is fine option.

Next, let’s talk about looks. Simply put, this is a very, very nice looking watch. A round, stainless steel case with PVD coating, white dial with Roman numeral hour indices, brown leather strap, automatic with an 80-hour power reserve and see through caseback make this a handsome and versatile watch, which is very easily dressed up, down or in-between.

One thing I left out of the features in the previous paragraph is the date window at three o’clock. Different people can have very differeing opinions on date windows. Some people absolutely loathe them, as they can really jack up a dial’s harmony, while some are more accepting.

I single out the date window here because, in my opinion, it works quite well on this dial. It’s small and unobtrusive and even though it covers part of the Roman numeral three, it’s not distracting in the least.

Let’s get to the price, which I think you’re going to like. A lot of discussions I’ve had with friends just getting into the watch game revolves around the amount of money they’re willing to spend on their first timepiece (or money that they believe their spouse would be willing to spend in the case of it being a holiday gift). And that number is usually in the $1,000 or less range.

The Tissot Carson Powermatic 80 retails for $725, which plants it squarely in that “comfort zone”. So, for those interested in a watch under the Christmas tree, this is a solid choice.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Stylishly Yours,

Brian Sacawa
He Spoke Style