Smartwatches might be a relatively new innovation compared to others that have come about in the world of horology, but there’s no denying that it has revolutionised the way we view watches, and it is no wonder why. Where else can you find a device that acts as a heart rate monitor, can keep track of your blood oxygen levels, and tracks your workouts, in addition to functioning as a wrist-bound extension of your smartphone? It is almost inevitable then that it has come to dominate the sport watch category — the next time you go for a run in the park, try having a peek at what people are wearing on their wrists: it will almost certainly be an Apple Watch, or an equivalent offering from Garmin.
This is what makes the Tissot T-Touch Connect Sport such a breath of fresh air — while it does share similar functionality with the above-mentioned smartwatches, it possesses one crucial difference — it retains its soul. Most smartwatches today are cold, minimalist, and postmodern extensions of the devices we rely on to function on a daily basis: a touch screen integrated into a lightweight case with a couple of buttons, and finished with a rubber bracelet. In comparison, the 43mm Tissot T-Touch Connect Sport retains some old-school charm by keeping its three hands, a bezel that displays the minutes at 10-minute intervals, and indices finished with Super-LumiNova lume for maximum legibility in low light environments. The watch is also powered by a quartz unit — these more traditional components distinctly establish this as a watch first, and health/workout assistant second.
That said, the T-Touch Connect Sport definitely holds a candle to its smartwatch competition — used in conjunction with the iOS, Android and Harmony-compatible phone app, the Workouts function on the watch enables wearers to view stats like distance, speed, heart rate and calorie consumption live. Furthermore, the Stats feature allows wearers to glean deeper insights from their stats, with the app offering a complete performance analysis through graphs and trends that enable wearers to track their fitness progress. Other modern aspects of the watch include a tactile sapphire glass face equipped with an AMOLED screen, granting wearers the flexibility to choose between direct touch or two side pushers to engage the watch’s functions.
The T-Touch Connect Sport also integrates notifications for incoming calls and reminders. Crucially, though, Tissot’s aim is not to replace your phone, but complement it — wearers will still need to physically use their phone to answer calls. While that might disappoint some, this author would like to argue differently. Considering the modern bells and whistles that the T-Touch Connect comes packed with, this decision feels like a deliberate effort to limit connectivity, allowing wearers to plug out and get active, unencumbered by the hustle and bustle of daily life — another factor that distinguishes this timepiece from its smartwatch competition.
A common bugbear that smartwatch users face is the need to constantly ensure that their watch is juiced up and ready to go before it is worn on the wrist — T-Touch Connect Sport wearers will face no such issues, as its quartz unit relies on the power of the sun to function. In “watch mode”, an outdoor charge of more than 20 minutes per day (with a clear sky) grants what Tissot calls “infinite autonomy”, while sun time of more than 35 minutes charges up the watch for six months in “standard connected mode”; upping charge time to more than 60 minutes a day ensures functionality for around three months in “sports connected mode”. The concluding touches on the watch come via elegantly brushed and polished finishing on either ceramic or titanium case material options, giving the timepiece a refined touch on an otherwise visually-brawny package.
Regardless of whether you’re on the lookout for a contrarian timepiece that blends sporty smartwatch functionality with horological soul, or simply looking for a watch that stands out against other smartwatch offerings, the 2024 Tissot T-Touch Connect Sport — thoughtfully-engineered, elegant, resilient, and practical — is as good as it gets.
This story was first seen on MensFolio.com
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