TISSOT's 'T' is for Tactile

Today I saw an advertisement on Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar -- tactile watch powered by solar energy, offering 20 functions including weather forecast, altimeter and compass. 

That it is powered by light energy and "Swiss Made" at that caught by attention. To this day I still wonder why Swatch did not take the eco-leap to produce solar watches and launched a collection of automatic watches instead.

According to its blurb at http://www.tissot.ch/products/tissot-t-touch-expert-solar/T0914204604100.html :-

"Tissot’s pioneering spirit is what led to the creation of tactile watches in 1999.

Today, it is the first to present a touch-screen watch powered by solar energy, confirming its position as leader in tactile technology in watchmaking.

The rays of light on the dial allow to recharge the watch and to offer essential functions for everyday use.

All this in a modern and dynamic stylish watch."

Also, from their website, Tissot's TOUCH technology covers the following functions:

"Relative and Absolute Air Pressure

The barometer function shows the weather changes via the hands and the adjustable relative air pressure via the digital display [hpa].

Altimeter

Adjustable display of the altitude above sea level, in metres or feet.

Altitude Difference Meter

Functions like a stopwatch and shows the cumulative time, the cumulative gain and loss in altitude in metres or feet, the average ascent and descent speed in metres per minute or feet per minute.

Chrono Lap

Chronograph function dedicated to measuring lap times of one runner/ racer with a precision to within a hundredth of a second.

Chrono Split

Chronograph function dedicated to measuring total racing times for up to 99 racers competing in the same timed event.

Compass

Indication of true north using magnetic north and the adjustable declination to the east or west.

Azimuth

By adjusting the azimuth, the Tissot T-Touch Expert indicates the heading, which is shown at 12 o’clock. The minute hand shows the north.

Alarm 1 and 2

Two 24-hour alarms, easy to use, with audible signal.

Timer

Countdown from the time that can be set in hours, minutes and seconds.

Regatta

The adjustable countdown for the departure procedure, with an audible signal, transforms into a race chronograph when the regatta starts."

Please look up http://www.t-touch.com/en-en/#!/t-touch-expert-solar to find out more.

For your further exploration and contemplation, please click on the following links:

Favourable Review by Ariel Adams of A Blog to Watch

http://www.ablogtowatch.com/tissot-t-touch-expert-solar-watch-review-2/

and

Critical Review by John Biggs of Tech Crunch

http://techcrunch.com/2014/09/14/up-close-with-the-tissot-t-touch-solar-expert-the-perennial-hiking-watch-for-geeks/