Tissot CEO Sylvain Dolla Is Sitting on a Goldmine of Watch Designs
Tissot & Sharp
What does a 21st-century smartwatch, a 1980s designer collab and a steel 1970s steel sport watch have in common? Incredibly, they – along with a selection of 19th century-style mechanical pocket watches – are all part of Tissot’s 2021 offering. The man behind the brand is Sylvain Dolla, a watch industry veteran and perhaps one of the most fortunate CEOs in the watch industry. With a heritage stretching back to the 1850s, Tissot is one of the world’s oldest watchmakers, with an archive spanning an incredible range of periods, styles and designs.
This is the source of new releases like the Heritage Memphis, a watch designed by Memphis Milano originator Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s, and the PRX, a revived 1970s steel sport watch whose clean lines and integrated bracelet call to mind the iconic designs of the era. Still, Tissot remains a brand keenly focused on innovation. The new Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar, for example, is truly modern wearable with smartphone connectivity, a unique touch interface and a 6-month solar battery life. Sharp Watch Editor Jeremy Freed had a virtual sit-down with Dolla to discuss Tissot’s heritage, its newest releases and his plans for guiding the historic brand into the future.
