MATHEY-TISSOT WATCHES
Mathey-Tissot is a Swiss watch brand founded by Edmond Mathey-Tissot in 1886 in the village of Les Ponts de Martel, Swiss Jura Mountains.
Mathey-Tissot was initially specialised in “repeater” watches, timepieces that chime the hour and half hour. Soon afterwards, the company undertook the production of stopwatches, crafted with such ingenuity and precision that they were immediately successful. In fact, numerous prizes and awards for superlative quality were collected throughout Europe.
In 1890, the Boer War between England and South Africa erupted, and the demand for Mathey-Tissot’s fine watches became so great that a new larger factory was built. In the Kew Observatory Competition of 1914, Mathey-Tissot was represented by six chronographs, each with split-second timing.
All not only passed the Class A rating with mention of “specially good”, but one had a record never previously attained. Later that same year Mathey-Tissot followed this accomplishment with the award of the Grand Prix at Berne’s Swiss National Exhibition. As the years passed, a striking array of other honours was earned by the famed craftsmen of Mathey-Tissot.
During World War I, Mathey-Tissot was called on to supply the United States Army Corps of Engineers with large quantities of precision chronographs, and Gen. John J. Pershing, Commander of the United States Expeditionary Forces, selected Mathey-Tissot as the watch to award to members of his staff.
In addition to its regular business of producing fine watches for jewellers throughout the world, Mathey-Tissot before and during World War II turned out thousands of timepieces for the United States armed forces and the British Navy.
Elvis Presley was one of the elite customers of Mathey-Tissot’s watches. The above featured timepiece was custom made for the legendary rock n roll star.
Since 2017, Mathey-Tissot watches have been manufactured by SWP Swiss Watch Partners SA, which also creates timepieces under the Swiss Militaire by Big Ben brand.
Mathey-Tissot Watches History/Timeline
1858: Birth of Edmond Mathey-Tissot at Ponts de Martel, Canton of Neuchâtel, in Switzerland.
1886: Establishment of Comptoir d’Horlogerie Mathey-Tissot as an exclusive manufacture of quality complicated movements and complete watches.
1914: Grand Prize of the National Exhibition of Bern awarded to Mathey-Tissot for his complicated watch movements. First Class Grand Prize at the Geneva Observatory for 6 Chronographs with adjustable counters. Mathey-Tissot was quickly recognized as a manufacturer of high-quality movements on the basis of renowned sketches such as the ones for chronograph movements of Le Coultre manufacturer.
1929: The company is taken over by Edmond Mathey-Tissot’s sons Jean & Etienne, graduated from the Watchmaking Schools of Le Sentier and Le Locle.
1961: Mr. Jean Edmond Mathey-Tissot leaves the presidency of the company.
1960 – 1980: Given Mathey-Tissot worldwide reputation due to its high quality watches, the factory became supplier of complete watches (movement, case, watch strap) for prestigious brands such as Le Coultre, Girard Perregaux, and Breguet Paris. The factory became also the supplier of watches bracelets and pockets for aviation with type 11 and 12 created from Valjoux sketches for Breguet & Sinn brands.
1975: Etienne Mathey-Tissot leaves his place. Jules Elefant, a historic distributor for the United States, moved to the Ponts de Martel with his wife and three children to take over the company. Meantime, his, who remained in New York, takes care of the brand development. Jules Elefant has collaborated with Etienne Tissot until 1975.
1980: Mathey-Tissot and the house of high quality watchmaking, Bueche-Girod, work together to manufacture high quality complete watches. Mathey-Tissot becomes one of the most important suppliers of Cartier USA.
1981: After Jules Elefant’s death, his wife and his sons take over the company. The Company is located at Mont Blanc street, n°4, at Geneva.
1994 – 2011: Brand management by Mr Alberto Frigerio Bonvicino.
2012: Complete reorganization of the collections. Brand opening to international markets and implementation of a structure to maximize quality control.
2014: Mathey-Tissot brand is acquired by Mr Alberto Frigerio Bonvicino.
2017: SWP Swiss Watch Partners SA becomes the exclusive licence of Mathey-Tissot.
Today, Mathey-Tissot offers a vast collection of automatic and quartz timepieces suited for almost every aspect of life. Mathey-Tissot watches retail price range is $200 to $2,500.
