In the world of Swiss watches, Tissot offers great heritage and a whole lot of different models to choose from – something for everyone, in every price range. However, I’ve always found their designs to be a mixed bag – there are some good ones, alright, but they have to be sieved from the pile of mediocrity. And once in a while, you’ll stumble upon something special. And this one’s it for me – unfortunately, instead of a cool (nick)name, all you get is the rather uninspired name Tissot PRC 200 Powermatic 80, but don’t let that fool you – this is not a dull watch at all.

At 39mm and with a thickness of only 11.9mm, it’s the perfect size for any occasion and goes well with any attire. The lumed hands, indexes and arabics give off a sporty vibe, which balances well the overall classic appearance. The case bears the signature looks for the PRC200 lineage – a sandwiched side profile, with brushed/polished finishes, giving it an extra level of dressiness and intricacy while protecting the polished surface from unwanted scratches. From the exhibition caseback you can take a peek at the venerable powermatic 80 – with gold-plated cogs and decorated rotor – which gives it a considerable power reserve of 80 hours. And to finish it all off, there is a grippy, well-proportioned screw-down crown, giving this watch a whopping 200m of water resistance.

When you read the specs, you can (rightfully) think I’m describing some chunky diver – but this Tissot PRC 200 Powermatic 80 is neither. And that’s just it – it’s so rare to find a piece that walks the line between sport and dress watches like this one, because that line isn’t fine, it isn’t even a line – it’s a chasm that no manufacturer dares to bridge. And yet, Tissot have done just that – they’ve made a “go anywhere, do anything” watch and no one’s even heard about it. I’ve found it, though – and I really like it.