Let me start by dispelling a common misconception. The Mathey-Tissot manufactory has nothing to do with the Tissot brand. In addition, they produce, in my opinion, much more interesting watches than their hyped counterparts. But let's start with the story...
Deep in the Swiss mountains
Despite the ongoing economic crisis, sanctions and rising prices for energy resources, there are more and more watch brands every year. Newbies tend to use aggressive marketing to get their way into the minds of consumers. Some, for example, support popular sports (car racing, aviation, diving, etc.) or large-scale cultural events. The latter rely on the originality of the design and appearance of watches, not much investing in their content and mechanisms. Still others, in pursuit of innovation, somehow forget that, first of all, a watch is a device for accurately measuring time, and not an exhibition of high-tech achievements.
Fortunately, there are still some brands (alas, quite few) that have a long history and can boast of both interesting models and high watchmaking culture. These include the Swiss brand Mathey-Tissot.
So who is this mysterious Mathey-Tissot? It is difficult to find a more remote and remote place in the Swiss mountains than the Jura valley of La Saigne-y-de-Ponts. However, every watchmaking enthusiast should make it a point to veer off the beaten track to explore lost places like this one. Therefore, sooner or later you will find yourself on the road connecting the Val de Travers with Le Locle, in the small village of Pont de Martel. It was here back in 1886 that Edmond Mathey-Tissot founded the Mathey-Tissot company.
Edmond Mathey, who married a girl from the Tissot family (this is how the second part of his surname appeared), turned out to be one of the pioneers of that era, able to master such watch complications as a quarter repeater and other striking watches.
The first Mathey-Tissot watches were pocket watches (wrist models appeared only at the beginning of the XNUMXth century), and Edmond specialized, as I said, mainly in repeater mechanisms, which brought him fame and good watch sales. The reason was simple - the lack of normal lighting. Yes Yes! The hour dial is legible in daylight, but try to make out something on it in the wavering flame of a smoking candle. Glow-in-the-dark paints for hour markers have not yet been created, so watchmakers have come up with a repeater - a watch that melodiously beats the exact time (at the request of the owner).
Since the opening of the manufactory, Edmond has set the bar for quality, which is why his company quickly became known as a manufacturer of repeaters and other complex watch models. However, the real world fame Mathey-Tissot brought their chronographs. In 1899, the famous Anglo-Boer War began. The officers of the British troops needed accurate and reliable watches, so a large order was placed for their production in the Mathey-Tissot company.
By the way, one Scottish aristocrat even ordered a large batch of repeaters from Edmond, deciding to give each soldier of his son's cavalry regiment a watch with a repeater: gold for officers, silver for lower ranks. Edmond even had to open a second factory in order to fulfill large military orders on time. And after the victory in the Anglo-Boer War, the British government ordered about 3000 more watches from the Swiss manufacture to reward officers who distinguished themselves in battles.
The outbreak of the First World War further increased the demand for Mate Tissot chronographs. The crews of the US and British air forces were equipped with his watches, because the pilots needed reliable models that could show the exact time, despite the most difficult conditions (temperature and pressure drops, vibration and shock), since the aircraft of those years were technically far from perfection. And, of course, the Mathey-Tissot watches celebrated the heroes of the war. So General John J. Pershing awarded them to the best members of his staff.
The high level of technical excellence of these watches has been repeatedly confirmed by independent chronometric tests. For example, in 1914, Mathey-Tissot chronographs received top marks when they passed the test of experts at the London Kew Observatory.
New times - new heroes
The prestige of Mathey-Tissot and the level of technical production of complex movements was very high, so even eminent companies ordered calibers for their models from Edmond. For example, documents found in the archives of the manufactory show that the workshops of E. Mathey-Tissot & Cie, working in the Edmond company, in the first third of the XNUMXth century had orders for calibers from Girard-Perregaux & Cie, Zenith watch manufactories and H. Moser & Cie in Le Locle, as well as Ulysse Nardin, watch manufacturers and importers Baume & Cie (a subsidiary in the UK that became Baume & Mercier), Vacheron Constantin from Geneva, Edouard Heuer & Cie from Bienne, which later became TAG Heuer, Longines, Movado factories in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Piaget & Co.
Orders from Mathey-Tissot were also placed by Jaeger (a watch manufacturer for the French Navy), as well as Breguet, IWC (International Watch Company) from Schaffhausen and JD LeCoultre in the Joux Valley. However, this process was mutually beneficial - the manufactory supplied them with their calibers, and in turn purchased cases, hands and dials from them in order to satisfy the increased demand of their customers. Own capacities for the production of all parts were not enough.
The fifties of the last century turned out to be one of the most successful periods for the company. Their watches were worn by government officials, high-ranking officers, producers and movie stars. What can I say, the "king of rock and roll" Elvis Presley himself bought various models of Mathey-Tissot. And since he liked to live in a big way and make expensive gifts to friends, in 1969 and 1970 he ordered several dozen watches in gold cases for his friends from the manufactory. This limited edition featured an Elvis Presley engraving and four stars on the bezel. The model, accompanied by an original certificate signed by Elvis' close friend Jimmy Velvet, is in great demand to this day (now such watches on the secondary market cost several tens of thousands of dollars). Anyone who wore an Elvis watch could use it as a free and unfettered pass through all security barriers at concerts. Such lucky ones could even quietly wander backstage and visit the artists' dressing room. The watch showed everyone that these people were part of Elvis Presley's inner circle of friends and confidants.
Another interesting story of those years was the release of the Liberty Watch model, which was produced in a gold case (34 mm) in the form of a dollar coin and equipped with an ultra-thin movement. Later, many began to copy this idea.
For real racers
Despite all the crises and upheavals of recent years, the company feels great, because it offers its customers an honest swiss made - stylish, reliable and accurate watches at a reasonable price. And few people can boast of this now. At least at a budget price. There are more than 30 collections in the manufactory's portfolio, so there are no problems with the choice of potential buyers.
A novelty came to my test - the Mathey-Tissot H9010CHAN model from the MATHY CHRONO collection. This is a classic "racing" chronograph, stylistically reminiscent of the original watch of the middle of the last century. The model is equipped with a fixed bezel with a tachymeter scale. The dials of "racing" models are traditionally quite simple, and this one is no exception. The dial itself is black, and the applied hour markers are rectangular and chrome plated. True, the subdials are highlighted in color and this makes them more readable. "At 3 o'clock" they placed a subdial of a small second - it runs all the time, regardless of the chronograph operation. At 6 o'clock is the subdial of the 60-minute counter of the chronograph, at 9 o'clock is the 12-hour counter. The chronograph seconds are counted by a thin central hand.
The date window is hidden under the small second, "at 4 o'clock". And it's white. Thanks to this, the date is better read, although its contrasting highlighting on the black dial is not the most traditional option. It seems to me that it would be possible to make it not white, but the colors of the subdials (this would hurt the eyes less). But this is perhaps the only complaint about this model.
The arrows are curious - elongated, rectangular in shape with milled grooves into which a luminescent coating was placed. The shape of the arrows clearly echoes the sill plates on sports cars.
The readability of the dial is excellent - there is more than enough contrast, although it is somewhat overloaded with small details. On the other hand, it is a chronograph, as it should be. The position of the arrows in the dark is clearly visible, but you will have to look closely at the marks.
The caliber Ronda 5030D is installed inside the case - this is a 6-jewel quartz movement with a chronograph, which can be found in many expensive watches and watches of famous micro brands. By the way, not all quartz watches have rubies, so the Ronda 5030D is an excellent and reliable option.
On "racing" watches, the crown, as a rule, is made larger, so that it was more convenient to use it with gloves. There are also two tide-guards to protect it from damage. The head itself is decorated with a finely engraved logo of the brand.
Partially PVD-coated 316L steel case. I liked that it has the most simple form and clear edges. You immediately feel the vintage spirit of the great motor racing of the past. The past of the company itself is reminded by a neat engraving on the left side of the case - 1886 (this is the year the company was founded).
What can be said in summary? The Mathey-Tissot Mathy Chrono is a stylish and beautiful watch inspired by the past. From them literally breathes the era of the Monte Carlo and Paris-Dakar rallies, the smell of gasoline, the heat of overheated brakes. You can wear such a model even with a polo shirt, even with a shirt and a business suit. By the way, the thickness of the watch is only 12 mm, so the watch can easily fit under the shirt cuff and does not interfere. Although it is most correct to wear such a watch with a worn leather jacket. The perfect combination!
