Tissot Sizes Down its Gentleman Collection to a Brilliant 38mm (Incl. Video)

If there’s one thing to be said about Tissot over the past couple of years, it’s the fact that they have a keen sense of what the community wants. Sure, the size reduction of the brilliant PRX Powermatic 80 might have taken a bit too long for our liking, but we now have it in 40mm, 35mm and 38mm. On the simpler side of things, the Tissot Gentleman is another sure-fire success of the brand. Part of the portfolio since 2019 and available in a wide range of styles, it’s one of the best entry-level watches into mechanical watchmaking. There was only one small element to complain about, perhaps, as it was only available in 40mm. Up until now, that is! This is the brilliant Tissot Gentleman 38mm!

The design remains unchanged, yet drops from 40mm to 38mm in diameter, as its name suggests. The stainless steel case retains the proportions that made the Gentleman such a friendly and accessible watch in terms of style. It’s simple and straightforward, but that’s also part of the brilliance. Stylish, well-balanced, and priced very competitively, it’s a fresh and modern watch that will look right at home in any situation. No frills, just very honest and very good watchmaking, period!

The case is virtually fully brushed, with a polished sloping bezel on top, and a bevelled edge along the length of the caseband. The lug-to-lug size comes down from about 48mm to a lug-to-lug length of 48.5mm. On the right, there’s a stout knurled crown to set the time and date; it has a sapphire crystal on the front, and there’s a see-through caseback, and the water-resistance is rated at 100 meters.

The dial is toned down ever so slightly compared to its larger sibling. Where the 40mm Gentleman had a subtle crosshair on the dial, this new 38mm Gentleman does without one. Available in silver, black, blue or green, each dial has a pyramidal sunray-brushed finish subtly dividing it into quarters, and applied markers and hands with Super-LumiNova. There’s a sloped flange with dotted markers all around, and a framed window for the date.

The new Gentleman 38 comes, as expected, with the ubiquitous Powermatic 80 automatic. But there is a difference, though, as the bigger Gentleman comes with an anti-magnetic silicon balance spring, whereas this Gentleman 38 is equipped with a Nivachron hairspring. Nivachron is a titanium alloy that’s highly resistant to magnetism, temperature changes and shock-resistance, while Silicon is fully anti-magnetic and self-lubricating, yet pricier in production. Still, it runs at a rate of 21,600vph, which was the main reason for extending the power reserve to a comfortable power reserve of 80 hours.

Tissot puts the Gentleman 38 on a stainless steel three-link bracelet with polished inner links contrasting against brushed outer links, and a folding clasp. For the time being, that is, as we sort of expect to see leather and possibly even rubber straps making an appearance in due time, just like on the 40mm Gentleman. At CHF 695, there’s really nothing to complain about.

And in a world where prices sometimes seem out of control, or at the very best hard to justify, Tissot feels like a beacon of sensibility. The Gentleman has always been a brilliantly stylish entry-level watch, and in this 38mm size, it becomes an even greater everyman’s friend, and just about the perfect daily beater. For more information, please visit TissotWatches.com.