The New Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Open Heart Collection (Live Pics & Price)

Skeleton or openworked watches have always enjoyed certain popularity and range from anything ultra high-end to accessible watches. There’s something specifically appealing in discovering what’s beating inside a watch (even more for newcomers to mechanical watches), yet entirely opened dials can result in cluttered displays. For this reason, there’s a kind of watch that sits right in the middle, often referred to as “open heart” models, with only the brain of the watch exposed on the dial. Using the successful Gentleman Powermatic 80 as a base, Tissot is now releasing a new edition that does exactly that. 

The Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80, a watch that we’ve extensively reviewed here and also filmed, can easily be considered one of the best offerings for an all-rounder, rather elegant and yet robust watch in the EUR sub-1000 category. Nicely proportioned and quite elegant overall for business use, resistant enough for the weekend too, very well equipped with an advanced and powerful movement (which even includes a silicium balance or a COSC certification on some models) and overall impressively executed considering the price, it’s a no brainer when it comes to a first entry in the world of mechanical watches or for whoever wants a serious watch for daily use, without breaking the bank.

There have been many variations around the concept of the Tissot Gentleman, including accessible quartz versions, two-tone models with solid gold accents or attractive coloured dials, including a cool green edition. Now, Tissot brings the first in-depth evolution with a slightly different movement and, as a pièce de resistance, a partially opened dial revealing some of the movement’s parts, in a so-called “open heart” style – that is shared by various brands, the most notable ones being Frederique Constant or Zenith with the Chronomaster Open.

The concept of these partially opened dials isn’t the most mainstream, as it sits in-between a classic full dial and a more demonstrative, entirely openworked movement. Yet, it fills a gap in collections, as if it allows to see some of the movement’s parts, legibility isn’t too affected, and these watches retain some sleekness. There’s been multiple Open Heart Tissot watches in the past, but the new Gentleman Powermatic 80 Open Heart brings something more. Indeed, instead of a traditional round opening at 12 o’clock over the balance, it gives a bit more with an 8-shaped cutout that sits between 9 and 12 o’clock (a bit like Zenith) and also reveals the escapement. Personally, I’m not entirely a fan of such partially opened watches, but then again, it does have some appeal.

The rest of the watch, except for the dial,  is the same as before: 40mm diameter, a reasonable 11.50mm height, a nicely executed case made of brushed and polished stainless steel, a classic and timeless design that won’t go out of fashion and enough overall resistance to make this watch an all-rounder. The top is protected by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and water-resistance is rated at 100 metres, more than enough for a jump in the pool or even a bit of underwater fun.

Three editions of the Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Open Heart are released, for now, all worn on a 3-link stainless steel bracelet, again with brushed and polished surfaces, and closed by a 3-fold butterfly clasp. The differences are down to the colour of the dial, which is available in dark grey with silver-coloured hands/markers, in dark blue again with silvered accents and in silver with gold-coloured hands and markers. No leather straps have been presented yet, but they certainly will come later.

Inside the case is the ETA Powermatic movement, a strong evolution of the 2824 architecture with an extended 80h power reserve. Here, we’re talking about the calibre 80.601, which features 25 jewels and beats at 3Hz. An important difference from the classic Gentleman with solid dials, this movement isn’t equipped with a silicium hairspring.

The watches from the Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Open Heart Collection will be available in September from the brand and retailers and priced at EUR 875. For more details, please visit www.tissotwatches.com.