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The Affordable Watch That Saved an Iconic Swiss Brand Returns After 40 Years

This quirky little timepiece born from the quartz crises is back for a new generation of enthusiasts.

Close-up of a Tissot wristwatch with a textured, stone-like gray dial and case. The watch has minimalist design with thin, dark hands and the brand name "TISSOT 1853" displayed near the center. The strap appears to be black with a matte finish, and the crown is metallic and shiny.Tissot

By Jack Seemer

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For an industry built on tracking time, the 1980s was a decade many Swiss watchmakers might prefer to forget.

Never mind the oil crises and the economic fallout that followed. The rise of quartz technology from Japan cast the longest shadow, threatening to derail centuries of craftsmanship at storied houses from Rolex to Omega.

But radical times called for radical measures, and it was Tissot that responded with one of the boldest innovations of the era: a quirky little timepiece called the RockWatch, which returns this year for its 40th anniversary.

Round wristwatch with a textured stone-like gray dial and case, featuring silver hour and minute hands. The watch face displays the brand name "TISSOT 1853" and "SWISS MADE" at the bottom. It has a black leather strap with silver connectors and a silver crown with a "T" logo.
For its 40th anniversary, the RockWatch returns with a new case size and more refined hands.
Tissot

A faithful reissue?

Although it was a commercial juggernaut in its day, and widely credited with saving Tissot from the quartz crises, the RockWatch was discontinued just seven years after its debut.

During that run, Tissot used more than a dozen different stones, including jasper, lapis and fossilized coral.

However, the OG featured Swiss-harvested granite, which faithfully returns as the main material for the modern interpretation.

Five wristwatches with round, marble-patterned faces in different colors: green, beige, pink, blue, and red. Each watch has a matching leather strap in dark green, cream, black, blue, and red respectively. The watch hands are yellow and red, and the brand name "TISSOT" is visible on the faces.
Tissot used a variety of different stone for the original RockWatch, however, granite (center) was the first.
Tissot
Close-up of a textured, round stone surface with the word "TISSOT" and the year "1853" printed in white on it. The surface has a rough, marbled appearance with shades of gray, brown, and white.
Tissot sourced the specific granite from the Swiss Alps.
Tissot

According to Tissot, the brand even tasked some of the same artisans who made the original RockWatch to carve the new cases.

That said, the 2025 version avoids being a carbon copy of the 1985 RockWatch, with a handful of refined changes to the wrist.

A close-up of a CNC milling machine cutting a metal workpiece, with coolant fluid spraying around the cutting area. The machine's spindle and cutting tool are visible, along with a flexible coolant hose with an orange nozzle.
The case is fashioned from a single piece of stone, with cavities milled for both the face and movement.
Tissot
Hands wearing pink finger cots are holding a round, speckled watch face labeled "TISSOT" and using a small precision tool to work on it, with a wooden box containing multiple small watchmaking tools in the background.
According to Tissot, many of the same craftspeople who worked on the original RockWatch were involved in the reissue.
Tissot

The first is the size of the case, which now clocks in at 38mm — up from 33mm.

The original RockWatch also featured vivid minute and hour hands, colored red and yellow, inspired by the markers found on many trails throughout Switzerland.

In a move that clearly changes the complexion of the watch, Tissot replaced them for elegant nickel-plated hands.

Round wristwatch with a textured stone-like gray and brown dial and bezel, featuring minimalist silver hour and minute hands. The watch face displays the brand name "TISSOT 1853" near the top and "SWISS MADE" near the bottom. It has a black leather strap with silver metal connectors attaching it to the watch case.
Vivid markers make way for nickel-plated hands.
Tissot
A close-up of a Tissot wristwatch with a unique marble-like textured face and case in shades of white and black. The watch has a yellow hour hand, a red minute hand, and no visible numbers or markers on the dial. The strap appears to be black leather. The words "TISSOT" and "SWISS MADE" are faintly visible on the watch face.
The original’s hands were inspired by red and yellow markers on trails throughout Switzerland.
Tissot

Whether or not either adjustment affects the integrity of the watch will no doubt a subject of debate among old-school enthusiasts.

But both undeniably contribute to a more refined timepiece overall that only further emphasizes the star of the show: a natural-stone case that’s unique to every example of the watch.

Back view of a RockWatch wristwatch featuring a genuine stone case from the Jungfrau mountain. The stainless steel back is secured with six screws and engraved with details including "RockWatch," "Genuine Stone from the Jungfrau," "Jungfrau Elevation 4158m," "Limited Edition 001/999," and "Sapphire Crystal." The watch has a black leather strap with visible stitching.
The granite pattern is unique every watch, which comes with an individually numbered caseback.
Tissot

Limited availability

Limited to just 999 pieces worldwide, the RockWatch is available exclusively from Tissot locations, including the brand’s 5th Avenue Boutique in New York.

It comes with a domed sapphire crystal, quartz movement and a individually numbered caseback.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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