The 1980s was a wild time for watch design. Gerald Genta was busy creating a legacy that would see his name and designs talked about with awe for the next half century, more or less leaving everyone else to kick rocks on the Alpine slopes. Wait a minute… rocks… on Alpine slopes… In 1985 Tissot released the RockWatch, a quartz timepiece with a case literally made from Alpine granite. It became a cult sensation and now, almost half a century later, it’s back.
There’s no beating around the bush here, the central focus of this watch is the fact that its 38mm case and dial are made from genuine granite from the Jungfrau Mountain in the Swiss Alps. It has a deeply mottled appearance, with shades of grey, brown and white in a chaotic and random pattern that almost mesmerises the eye. Placing the emphasis not on the semi-precious or precious stones that so often take up our attention in the watch industry, but the foundational rock below.
In order to bring the RockWatch into the 21st century, there have been a few updates compared to the original design. Most notably the coloured hands have been replaced by sleek, nickel plated ones instead. This gives it a much less gaudy, novelty feel and more like a timepiece you might seriously consider wearing to a formal occasion. Because what an absolute baller move that would be.
Obviously with a rock case, weight is an important consideration and that’s why it’s presented on a leather strap rather than a bulky bracelet. For the same reason it’s equipped with a lightweight quartz movement instead of a mechanical calibre that would necessitate broader dimensions in order to fit.
The Tissot RockWatch is limited to 999 pieces at £995 from select Tissot boutiques. In the UK that means it will be exclusively available from the Tissot Covent Garden location. For more on the history of the RockWatch, make sure to become an Oracle Time member to receive the print magazine where we’ll be doing a deep dive in an upcoming issue.
Price and Specs:
More details at Tissot.
