Tissot RockWatch Commemorates 40 Years of Swiss Stonecraft

Forty years post-launch, Tissot reintroduces the RockWatch model with a limited-edition reissue unveiled in its original location: the Swiss Alps.

Tissot RockWatch

The narrative of Tissot’s RockWatch is closely linked to Switzerland’s renowned mountain range. Initially introduced in 1985, it showcased a complete case constructed from a material that has likely never been utilized in watchmaking prior: Alpine granite sourced from the cantons of Grisons, Ticino, and Valais. The RockWatch, a quartz-powered clock available in several case sizes of 33mm or lower and adorned with red and yellow hands, captivated collectors with its detailed intricacies and unique stone qualities.

Tissot RockWatch

In honor of the RockWatch's 40th anniversary, Tissot has released a limited edition of 999 pieces, closely resembling the original, available only at select retail locations for SGD 1,550. The 2025 RockWatch, now measuring 38mm and featuring silvery nickel-plated hands, operates on a quartz movement, paying genuine tribute to its predecessor. The enclosure is constructed from granite boulders salvaged during maintenance and repair operations in the Jungfrau Railway tunnels.

Tissot RockWatch

Tissot orchestrated the premiere ceremony of the RockWatch reissue in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, a region celebrated for its three prominent peaks: Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, so reinforcing the connection to its raw material. The excursion involved a drive from the resort town of Interlaken to the Grindelwald terminal, followed by a transfer to the Eiger Express cable car and thereafter to the Jungfrau Railway, which traverses a tunnel excavated inside the Alps.

The expansive Eigerwand rail station, abandoned since late 2016, hosted the product launch, directed by Tissot CEO Sylvain Dolla. The centerpiece, showcased in vitrines and housed in a bespoke box meant to mimic a granite block, was positioned among the archival RockWatches from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the raw granite cylinders and specimens from each phase of the modern production process. The launch experience culminated in a walking tour of the 3,475-meter-high glacier saddle Jungfraujoch, offering vistas of the 20-kilometer-long Aletsch Glacier and traversing the Ice Palace, a series of passages sculpted within the glacier, thereby solidifying the deep association between RockWatch and Switzerland's natural heritage.