Introducing: The Mathey-Tissot 1886 Limited Edition

March 24, 2018

When you see that acclaimed watch designer Eric Giroud has lent his talents to a new watch, it's usually worth taking a closer look. Over a lengthy career, Giroud has worked with many of the major brands in Swiss watchmaking, from independents to major brands. Most often, Giroud's work has focused on high-end models with limited production runs, with an emphasis on smaller marques open to exploring avant garde watch designs. His latest project is an affordably priced, retro-influenced wristwatch that references common watchmaking design cues from the 1970s such as integrated lugs, rounded, sloping contours, bold stick markers, and, most prominently, fum dials. Initial Thoughts Despite the 19th-century product name, the 1886 Limited Edition wristwatch actually references sports watches from the 1970s. 1886 is the year of Mathey-Tissot's founding in Paris, France, and this important year is inscribed in a couple of places on this watch: directly to the right of the date window, which is located at three o'clock, and on the left-hand side of the caseband. For the price, the 1886 looks like an attractive and well-executed, if perhaps somewhat boring, timepiece. It's as if you plugged "70s era wristwatch" into a search engine and it returned this timepiece. But of course, one has to consider the price. At $1,500 for the mechanical version and $500 for the quartz version, with a design by Eric Giroud, this looks like a fairly priced watch. The total run, including quartz and mechanical variations, and all the different dials, will be 1,886 pieces. The Basics Brand: Mathey-TissotModel: 1886 Limited EditionDiameter: 42mmThickness: 11.8mmCase Material: Stainless steelDial Color: Smoky green, smoky brown, smoky blue, smoky grey, blackIndexes: Applied batonsLume: NoneWater Resistance: 50 metersStrap/Bracelet: Alligator print leather strap The Movement ?Caliber: Sellita SW200 (mechanical), EG1886A (quartz)Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, dateDiameter: 42mmThickness: 11.8mmPower Reserve: 38 hours (mechanical)Winding: Automatic or quartzFrequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph) Pricing & Availability Price: CHF 1,500 (mechanical), CHF 500 (quartz)Limited Edition: 1,886 piecesFor more click here.