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Tissot Desir 28mm Ladies Watch
Ref. T1520102211801
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Desir sits within Tissot's T-Classic line but takes an unusual design direction: the case is domed and faceted to catch light the way a cut gemstone does, and the crown is moved to 2 o'clock and set with a white cabochon rather than left as a bare crown at 3. These are choices that prioritise how the watch reads dressed up over how it reads against a tool-watch convention. At 28mm and under 8mm deep, it barely registers on the wrist as weight — 54 grams for the whole piece including the bracelet. The mother-of-pearl dial has an inner glitter ring and yellow gold PVD leaf-shaped hands, and shifts colour under changing light in the way only real shell does. Roman numerals at the cardinal hours and stick indices between them avoid the dial looking either purely vintage or purely modern. The bracelet alternates brushed and polished steel links with gold PVD centre links, and the hidden butterfly clasp opens with dual push-buttons — no visible hardware on the wrist side. The ETA F04.115 movement includes an end-of-life indicator that moves the seconds hand in four-second steps when the battery is running low, which saves the watch from stopping without warning, and HeavyDrive construction for shock resistance that you would not necessarily expect in something built this lightly.
- Reference
- T1520102211801
- Brand
- Tissot
- Collection
- Desir
- Case size
- 28mm
- Case thickness
- 8mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Mother-of-pearl
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- ETA F04.
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Two-tone
- Clasp
- Butterfly clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 28mm
- Origin
- Swiss made
Learn more about Tissot
Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Émile founded the company in Le Locle in 1853, assembling gold pocket watches and, unusually for the time, exporting aggressively — Russia became a major market within a decade.
Tissot's history is a sequence of firsts achieved through willingness to try materials and ideas the establishment considered unserious. The first mass-produced pocket watch with two time zones came in 1853. The first anti-magnetic wristwatch in 1930. The Astrolon of 1971 was the first watch with a movement made largely of injection-moulded plastic, and it worked. The RockWatch of 1985 used Alpine granite for the case, followed by watches in wood and mother-of-pearl.
The T-Touch of 1999 was the most significant: a tactile sapphire crystal allowing the wearer to access altimeter, barometer, compass, thermometer, and chronograph by touching the glass, years before touchscreens were commonplace.
Tissot merged with Omega in 1930 and both became founding members of what is now the Swatch Group. Its position in the group is volume and accessibility — Swiss mechanical and quartz watches at prices most people can reach, with the Powermatic 80 movement offering an eighty-hour reserve at entry level.
The company has held timekeeping roles across cycling, basketball, motorsport, and fencing.
- 1853
- Founded in Le Locle by Charles-Félicien and Charles-Émile Tissot.
- 1930
- Merges with Omega; releases the first anti-magnetic wristwatch.
- 1971
- The Astrolon uses a plastic movement.
- 1985
- The RockWatch is cased in Alpine granite.
- 1999
- The T-Touch introduces a tactile sapphire crystal.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in the Tissot Desir range (8), Watches Under 37mm (1,894), Women's Watches (1,819) and Two-Tone Watches (538).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 28mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- 28mm lug-to-lug keeps the 28mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Tissot's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Tissot Desir alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | T1520102211801 | 98R297 | TBW9061 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £399 | £329 |
| Case size | 28mm | 28mm | 28mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 30m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWill it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 28mm, which suits wrists from roughly 15cm (6 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £400, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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