Tissot’s Latest Solar Power Watch Walks the Line Between Nature and Technology

We’ve just returned from an epic media trip to Australia’s Red Centre and are still absorbing the experience. From the magical sunsets to the thrilling helicopter rides to the sweeping desert landscapes, we found ourselves fully immersed in Mother Earth’s natural beauty. The purpose of our adventure? A theme-laden launch of Tissot‘s new PRC 100 Solar watch, which, like the landscape itself, harnesses vital energy from the sun‘s natural light (as well as artificial light sources). Combine that with the range’s already iconic design elements and the future’s looking oh so bright.

We’ll spare you the lifetime’s worth of details from our recent adventure and talk about the watch instead, a beautiful everyday piece if there ever was one. For starters, the weight and balance are completely spot on, lending it a solid yet comfortable feel around the wrist. The dial is minimalist but sophisticated, and the brushed finish really pops, rendering an elegant vibe without compromising the overall sense of simplicity. It’s the kind of watch that pairs well with casual wear but also dresses up nicely for more formal occasions.

It might sound like we’re playing upon contrasts, but if anything, the Tissot PRC 100 Solar embraces this very approach. Each model combines familiar details like the signature dodecagonal bezel with a groundbreaking Lightmaster Quartz Solar movement to capture multiple concepts at once. Past meets future. Nature meets technology. And so the piece delivers a masterful balancing act while retaining a classic, minimalist vibe. ‘Versatile’ is the word that leaps to mind, and it extends to the aesthetic and construction alike.

How does this thing actually work? Some of you might be wondering. First, natural and artificial light passes through the watch’s sapphire crystal layer and gets absorbed by compact, built-in solar panels. The panels convert the light energy into electricity, which is stored in a rechargeable accumulator and dispersed to the movement to power operations. Even when sunlight is limited, the solar cells—and thus the quartz solar movement and adjoining Lightmaster technology—can draw energy from artificial light. Precise by default, the movement is also designed to last, complete with a three-year warranty.

Tissot’s PRC 100 Solar continues a distinctive design language that kicked off in the mid-2000s with the original PRC 100 series. It comes in two unique sizes—39mm or 34mm—along with different material and colour combinations. No matter where you land, you’ll get a signature dodecagonal bezel, integrated solar cells, and a minimalist dial layout with date window and SuperLumiNova markers. Thanks to the use of robust materials like stainless steel and crystal sapphire, each model is built to endure all kinds of adventure, like say an epic retreat through the Australian desert.

We followed the sun throughout Central Australia and so too did the new Tissot PRC 100 Solar. This is a watch for our times and for years to come, boldly streamlining multiple concepts whilst delivering sturdy construction and painstaking accuracy. Throw in a perfectly reasonable price tag and what’s there not to love? Score one now for AUD$695 and up.