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Tissot vs Seiko

Tissot vs Seiko

The two brands on this site that publish what a service costs. One gives you 80 hours and sapphire as standard; the other gives you a longer warranty and the cheapest overhaul in the industry.

By Sawyer V. · Published

The short answer

Tissot gives you an 80-hour Powermatic 80 and sapphire as standard, and publishes a $210 US service price with 24 months on the work. Seiko gives you a three-year warranty against Tissot's two and publishes a price for every caliber, from $176 for a 4R. At the 6R tier, Seiko matches Tissot on crystal and nearly on reserve.

Tissot and Seiko are the two brands on this site that tell you, before you buy, what keeping the watch will cost — which makes them the two easiest brands to recommend to someone who wants to own a watch for twenty years. They get there by different routes, and the difference is mostly about which tier you are shopping in.

The ownership facts, side by side

TissotSeiko
Warranty2 years3 years
Published US service price$210, complete mechanical, 24 months on the work$137 (7S), $176 (4R), $296 (6R), $373 (8R)
Power reserve, automatics here80 hours41 hours (4R), 70-72 hours (6R)
Crystal, automatics hereSapphireHardlex (4R), sapphire (6R)
Published accuracyNone on the pages we read+25/-15 sec/day on the 6R
Diver certification hereNoneISO diver's marking on Prospex divers

On prices: we publish no figure we have not verified today, so every buy button reads "Check price on Amazon". Service prices quoted here are the manufacturers' own published figures.

How we picked

We have not worn these watches. What follows is what we checked instead, on documents you can open yourself — the same criteria, in the same order, on every roundup on this site. The full method is on the methodology page.

  1. 01Published service price

    Both publish — the only two brands on this site that do. Tissot $210 for a complete mechanical service; Seiko $176 for a 4R and $296 for a 6R.

  2. 02Warranty

    Seiko three years, Tissot two.

  3. 03Power reserve

    80 hours on Tissot's Powermatic 80; 41 hours on Seiko's 4R and 70-72 on the 6R.

  4. 04Crystal

    Sapphire across Tissot's range here; Hardlex on Seiko below the 6R tier.

  5. 05Accuracy

    Seiko publishes a tolerance for the 6R. Tissot publishes none on the product pages we read.

Disclosure · Some links below are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through one we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not decide what goes on this page or in what order — here is exactly how that works.

Quick picks

Ranked on the Keep Score below — six published specifications, weighted identically on every page. The last row is the one we would not buy.

#WatchBest forKeep ScorePrice
1

Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317J1

Sapphire, 200m diver's, 70 hours, published accuracy and a $296 overhaul.

The best watch from either brand at this level9.6/10
Check price
2

Seiko Prospex SPB453J1

300m, sapphire, a 72-hour 6R55 in a 40mm case.

Seiko's deepest-rated watch here9.6/10
Check price
3

Tissot Gentleman Open Heart 40mm T127.407.11.041.01

80 hours, sapphire, 100m, an open heart, $210 service.

Tissot's best argument8.4/10
Check price
4

Seiko Prospex Turtle SRPE93

4R36, 200m diver's rating, $176 published overhaul.

The cheapest watch here to keep8.4/10
Check price
5

Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm T137.407.11.041.00

Sapphire, 100m, 80 hours, 10.93mm, integrated bracelet.

Tissot's most famous watch8.0/10
Check price
6

Tissot Chrono XL Classic 45mm T116.617.11.047.01

Quartz chronograph, sapphire, 100m, 45mm.

A Swiss chronograph that costs little to keep7.9/10
Check price
—

Seiko Presage Cocktail Time SRPB43J1

A beautiful lacquered dial on a 41-hour movement, with Hardlex and 50m.

Skip this one

Not against a Tissot dress watch7.5/10
Check price

Keep Score is arithmetic, not opinion — six published specifications, weighted the same way on every page. The formula is on our methodology page, so you can re-run it yourself.

01

Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317J1

Best for: The best watch from either brand at this level

9.6/10

Keep Score

Crystal
2.5/2.5
Serviceability
2.5/2.5
Water resistance
1.5/1.5
Warranty
1.05/1.5
Strap standard
1/1
Cost-to-keep transparency
1/1
Check price on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · We publish no price we have not verified today

The 6R tier is where Seiko matches Tissot's sapphire, comes within ten hours of its reserve, and adds two things Tissot does not offer here: a published accuracy tolerance and an ISO diver's rating.

A three-year warranty against Tissot's two, and a published $296 overhaul. 41mm across and 12.3mm thick.

This is where Seiko starts publishing an accuracy figure (+25/-15 seconds a day) and fits sapphire. A 6R35 overhaul is $296 against $176 for a 4R36 — a real difference, and one you can plan for.

Manufacturer specifications for the Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317J1
MovementSeiko 6R35, automatic with manual winding, 24 jewels, +25/-15 sec per day
Power reserve70 hours
Case41mm stainless steel
Lug-to-lug46.9mm
Thickness12.3mm
Lug width20mm
Crystalsapphire
Water resistance200m
Warranty3 years

Specifications read from Seiko Watch Corporation product page, SPB317J1.

02

Seiko Prospex SPB453J1

Best for: Seiko's deepest-rated watch here

9.6/10

Keep Score

Crystal
2.5/2.5
Serviceability
2.5/2.5
Water resistance
1.5/1.5
Warranty
1.05/1.5
Strap standard
1/1
Cost-to-keep transparency
1/1
Check price on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · We publish no price we have not verified today

300m and 72 hours in a case smaller than the SPB317, with the same published $296 overhaul. No Tissot on this site is rated past 100m.

If you are choosing between brands on water resistance, this settles it.

300m and a 46.4mm lug-to-lug in the same watch is unusual. The extender in the clasp is the detail that says Seiko still expects this one to be dived, not just worn.

Manufacturer specifications for the Seiko Prospex SPB453J1
MovementSeiko 6R55, automatic with manual winding, 24 jewels, +25/-15 sec per day
Power reserve72 hours
Case40mm stainless steel
Lug-to-lug46.4mm
Thickness13mm
Lug width20mm
Crystalsapphire
Water resistance300m
Warranty3 years

Specifications read from Seiko Watch Corporation product page, SPB453J1.

03

Tissot Gentleman Open Heart 40mm T127.407.11.041.01

Best for: Tissot's best argument

8.4/10

Keep Score

Crystal
2.5/2.5
Serviceability
2.5/2.5
Water resistance
1.1/1.5
Warranty
0.7/1.5
Strap standard
0.6/1
Cost-to-keep transparency
1/1
Check price on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · We publish no price we have not verified today

Everything that makes the Tissot case at once: an 80-hour Tissot automatic with a Nivachron hairspring, sapphire, 100m and a published $210 US service with 24 months on the work.

40mm and 11.5mm thick. The 21mm lug width is the one strap cost Seiko's 20mm cases don't have.

The quick-release bracelet is the detail worth paying for: this is one of the few Swiss automatics at this level you can re-strap in thirty seconds without a tool.

Manufacturer specifications for the Tissot Gentleman Open Heart 40mm T127.407.11.041.01
MovementSwiss automatic, Nivachron balance spring
Power reserve80 hours
Case40mm 316l stainless steel
Lug-to-lugNot published
Thickness11.5mm
Lug width21mm
Crystalsapphire
Water resistance100m
Warranty2 years

Specifications read from Tissot product page, T127.407.11.041.01.

04

Seiko Prospex Turtle SRPE93

Best for: The cheapest watch here to keep

8.4/10

Keep Score

Crystal
1.3/2.5
Serviceability
2.5/2.5
Water resistance
1.5/1.5
Warranty
1.05/1.5
Strap standard
1/1
Cost-to-keep transparency
1/1
Check price on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · We publish no price we have not verified today

Seiko's strongest argument against Tissot isn't a specification — it's the $176 overhaul, the lowest published price for any mechanical movement we cover, on the most widely serviced caliber in the country.

Hardlex and 41 hours are what you give up for it.

Seiko rates this at 200m as a diver's watch, not merely water-resistant — screw-down crown, screw case back, unidirectional bezel. The 45mm figure is misleading: the cushion case has no protruding lugs.

Manufacturer specifications for the Seiko Prospex Turtle SRPE93
MovementSeiko 4R36, automatic with manual winding, 24 jewels
Power reserve41 hours
Case45mm stainless steel
Lug-to-lugNot published
Thickness13.4mm
Lug width22mm
Crystalhardlex
Water resistance200m
Warranty3 years

Specifications read from Seiko Watch Corporation product page, SRPE93.

05

Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm T137.407.11.041.00

Best for: Tissot's most famous watch

8.0/10

Keep Score

Crystal
2.5/2.5
Serviceability
2.5/2.5
Water resistance
1.1/1.5
Warranty
0.7/1.5
Strap standard
0.2/1
Cost-to-keep transparency
1/1
Check price on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · We publish no price we have not verified today

The PRX is the watch most people mean when they compare the two brands: thin, sapphire, 80 hours, and Tissot's $210 service price behind it.

The integrated bracelet uses a 12mm fitting that no standard strap fits, which we score as a fault. The [full PRX verdict is here](/brands/is-the-tissot-prx-worth-it).

Tissot publishes a US complete-service price of $210 for a mechanical two-or-three-hand watch, which makes this the most predictable Swiss automatic here to own. The 12mm lug width is not a strap size — the bracelet is part of the case.

Manufacturer specifications for the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm T137.407.11.041.00
MovementSwiss automatic, Powermatic 80
Power reserve80 hours
Case40mm 316l stainless steel
Lug-to-lugNot published
Thickness10.93mm
Lug width12mm
Crystalsapphire
Water resistance100m
Warranty2 years

Specifications read from Tissot product page, T137.407.11.041.00.

06

Tissot Chrono XL Classic 45mm T116.617.11.047.01

Best for: A Swiss chronograph that costs little to keep

7.9/10

Keep Score

Crystal
2.5/2.5
Serviceability
1.6/2.5
Water resistance
1.1/1.5
Warranty
0.7/1.5
Strap standard
1/1
Cost-to-keep transparency
1/1
Check price on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · We publish no price we have not verified today

Seiko's cheapest chronograph with a published service price is the V-series solar at $163; Tissot's is this quartz PowerDrive chronograph with sapphire and 100m.

45mm across on a 22mm strap — genuinely large. Check it against your wrist.

Tissot publishes a US service price list, which almost no chronograph maker at this level does, and PowerDrive drives the hands back to zero electronically instead of through a column wheel. Cheap to keep, and 45mm across.

Manufacturer specifications for the Tissot Chrono XL Classic 45mm T116.617.11.047.01
MovementSwiss quartz chronograph, PowerDrive, with end-of-life battery indicator
Power reserveNot applicable
Case45mm 316l stainless steel
Lug-to-lugNot published
Thickness11.02mm
Lug width22mm
Crystalsapphire
Water resistance100m
Warranty2 years

Specifications read from Tissot product page, T116.617.11.047.01.

Skip this one

Seiko Presage Cocktail Time SRPB43J1

Best for: Not against a Tissot dress watch

7.5/10

Keep Score

Crystal
1.3/2.5
Serviceability
2.5/2.5
Water resistance
0.6/1.5
Warranty
1.05/1.5
Strap standard
1/1
Cost-to-keep transparency
1/1
Check price on Amazon

#ad Affiliate link · We publish no price we have not verified today

The Presage Cocktail Time is the Seiko most often cross-shopped against Tissot's dress watches, and its dial is the best on this site at any price near it.

Against Tissot at the dressy end, it gives up the two things Tissot is best at: sapphire, and a reserve that survives a weekend — 41 hours against 80. A dress watch is the one most likely to sit unworn from Friday to Monday.

If you want Seiko at the dressy end, the [4R vs 6R comparison](/automatic-watches/seiko-4r-vs-6r) explains what the step up buys. If you want Tissot's reserve, the Gentleman above is the one.

A box-shaped Hardlex crystal, not sapphire — it will pick up scratches under a shirt cuff. Everything else about this watch is built to be kept, and the 4R35 sits on the same $176 service line as the 4R36.

Manufacturer specifications for the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time SRPB43J1
MovementSeiko 4R35, automatic with manual winding, 23 jewels
Power reserve41 hours
Case40.5mm stainless steel
Lug-to-lugNot published
Thickness11.8mm
Lug width20mm
Crystalhardlex
Water resistance50m
Warranty3 years

Specifications read from Seiko Watch Corporation product page, SRPB43J1.

Which to buy

If you wantBuy
The lowest predictable running costSeiko 4R — $176 per overhaul, published
Sapphire and 80 hours at a mid-range priceTissot — Powermatic 80 across the range
A watch you can dive withSeiko Prospex — ISO diver's marking
The longest warranty of the twoSeiko, at three years
The best watch of either brand hereSeiko Prospex Alpinist SPB317

For each brand ranked on its own, see Tissot and Seiko. For the Swiss-against-Japanese argument at the level of countries rather than brands, see Japanese vs Swiss.

Questions people actually ask

Is Tissot better than Seiko?

At the same price below Seiko's 6R tier, Tissot usually gives you sapphire and 80 hours of reserve where Seiko gives Hardlex and 41 hours. Seiko counters with a three-year warranty and a cheaper published overhaul: $176 for a 4R against Tissot's $210.

Which is cheaper to service, Tissot or Seiko?

Seiko's 4R, at $176, is the cheapest published mechanical service there is. Tissot's complete mechanical service is $210 with 24 months of warranty on the work. Seiko's 6R is $296.

Which has the better warranty?

Seiko, at three years against Tissot's two, as stated on each brand's product pages.

Are Seiko and Tissot movements equally reliable?

Both are made in enormous volume, which is what matters for long-term parts supply. Tissot's Powermatic 80 runs 80 hours; Seiko's 4R runs 41 and its 6R 70-72, with a published accuracy tolerance.

Sources

Every specification and figure on this page came from one of these documents. Where a manufacturer does not publish something, the page says so rather than filling the gap.

Read next

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