Tissot Visodate Vs. Baltic Hermetique

November 18, 2013

Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. Blink twice, and another seven days have flown by, bringing us to our favorite moment of the week. This time, Daan and Thomas take to the ring to defend two mid-century-inspired everyday watches. Daan represents the Baltic Hermetique, while Thomas defends the new Tissot Visodate.These watches are more competitive than you may assume at first glance. The Baltic costs $744.15 on a bracelet, while the Tissot comes in at $875. Both are available with retro beads-of-rice bracelets (one of a few options for the Baltic), and both can serve as versatile daily watches with verve. The one glaring difference reveals itself in the Tissots name - a date complication. Lets see if that matters to you, the esteemed Fratelli.But first, last weeks resultsBefore we let the boys loose, lets have a quick look at the results of last week s Sunday Morning Showdown. Mike and Jorg fought out a Vacheron family feud, pitting the Historiques 222 against the Overseas Self-Winding, both in gold. In the end, the Historiques 222 won by a very narrow margin. It garnered 54% of the votes against 46% for the Overseas.The 222 received praise for its smoother, cleaner design. Its bracelet also scored points. The Overseas, meanwhile, scored points by being less retro. Some preferred the 222s size, while some mentioned it as a reason to vote Overseas. All this goes to show it s different strokes for different folks.With that out of the way, lets dive into todays Sunday Morning Showdown!Thomas: Tissot VisodateGood morning, Fratelli! And good morning, Daan! This feels like coming back down to Earth after a Sunday filled with 18K gold intra-family violence. Our contestants today are significantly more humble and attainable - no waitlists, no purchase-history demands, and a sub-$1k price tag whichever way you lean.As you may have gathered from my review earlier this week, I am rather charmed by the new Tissot Visodate. The previous generation was a fan favorite, but I imagine this new one can do just as well. It offers all the required specifications, decent quality, and vibey mid-century aesthetic. Granted, for the true GADA fans among you, the Baltic scores a big point by tripling the Tissots 50m water resistance. However, I will argue that the Visodate beats the Hermetique in every other respect.The Tissot Visodate over the Baltic HermetiqueLets start with some basic specifications. For starters, the Tissot Visodate offers a Swiss Made designation, including a Swiss Powermatic 80 movement. Now, it isnt the Japanese Miyota movement that I would rate lower, but I am unclear about where the rest of the Baltic Hermetique is made. As the name suggests, the Powermatic 80 caliber offers a whopping 80 hours of autonomy, almost twice that of the Miyota 9039 in the Hermetique.Second, you get a date complication. Now, while this may be a controversial topic among enthusiasts, I know it matters a lot to the majority of Tissot buyers.Third, although neither is particularly high-end in build or finish, the Tissot wins on both counts. The Baltics case is simultaneously simpler and more coarsely finished.Mid-century design done rightThe biggest differentiator between these two, however, is design. I am actually surprised to find myself preferring a Tissot over a Baltic in this respect, but here we are. Allow me to explain why. Both watches evoke mid-century design language, pulling at the heartstrings with that warm, fuzzy, sentimental feeling. The Baltic, however, makes two mistakes along the way.First, it emulates the vintage aesthetic too closely in certain details. The railroad track, syringe hands, and super-flat crown all feel directly pulled from the archives. This makes it look less evolved and of today than the Tissot Visodate.At the same time, it throws in modern details, such as solid lume indexes and bright dial colors, which feel anachronistic due to the pure retro details elsewhere. To my eye, these worlds dont really come together in the Baltic Hermetique, remaining starkly contrasted and pulling in different directions. The Tissot Visodate, meanwhile, seems to update the vintage aesthetic more effortlessly into a modern design. It flows better and feels more natural. All right, let me leave it at that. Daan, tell the good people why I am wrong!Daan: Baltic HermetiqueOof, Thomas, I have to agree with many of your points. However, I m also wondering whether they matter as much to the average buyer. Sure, if you re looking for a Swiss-made, vintage-inspired watch with good finishing, a consistent design, and heritage, the new Tissot Visodate is a great option, especially for the price. The concave minute track and sloped dial are nice details, and the date window integrates into the design quite well. Also, the 80-hour power reserve is a practical bonus. So, yes, it s a great-looking watch with modern capabilities for a good price.However, I don t agree that Tissot has updated it into a modern design. And what exactly do you mean by it flows better and feels more natural? To me, the new Visodate has a highly consistent, well-executed design, but it s also still a very vintage-inspired design that could even come across as a little boring. At the very least, it is on the safe side. Just look, for example, at the available dial color options - blue, black, and silver with gold accents. What I m trying to say is that there s not really anything that excites me about the new Visodate.A colorful bunchIn comes the Baltic Hermetique. Just take a look at the full Hermetique collection for a moment. I can t imagine looking at that colorful bunch without a big smile from ear to ear. First, there are the pink, turquoise, orange, and yellow Hermetique Summer editions. If those are a bit too loud, you can choose from the more classic beige, green, blue, and brown Tourers. And if you re into a more sophisticated mode, go for one of the models with a bronze case. They all come with a perfectly matching Tropic-style rubber strap, or you can choose between a flat-link or beads-of-rice bracelet for the steel versions.In contrast to you, Thomas, I actually like the Baltic s combination of classic style elements and the modern lume blocks. The result is highly legible and a lot of fun to look at, especially in darker situations. Sure, the crown might be a bit harder to operate, but along with the slim 37mm case, it also never gets in the way of whatever you re doing. In that way, the Hermetique is the perfect fun watch for when you want to spare the more expensive or precious watches in your collection.The perfect bonus watchThat might actually be the big difference here. The Tissot Visodate seems like it s a great one-watch collection for someone who s just starting in the watch hobby. It looks like a serious watch for the money and also offers a few state-of-the-art technological features. As a nice bonus, you can see the movement through the case back s sapphire display, and with the Tissot signature on the dial, you re wearing a well-respected name on your wrist. However, again, it s certainly not the more exciting watch of the two.The Baltic Hermetique, on the other hand, is probably not going to be your first watch. It looks a lot more fun and casual than the Visodate. You can pick the exact color you like and pair it with an equally colorful strap or your favorite bracelet. Baltic s whole concept is playful and personalized, exactly the way people expect it these days. Sure, the Hermetique isn t a Swiss-made watch, it has less power reserve, and its finishing isn t particularly impressive. But who cares about those things when all you want is a fun and casual watch on your wrist while you re on vacation?Oh, and you ll never have to bother setting the date!Cast your voteThere you have it - another Sunday Morning Showdown. We hope you ve made up your mind because it s time to cast your vote. Will you go for the solid, classic-looking Tissot Visodate or the fun, casual Baltic Hermetique? Make sure to vote and leave your comments below. Tissot Visodate vs. Baltic Hermetique