I like both TAG Heuer and Tissot, so hopefully I have not pre-conceived notions of either of these watches. These two watches are set at entirely different price points, so it should be a fairly simple comparison – or is it? 

Firstly, the TAG Heuer Link is an update on the highly successful S/el of the 1990s, it hasn’t been marketed anywhere near the current watches TAG Heuer offers, it is almost the forgotten timepiece in the TAG Heuer catalog. It is a shame that the Link hasn’t been promoted as well as it should be, this has really inhibited sales of this line. For me, the Link is the dress watch of the TAG Heuer line-up with the Carrera and Monaco being sports chronographs. Although, there is a three-hand version of the Carrera though that could be considered a dress watch, they are generally considered motorsport inspired.

The Aquaracer is a dive watch, so once again a sports watch. The Formula One series is clearly a motorsport sports watch so that leaves the Link as the dress watch. The S/el was sports/elegance and was water resistant to 200 metres that could also be worn with a suit later that evening after a dive. The Link has a modified bracelet, the rounded S-link bracelet was the distinguishing feature of the S/el. The Link has a sharper double S-link construction that neatly attaches to the case. The Link is all about the bracelet, the 41 mm case is brushed and polished, the sunray dial with applied index markers, the text below the hands pivot point isn’t over done, and the TAG Heuer logo looks good. 

The Tissot Gentleman Silicum with the applied baton index dial reminds me of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual. To be fair, Rolex didn’t invent the straight baton index, although they might claim to have done. This is a simple and clean dial with a sunburst dial patina, there is a simple text layout, I feel that manufacturers have cluttered dials with too much, and unnecessary text. What interests me with the Gentleman Silicum is the automatic movement. The base ETA 2824-2 has a silicon balance spring improving its anti-magnetic capabilities. The frequency has been lowered from 4 Hz to 3 Hz increasing the power reserve from 38 hours to 60 hours.

The display caseback allows the wearer to view the automatic movement, although the Tissot winding rotor is hardly outstanding, the rest of the movement finish is respectable for the price range. The crown is small with no crown guards, the crown itself is advertised as water resistant to 100 metres, there is no way I would test it out. Where the Gentleman Silicum lets itself down is the bracelet, it is lightweight, stiff and feels cheap. The double butterfly clasp is fine, it sits neat on the wrist and looks good, this timepiece is a little bland and never gets any comments, not like a TAG Heuer does.

However, the pricing of the Tissot Gentleman Silicum with the Powermatic 80 coupled with the lack of advertising investment by TAG Heuer allows me to suggest the Gentleman Silicum is a better value proposition even though the bracelet lets the Gentleman Silicum down, the TAG Heuer Link with the better bracelet lacks the movement technology. The Calibre 5 can either be the ETA 2824-2 with 25 jewels or the Sellita SW 200-1 with 26 jewels is considered to be an inferior movement as the ETA 2824-2 is not fitted with anti-magnetic capabilities or increased power reserve from 38 hours.