Question 1

What makes Tessé different from other microbrands at this price point?

Accepted Answer

Tessé competes on dial construction and surface finishing at a level more commonly associated with watches costing three to five times more. The Architect's dial — built from twenty-one individually machined and finished components — involves a rejection rate that Brissiaud has compared to haute horlogerie production standards. The use of an ETA 2892-A2 in élaboré grade, a 1200 HV anti-scratch case coating, and a custom-engraved movement holder visible through the caseback all reflect a level of finishing intention that most microbrands at this price point don't attempt.

Question 2

Who is the founder of Tessé, and where does the brand come from?

Accepted Answer

Tessé was founded by Thomas Brissiaud, a Canadian designer whose watchmaking philosophy is grounded in architectural forms, vintage aesthetics, and a scholarly interest in 1970s horology — documented in his book The Forgotten Innovations of 70s Watchmaking. The brand is Canadian-founded but produces and assembles its watches in Switzerland, specifically in La Chaux-de-Fonds, meeting the criteria for the Swiss Made designation.

Question 3

What are the two lines Tessé currently produces?

Accepted Answer

Tessé currently produces two lines. The Michel GMT is the brand's foundation reference — a GMT watch with a tonneau-cushion case and a design language rooted in 1970s watchmaking heritage. The Architect is a three-hand, no-date watch built around a twenty-one component dial with thirteen luminous blocks; it represents Tessé's more contemporary and architectural design direction, asking what a beautiful watch looks like when it stops referencing the past entirely.

Tessé

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The collection.

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