The company was founded in 1853 in the city of Le Locle, Switzerland, under the leadership of Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son, Charles-Émile. Eager to create a veritable empire of watchmaking, the two men quickly surround themselves with a team of technicians and engineers to develop innovative products. Since its creation, Tissot has continued to turn to new technologies with the eloquent slogan "Innovator by tradition".