Tissot Limited Edition MotoGP 2011 watches

I’ve never been a regular follower of Moto GP but the races I have watched have been packed with action. Super-fast speeds, plenty of overtaking and awesome maneuvers that makes F1 look like Go-Karting. My favourite racer has always been Valentino Rossi not just because of he has consistently produced season after season at the highest level but because of his charisma too. Much of the characteristics that are featured in Moto GP and it’s racing drivers too are symbolic of what Tissot has achieved and deliver in their timekeeping. This also why they have been the official sponsors of world championships for the past 11 years.

Back in March, at the opening race of the 2011 Moto GP racing championship in Qatar, Tissot presented three brand new official watches for this season. These included two Tissot T-Race Limited Edition watches that come in an automatic and quartz version as well an exclusive black, silver and red edition. Also unveiled was the special edition watch which was designed for their long-time ambassador, 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden.

Exclusive UK launch with Goldsmiths

The watches have been available on the watch market since the 25th March however they have just recently been launched in the UK, exclusively with the jewellery retailer Goldsmiths until the end of May. The retailer appears to only three of the four watches mentioned above on sale with the exclusive black version the one missing from the line-up. This is a shame as it does look like a lovely watch and one for those that might not be keen on the orange PVD strap on the others. We are sure that this will be on sale somewhere else so we’ll be sure to up date you when it is.

Let’s take a closer look at the watches that these new limited edition watches have to offer:

Tissot T Race 2011 C01.211 Chrono Valjoux Limited Edition Watch

This is the premium automatic watch that retails at £625 and of which there are only 2011 pieces made. For this kind of watch it’s a price tag to be expected however, all the watches at Goldsmiths can be bought with 0% interest free credit if you prefer to spread out the cost.

The watch features a black dial with 3 smaller chronograph dials at the 6, 9 and 12 position. The dials at 6 and 12 are slightly indented and give more depth to the face of the watch and the orange lines running through around the dial, hands and sub-dials too and to the vibrancy. What strikes me about this watch and the other are the little motorcycle touches. The glass section covering the date window resembles that of the visor on a helmet and it’s like looking down from a bird’s eye perspective on one of the racers. This styling is similar to the previous years watches. The next more noticeable attribute is the outer bezel which resembles that of a tyre with its slanted grooves leaning clockwise and that mould into the Tissot branding located above the crown. Again, this is a modification of the other models but without the numeric time readings making it look much more raw.

As mentioned above, the strap of the watch is made from PVD coated rubber which enhances its durability and makes the watch lighter. This is the same material that is commonly used in motor sport as a coating to reduce weight and energy loss caused by friction. The clasp buckle also bears the mark of the MotoGP logo and when viewing the back of the watch we can see the inner mechanics of this wonderful timepiece.

Tissot T-Race Limited Edition Moto GP 2011 Watch

This is the quartz version that has the orange theme to it as well and of which there will be 8,888 made. I’ve not a clue to what the significance of that number is if any so please share below if you do know. It looks similar to the previous versions as well. Both watches are of the same size at 45.3mm in diameter however the automatic version is slightly heavier. The back of this watch features the Tissot and Moto GP logos and you can’t see inside like the automatic.

Unfortunately, unlike it’s predecessors and the Nicky Hayden Limited Edition 2011, these new watches don’t come packaged in the motorcycle helmet presentation box. For me, that would make an awesome gift for a birthday or Christmas.

Tissot Limited Edition Nicky Hayden Watch

The Nicky Hayden watch itself has a more American superstar look and feel to it. Decorated with stars around the face and with its red coloured sub-dials and strap. This retails at £450 and has the same features as the other T-Race 2011 quartz watch.

These Tissot watches are clearly built to last and are as tough as houses so to speak. Whether you’re a MotoGP fan or a watch collector these watches are well worth owning. If you don’t like these new orange colours then I strongly recommend taking a look at the black and silver 2010 or 2011 versions.

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