The Very Best Of The Tissot PRX Collection

When launched just a couple of short years ago, the Tissot PRX pretty much became an overnight sensation. Its sleek design, robust mechanical movement and above all its very modest sticker price skyrocketed the PRX to become one of the best-selling watches not only for Tissot but in the whole industry for years. Pretty much everywhere you go, you seem to run into a PRX of some description. With a collection that’s maturing very nicely, and now even ventures into forged carbon, the PRX proves to be quite a versatile gem! But with such a wide and deep range on offer, what are the ones to look out for? Which of the models do we think are the very best of what is an overall very good collection in itself? The answer lies in this week’s Buying Guide, and let’s get straight into it!

the basic one

The simplest can sometimes be the best, so the PRX Powermatic 40mm in classical black remains one of the best in the collection. It was part of the inaugural series of mechanical PRX’s and never disappoints. It fits perfectly with literally any outfit and goes with virtually every situation. It debuted the sleek 40mm shaped case inspired by the original quartz-powered PRX from 1978. Inside, as with all mechanical time-and-date PRX models, is the Powermatic 80 calibre with a running time of 80 hours. It comes on an integrated steel bracelet with single links, for a price of EUR 775, which is pretty hard to beat!

Quick Facts – 40mm x 10.8mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – black waffle dial – applied markers & hands with Super-LumiNova inserts – Tissot Powermatic 80 (upgrade ETA 2824-2) – automatic winding – 23 jewels – 80h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, date – integrated stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp – Ref. T137.40711.051.00 – EUR 775

Stealthy carbon

The most recent addition to the PRX collection takes the stainless steel exterior and exchanges it for forged carbon. We’ve seen the material being used by Tissot for the funky Sideral, and now the mighty PRX gets the lightweight makeover as well. It’s not only used for the 40mm wide by 11.2mm tall case but also for the dial. Smart move, as the signature waffle pattern would look a bit out of place. The overall architecture has been retained, yet it received the Powermatic 80 Si movement instead, which has a silicon hairspring. Understandably, Tissot puts it on a black rubber strap and has priced it a little higher at EUR 1,075.

Quick Facts – 40mm x 11.2mm – forged carbon case – sapphire crystal, steel see-through back – 100m water-resistant – forged carbon dial, black date disc – markers & hands with Super-LumiNova – Powermatic 80 Si, automatic – 21,600vph – silicon hairspring – 80h power reserve – black textured rubber strap with pin buckle, quick release –  Ref. T137.907.97.201.00 – EUR 1,075

shades of blue

Gradient dials are not exactly new for the PRX collection, as the chronograph version is available with a very cool gradient green dial. However, with the new vertical dégradé dials, Tissot adds a playful touch to the range. The two dials sort of resemble a view of the horizon when at sea, either during the day (light-to-mid-blue) or during the night (black-to-metallic-blue). They might not be to everyone’s liking, but surely give a fresh new spin to the PRX’s waffle dials. Inside, the Powermatic 80 automatic movement with Nivachron hairspring makes an appearance, of course. The price for either of the two is set at EUR 775.

Quick Facts – 40mm x 10.9mm – 44mm length (excl. first link) – stainless steel case – sapphire crystal, see-through back – 100m water-resistant – waffle dial with gradient effect (light-to-mid-blue or black-to-blue) – Powermatic 80, automatic – Nivachron hairspring – 80h power reserve – 21,600vph – stainless steel bracelet, folding clasp, quick release – T137.407.11.351.01 (ice blue gradient) – T137.407.11.051.01 (black-blue gradient) – EUR 775

A small Midas’ touch

Tissot tested our patience before introducing the much-desired smaller size for its PRX, but when they finally did bring us the 35mm variant, they came out swinging! Reducing the size made the PRX suitable for even more people, especially those who felt the 40mm PRX was a little too large on the wrist. Next to the introduction of this more compact PRX in bare stainless steel, we were also treated by a full gold PVD-coated one. And to be honest, it’s just a really cool watch, very ‘now’ and a lot of fun on the wrist. Despite the smaller size, all the hallmarks are there, and at EUR 895 it’s hard to pass up.

Quick Facts – 35mm x 11.3mm – stainless steel case, gold PVD-coated – sapphire crystal, see-through caseback – 100m water-resistant – gold-coloured waffle dial – applied markers & hands with SLN inserts – Powermatic 80 calibre, automatic – 21,600voh – 80h power reserve – Nivachron hairspring – integrated gold PVD-coated stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp – Ref. T137.207.33.021.00 – EUR 895

Blue panda Chronograph

While the time-and-date PRX is already a formidable watch, the PRX Chronograph adds a significantly more complex touch to the collection. Four models have been presented so far, but the one that takes the crown in our book is the Blue Panda dial. With the case enlarged to 42mm in diameter and 14.5mm in height, it’s not exactly compact, but it’s to be expected by incorporating the ETA A05.H31 automatic chronograph. The silver dial, with a vertically brushed finish, is complemented by a blue minute track and blue subdials. Naturally, given the movement the PRX Chronograph is a bit more costly, retailing for EUR 2,045.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 14.5mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – 100m water-resistant – blue panda dial – applied indices & hands with SLN – ETA A05.H31 automatic (Valjoux 7753 base) – 28,800vph – 60h power reserve – central hours, minutes & seconds, chronograph, date – integrated single-link bracelet with folding clasp & interchangeability system – reference T137.427.11.091.00 – EUR 2,045

Minty Green Delight

Last, but certainly not least, is a dial so tasty you want to sink your teeth in it. The Mint Green tone for the PRX was already available in the quartz version but made its debut in the mechanical Powermatic 80 range earlier this year. The colour just pops, giving the mechanical PRX a fresh, summery vibe. We’ve test-driven the 40mm size, but we’re happy Tissot has also introduced it for the 35mm size. The Powermatic 80 movement can be seen through the back and delivers a very welcome 80 hours of autonomy, as with all the others. This minty green delight is available for EUR 775, on par with the other dial variations in stainless steel.

Quick Facts – 40mm x 10.9mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal, see-through caseback – 100m water-resistant – mint green waffle dial – applied indices & hands with luminous inserts – framed date window – Powermatic 80 movement – automatic winding – 21,600vph – 80h power reserve – signed rotor – integrated steel bracelet with folding clasp & quick-release push-pins – Ref. T137.407.11.091.01 – EUR 775

For more information, or to browse through the entire collection, please visit TissotWatches.com.