Tissot Adds a Blue Panda Dial to the PRX Chronograph Lineup, Plus a Rubber Strap for the PRX Powermatic 80 is Finally Here

Readers, we’re here. Watches & Wonders is later this month, which means we are fully entrenched in new release season. We’ve seen some big news come across our desks since the beginning of the year, but if recent patterns hold, we can expect a flurry of activity from brands that do not participate in the year’s biggest trade show showing off their first round of novelties in the weeks ahead, likely in an attempt to bring eyeballs to their new watches before the world turns its attention once again to what’s happening in those cavernous Palexpo halls. Swatch Group brands are part of the watch world that takes a pass on Watches & Wonders, so we’ve been seeing an uptick in activity recently from group brands in the way of new product announcements. We already covered news of one Tissot new release this week, and now we have another in the PRX family.  

The PRX line has quickly become a centerpiece of the larger Tissot catalog. These are integrated bracelet sports watches that are affordably priced, have an attractive 1970s aesthetic, and have surprisingly accomplished finishing when examined in person. The PRX chronograph, in particular, has struck a chord with collectors, and has to this point been released in a handful of attractive, but traditional, colorways, while the three hand variants of the PRX offer slightly more variety. 

The new chronograph introduced recently by Tissot is a striking blue panda configuration, with a silver dial and dark blue subdials at 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00. Like the earlier example of this watch in a layout that is essentially reversed, with a blue base dial and silver subdials, this one also features a vertical brushed finish running through the dial. It’s very nice looking, and in silver perhaps a little more pronounced than in blue. In both cases, the brushing is a great complement to the finish of the case, creating a nice coherence between the dial and the steel surrounding it. 

Everything else about this new chrono is the same as what we’ve seen in previous versions: it still has a 42mm diameter, 100 meters of water resistance, and uses a Valjoux A05 H31 chronograph movement, a descendant of the classic 7753. Retail pricing is set at $1,825. 

In another bit of Tissot news that should make PRX owners happy, the brand has finally announced references in the PRX Powermatic 80 line (the simple three hander with a date at 3:00 and an 80 hour movement) that include an interchangeable rubber strap. Aftermarket rubber straps for these watches have been available for quite some time, but an integrated OEM version that takes full advantage of Tissot’s quick-change strap system is good news all around, and perhaps signals that a similar option will be available for the chronograph at some point as well. For now, the PRX Powermatic 80 in blue and black will be available with the rubber strap option, and we anticipate straps can be ordered separately through Tissot channels as well. 

More information on all the new watches in the PRX line can be found at Tissot’s website here.