Tissot Puts a Powermatic 80 Movement in their Smallest PRX

It’s not exactly breaking news, but it seems that integrated bracelet sports watches hold just as dominant a place in the market as they did a year ago, and a year before that. They are coming at us from every angle: the entry level, the high end, and somewhere in between, and with each new release, it feels more and more like this isn’t a “trend,” as so many (including myself) have described it in the past. It’s becoming increasingly clear that what we’re looking at is a product category as broad as “dive watches” or “dress watches.” That means integrated bracelet sports watches are just going to keep coming, not just at every price point, but in every size. 

And that brings us to the newest release from Tissot, a PRX in a 35mm case and equipped with an automatic movement. The PRX has been available in 35mm for about a year, but only with a quartz movement. An integrated bracelet sports watch in a smaller than normal case size makes a ton of sense, and by all accounts the 35mm PRX was a big hit. The very nature of an integrated bracelet sports watch means that, most of the time, it’s going to wear a bit larger than a watch with a strap or traditional bracelet. The cases for these watches, often somewhat architectural and heavily faceted, have a ton of wrist presence. And the silkiness and drape of the bracelets (when they’re done right) makes comfort a truly defining feature in this category – a watch that’s too big can spoil the whole experience. 

The 35mm versions of the PRX keep the waffle dials that have become synonymous with the mechanical versions of the PRX lineup, with options in blue, black, green, and white mother of pearl. The 35mm case has the same lines as other watches in the series, with alternating brushed facets and polished bevels. The bracelet is the same design as well, with tightly packed and gracefully articulating links. 

The big news here for many of course will be the movement, which is the Powermatic 80 found throughout the Tissot catalog, featuring over three days of power reserve, antimagnetic components, and an expectation of reliability having been built on a well established ETA platform. It gives smaller wristed collectors (or enthusiasts who just see the appeal of a midsize watch in this style) the option to enjoy one of the premier competitively priced integrated bracelet sports watches in a mechanical version. And like the quartz version before it (and really, every PRX) it’s likely to resonate with this watch’s dedicated base of fans. 

The new Powermatic 80 PRX has a retail price of $695 in blue, black and green, and comes in at $750 in white mother of pearl. Tissot