The PRX is about to be hype again as Tissot welcomes 38mm models in titanium and Damascus steel
Borna Bošnjak- The automatic PRX is now available in 38mm, in two interesting materials: titanium and Damascus steel.
- You have a choice of blue or taupe grey for the titanium, while the Damascus steel model’s dial matches its case.
- Powered by the Powermatic 80, these three models will soon be available and are regular-production pieces!
It’s hard to believe that the Tissot PRX has already been around for nearly five years. I still remember working in a Tissot store at the time, with phones ringing constantly – you wouldn’t believe it, but for about three months, there was a lengthy PRX waiting list. Fast-forward to today, and the line has spawned so many different dial, movement, and size options. Expectedly, the excitement about this people’s champion waned over time, but I have a feeling it’s going to pick up with today’s releases, as Tissot presents a new size and two new material options with the 38mm PRX Powermatic 80 Titanium and Damascus.
I’ll just go out and say it – a 38mm titanium PRX might just be the best variant of this watch to date. Hell, I wouldn’t be mad if that became the only choice in the whole collection. Tissot is a bit scant with the exact dimension details, so all we have at the moment is the 38mm diameter, though considering water-resistance stays at 100 metres and the movement is still the good ol’ Powermatic 80, I wouldn’t imagine it to be much thicker than the 11mm of the larger variant. The lug-to-lug measurement, however, will be crucial, as the new titanium bracelet still features that non-articulating first link.
There are two dial options for the titanium PRX, and Tissot was very smart about these choices. The blue with the muted tones of the dark grey metal is a no-brainer and an easy win, while the gold hands and indices against a taupe grey are just daring enough for those who feel blue is too safe.
Speaking of safe, if you’ve ever felt that the PRX as a model in general is too safe, the PRX Damascus might just be the most daring member of the collection yet. Sure, there’s a carbon PRX that I’m on record for liking a lot (something that still rings true), but as good as carbon is, it isn’t exactly something super novel in watchmaking.
Damascus steel, on the other hand, is very much is. You could probably count on one hand the number of brands that have used it to make cases – Hublot, Sinn, GoS, and Straum immediately come to mind – but none of these were made in meaningful numbers, while this Tissot is shaping up to be a regular-production model. For any of you metallurgy nerds out there, rather than pattern-welding each case like you would a modern Damascus knife or sword, Tissot uses a hot isostatic pressing process that bonds layers of powdered stainless steel (with different carbon percentages to achieve the layered look) into a solid block, which is then CNC-machined to spec.
As you might expect, each of the cases sports a unique pattern, and in this case, the swirling pattern continues to the dial. The layout is the same, but I have to commend Tissot for going the extra mile with the details. For starters, the date window is in a more subtle grey that doesn’t take away as much from the dial (would still prefer a dateless version in this case, though), and the indices have been black-nickeled for a more uniform colour scheme.
Regardless of the model you pick and despite the slight drop in size, Tissot has retained the Powermatic 80 for the 38mm PRX. It’s become a respected known quantity in the affordable Swiss space, with highlights being an anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring and 80-hour power reserve thanks to an upgraded mainspring (and not the drop in beat rate!). Decoration-wise, I would’ve loved to see Tissot do something for these special models, especially considering they’re likely to be priced higher than their stainless steel counterparts (we’ll update the article as soon as pricing is confirmed) – just think about how cool a Damascus steel rotor would be? I also wouldn’t mind a full titanium or Damascus caseback; it could make the watch even thinner, and a large slab of Damascus would also just look really cool.
Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Titanium and PRX Powermatic 80 Damascus pricing and availability
Both the titanium and Damascus steel models are standard-production pieces. Price: TBC
| Brand | Tissot |
| Model |
PRX Powermatic 80 Titanium
PRX Powermatic 80 Damascus |
| Reference Number |
T137.807.44.041.00
T127.807.44.061.00 T137.807.96.081.00 |
| Case Dimensions | 38mm (D) |
| Case Material | Titanium Damascus stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial |
Waffle-stamped dial in blue or taupe (titanium)
Damascus stainless steel (Damascus) |
| Lug Width | Integrated |
| Strap |
Titanium Y-link bracelet, butterfly clasp
Black leather strap, pin buckle (Damascus only) |
| Movement | Powermatic 80, ETA C07 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 80 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Regular production models |
| Price | TBC |