Hands-On With The Flashy Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm In Rose Tone And Blue
Tissot relaunched the PRX five years ago. Time flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? The integrated-bracelet sports watch has become something of a fan favorite in the meantime. It graces the wrists of many newcomers to the watch hobby and veterans alike. Tissot blessed us with tons of variants to choose from. Different sizes, materials, colors, movements, and even complications are available. Today, I get to try on a particularly flashy number, the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm in rose gold and blue.
Of course, this isn’t real rose gold but, rather, a PVD coating. That enables Tissot to keep the price nice and accessible at €895. Will it charm its way into my heart, or is this one step too far for the PRX? Let’s find out!
The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm
First things first — specs. There is a good chance you have read these before somewhere over the past five years, but a refresher course never hurts. As the name implies, this model measures 40mm across and is driven by the Powermatic automatic caliber. The “80” in the name refers to the royal power reserve of this Swatch Group movement.
According to Tissot, the case measures 39.5mm long. However, this is just the distance between its straight top edges. Including the angled lugs, it is closer to 44mm in length. The thickness comes in just under 11mm, helping to give the watch a 10-bar water resistance rating. A sandwich of sapphire crystals allows for a clear view of the dial and the movement. Speaking of the dial, it comes with the characteristic “waffle” pattern that is common across automatic PRX models. The watch comes on an integrated bracelet with quick-release spring bars, enabling a switch to a nice rubber strap.
The Powermatic 80 caliber inside ticks at a decelerated 3Hz frequency (21,600 vibrations per hour), helping it to accomplish that massive power reserve. This widely used movement traces its roots to the industry-favorite ETA 2824, with some adaptations to make it an even more cost-efficient choice and to lengthen the power reserve.
The rose and blue treatment
So, what’s different about the model I am trying today? Well, it isn’t exactly the most subdued version in the lineup. This little number comes dressed in a flashy rose-tone exterior with a nicely contrasting blue dial. The colors work very well together. The elegant dark blue dial somehow visually anchors the shimmering rose gold. It provides a nice introverted and calm haven within an otherwise rather extraverted watch.
Thankfully, the coppery tone of the PVD treatment isn’t as shouty as it could have been. I don’t typically wear gold, so my eyes had to adjust to this Tissot PRX Powermatic 80. Once they had, I found the combination surprisingly versatile. One thing to note is that gold alloys — even simulated ones — tend to vary in color. This rose gold is very pink, which doesn’t naturally look great with all skin tones. My advice would be to try one on and decide whether your complexion works best with this version or perhaps the yellow gold variant.
Wearing the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm in rose tone and blue
As I spent time with the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm in rose gold PVD and blue, my opinion shifted twice. My first impression was one of trepidation: “Oof, that is a bit much!” Very quickly, my eyes adjusted and I found myself rather liking the combination: “You know what? This kinda works!” However, as time passed, the novelty wore off a bit, and an old familiar sentiment rose in my mind. I have a chronic issue with gold-PVD-coated watches.
This is by no means a fault of the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm. I just don’t like gold-plated watches in general. They always make me feel as if I am wearing a mask, pretending to be something I am not. Or perhaps I should rather say that the watch is pretending to be something it is not. Gold is such an exalted, stately metal that just shouldn’t be faked. Even merely handling a plated watch, the weight of which doesn’t match the look, puts me off a bit.
Granted, that is quite snobby of me. Many people just like the look of gold but don’t have the budget for it or even care for it enough to warrant the outlay. I cannot possibly fault them for falling for the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm in rose gold PVD. Especially with the rather hard-wearing modern coating, they will likely enjoy it for years. For me, though, my favorite PRX remains the forged carbon model.
What about you? Do you like the new Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 40mm in rose gold PVD with the blue dial? Let us know in the comments below!
