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- Tissot has unveiled the PRX Skeleton Damian Lillard Special Edition, a hand-wound, 44 mm skeleton PRX developed with its NBA ambassador
- Details include a burgundy dial (what little of it there is), a “D” small seconds inspired by Lillard’s monogram, and a milk-crate-patterned rubber strap
- It ships with a leather strap and a pocket watch conversion kit, and is priced at AUD$3,100
- The watch launched on October 21, timed to Lillard’s appearance in Portland’s season opener against the Phoenix Suns
When Damian Lillard sinks a shot, he taps his wrist. It’s his way of telling everyone in the arena it’s “Dame Time”. Now, Swiss watchmaker Tissot has taken inspiration from that celebratory ritual and turned it into a new timepiece in collaboration with the NBA star.
Called the PRX Skeleton Damian Lillard Special Edition, the new release takes the brand’s wildly popular PRX silhouette, strips it back to its mechanical bones, and dresses it in deep burgundy. Lillard has been a Tissot ambassador since 2021, and this is the product of a genuinely hands-on collaboration. The Portland Trail Blazers guard worked directly with Tissot’s design teams on many of the watch‘s defining details.
Despite the fact I’m only aware of Lillard in the most casual fashion, I think it’s a real head-turner. Unfortunately, the 44-mm size will make it unwearable for many (myself included), but outside of that, the aesthetics are on point. Plus, it arrives with a few fun accessories that help to justify the AUD$3,100 price point.
Tissot PRX Skeleton Damian Lillard Special Edition Key Specs:
- Reference: T137.405.17.371.00
- Case: Stainless steel
- Diameter: 44 mm
- Thickness: 11.2 mm
- Water resistance: 100 metres
- Crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective coating
- Dial: Skeletonised with burgundy accents
- Movement: Swiss mechanical, hand-wound
- Power reserve: 52 hours
- Straps: Burgundy rubber with pin buckle, burgundy leather with folding clasp, plus pocket watch conversion case
- Price: AUD$3,100
A Signature Take on the PRX
The PRX has been one of the great success stories of modern affordable watchmaking. I myself own the 40 mm Powermatic 80 model with the dark blue waffle-patterned dial. Here, Tissot plays with the formula but keeps the PRX identity firmly in place. The integrated, tonneau-style case is all here, as is the instantly recognisable silhouette. As mentioned, the 44-mm diameter is a not-insignificant hurdle, making it a decent chunk of steel, but perhaps the tapered case will keep things from feeling like you’ve strapped an arena scoreboard to your wrist.
The details are where the watch’s considerable serving of personality strides onto centre court. Deep lateral engravings run along the sides of the case, and for those who believe subtlety is a coward’s game, “DAME TIME” is spelled out in the metal. Flip the watch over, and the transparent sapphire caseback carries Lillard’s signature, printed in burgundy across the movement.
Skeletonised Dial and Small Seconds
Unlike most PRX models, you don’t actually need the display caseback to observe its inner workings. The skeleton dial lets you peer straight through to the architecture beneath, with burgundy touches helping to keep the whole affair feeling cohesive. Facetted indexes and Super-LumiNova-filled hands keep legibility high, while the small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock acts as another dismissal of subtlety.
It’s gold-coloured and shaped like a “D” crossed by two vertical lines like a dollar sign. It’s a nod to “Dame D.O.L.L.A.”, the stage name Lillard adopted for his parallel career as a rapper. Tissot has then framed this with a burgundy ring carrying the words “Dame Time” twice, just in case you missed the one on the case.
On-Display Movement
Powering the watch is a hand-wound Swiss mechanical movement with a power reserve of up to 52 hours. That might sound like an exercise in cost-cutting, but it’s a deliberate choice. With no automatic rotor in the way, you get an unobstructed view of the gear train, and, as anyone familiar with manual-wind watches knows, the daily ritual of winding is meant to foster a deeper connection between wearer and watch.
Finally, water resistance sits at a respectable 100 metres, so if your preferred physical activity leans more towards laps in the pool rather than shooting hoops, you’re comfortably covered.
Strap Options
Wrist tethering helps the PRX Skeleton Damian Lillard Special Edition further set itself apart. In the box, you get two straps. The first of these is a burgundy rubber option boasting a milk-crate pattern that references the makeshift basketball hoops of Lillard’s childhood. It’s a grounded detail that juxtaposes nicely with the aforementioned small seconds’ dials ostentatiousness.
The second is a burgundy leather strap with a folding clasp, which Tissot stresses should develop a patina over time. It’s a welcome way to dress the watch up a little, and thanks to Tissot’s quick-release system, you can swap between the two without any tools.
Finally, there’s an inclusion that feels like it’s saying “hold my beer” to the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop Collection. Tissot has included a small burgundy leather case and chain that lets you convert the watch into a pocket watch. Remove the strap, pop the case into the holder, and slip it into your pocket or clip it to a bag. All of this comes in a black collector’s box, so you won’t lose track of any of the watch’s accoutrements.
Price and Availability
The Tissot PRX Skeleton Damian Lillard Special Edition is available now from Tissot’s online boutique and retailers for AUD$3,100.
For a hand-wound skeleton with two straps and a pocket watch conversion, that’s a compelling package. While I wish it were smaller (40 mm like the previous collab between Tissot and Lillard would have been perfect), it’s a fitting celebration of a player who’s made a habit of delivering when it counts.
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