Back to the ’80s: Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 is Retro Beauty at a Value

By Mark Jessen - News Published: 6 Jul 2021

At the forefront of the quartz watch movement in the 1980s was the Tissot PRX Powermatic. Strong and stoic, the iconic PRX debuted in 1978, and now it’s coming back, set for a new 2021 release with the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80. The look and design will take you back to those halcyon days, but the rest is modernised to meet the demands of a new era.

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Quartz watches became so popular in part because of their stylish design, but also because the new movement was much slimmer, allowing for the watches to be smaller as well. That same logic still exists today. Watches on integrated bracelets are popular right now, and the PRX is an excellent example of that design done correctly. The PRX comes with an ETA calibre F06.115 quartz movement. It has no time and date complications, but what it does have is roughly two years of battery life.

You’ll know that the battery is almost done when you see the end-of-life indicator—the seconds hand skipping a step when the battery is low—start to go off. Because the quartz movement is so thin, so is the case, measuring just 10.4mm, which is a nice change for a case that measures 44mm lug to lug. The PRX has a sapphire crystal over the dial, which is offered in black and silver. You also get 100 meters of water resistance.

The watch has the capacity to be both casual and fashionable, thanks to its polished finish. The polished metal with the conservative dials are dressed up with a set of rose gold hour markers and hands. The band secures in place with a butterfly clasp complete with a push-button release. Making it even classier is the price tag. The Tissot PRX Powermatic is priced at just $395, making this a value-driven proposition for the watch buyer.

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Mr Mark Jessen

Mark Jessen studied English at Brigham Young University, completing a double emphasis in creative writing and professional writing/editing. After graduating, Mark went to work for a small publisher as their book editor. After a brief time as a freelance writer, Mark entered the corporate world as a copywriter. These days, his hours are spent mostly in proofing and editing, though he continues to create content for a wide variety of projects. In 2017, Mark completed UCLA's Creative Writing Certification. A prolific writer, Mark has over 20 years of experience in journalism.

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