Have you heard of Grendizer and Spazer? Grendizer, also known as Goldrak, is a giant monster robot that connects and synchronizes with Spazer, a flying saucer that allows the robot to fly. For reference, this robot and flying saucer are characters from the 1970s Japanese manga and anime series UFO Robot Grendizer. How do you explain this to an audience not familiar with Japanese animation?Recall the world’s first “Sympathique Clock” introduced by Louis-Abrain Breguet in 1798. This is a system consisting of a clock and a pocket watch. When you place the watch in the watch cradle, the watch will automatically reset, calibrate, and sync with the mother clock. We know how robots and flying saucers interact, but how did Grendizer end up on the dial of the Tissot PRX?
There are two possible answers to that question. First, we worked with Spazer to perfectly execute the takeoff and landing precisely on the 40mm watch face. The second answer is a little longer, but more realistic. To understand what Grendizer is, check out the Wikipedia page about the animated series. That’s what I did, deciding not to delve too deeply into the complicated world of Duke Freed, King Vega, and the flying saucer Spazer. Instead, I will focus on the watch, the Tissot PRX UFO Robot Grendizer ref. T137.407.11.041.02.
Tissot PRX UFO Robot Grendizer — Who needs a 1970s glow-in-the-dark monster robot on their watch face?
You have to stop asking questions before you answer them. So let’s go back to the second possible answer to the previous question. Grendizer is on the dial of the PRX because the decision-makers at Tissot think manga and anime are cool. Swiss watches and Japanese manga and TV anime series were born in the 1970s, creating a chronological connection. PRX is a retro hip watch that is loved by many people. The PRX, which features a manga robot on the dial, will appeal to anime fans. I see the Tissot PRX UFO Robot Grendizer as a clever brand extension built to appeal to retro-futurist enthusiasts. Tissot Marketing must have done extensive research on their target audience and their size.
Grendizer comes with spazer
I don’t think it’s necessary to summarize all the technical details of this Grendizer watch. Styling aside, this is the 40mm PRX Powermatic 80 model that I’ve been reading about on Fratello for quite some time. Inspired by manga, the PRX features a deep blue dial and a Grendizer Super-LumiNova-coated bust. The central second hand is modeled after the weapon “Haken” used by Grendizer, and the rotor peeking through the transparent case back is engraved with the image of a robot.
Tissot PRX UFO robot Grendizer landed on my desk. It was some kind of miracle. why? Because Grendizer did it without Spazer. However, when you buy a watch, the box it comes in is shaped like a Spazer. This is probably the best feature of this watch. Will Grendizer’s luminous outline be able to beat out the protagonist’s legendary spaceship that doubles as a box? Probably not, but the PRX has some really cool details.
We have already mentioned the central seconds hand with a weapon-like counterweight, but there is also a themed engraving on the flange. If you tilt the watch and look closely, you can read the original title of the manga series, “UFO Robo Grendizer.”
Final thoughts on Tissot PRX UFO Robot Grendizer
The agony of choice is a phenomenon that applies to Tissot’s PRX collection. There are many variations to choose from. While Grendizer expands the range of collections, it is also a niche product. The good thing about this manga-inspired watch is that it doesn’t look too gimmicky. The robot looks more conspicuous in the dark, but after careful observation, you can spot his weapon spinning around the dial once a minute. The same goes for markings on flanges and rotors.
The standard steel version and the gradient “Chameleon” model of the 40mm PRX Powermatic 80 are priced at 775 euros. The PRX UFO Robot Grendizer is a special edition rather than a limited edition and costs 895 euros. You’ll pay extra for other details, like extra lume on the dial and a Grendizer spacer that doubles as a watch box. Just to be clear, the PRX is just a box, so putting it in the box doesn’t mean it will automatically reset, adjust, and sync with the mother clock. The watch is also just a box, so it can’t fly like Spazer in Grendizer. Anyway, for someone like me who doesn’t care about manga, I appreciate the execution of the Grendizer theme, but paying an extra 120 euros doesn’t make much sense. So, all you manga fans reading Fratello, what do you think about Tissot PRX UFO Robot Grendizer? Let us know in the comments.
