Forged carbon may not be a precious or rare material, but it counts as an unusual choice in watchmaking. Most of them are limited to avant-garde pieces by high-end brands, and there is less abundance in affordable products. If Tissot has it his way, we’ll all be able to own a forged carbon sports watch. I wore the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon only on my wrist for a week to see its effects.
The forged carbon PRX comes with a rubber strap and costs 1,075 euros. This is a €300 premium over the regular steel Powermatic PRX on a steel bracelet. However, for this amount of money you also get an upgraded movement with a silicon balance spring. Overall, this is a very attractive proposition for anyone interested in carbon. So is it good?
Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon
The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon is part of the latest expansion of the successful PRX collection. I first looked at some of the steel gradient dial versions, but if you read my writing you’ll know I wasn’t impressed. This is what I thought. Are we already at this point with the PRX?’ To me, the vignette and gradient dial represent the last drops of creativity squeezed out of an exhausted design. But then I saw this eerie forged carbon model and was intrigued to say the least.
Tissot gave the PRX its typical forged carbon treatment, but it’s a bit more involved than just replacing the case. The movement, dial, caseback and crystal are all mounted within or on a central black PVD steel cylinder, while the midcase, bezel and dial are forged carbon. This is a common practice found in most high-end carbon watches. For example, forged carbon is not very suitable for thread cutting, so a central steel housing makes sense. As a result, the case is a few tenths of a millimeter larger and thicker than the regular steel model.
This also means that you won’t get the ultra-light effect that titanium watches have. The Featherweight’s exterior still weighs down a fair amount of steel, brass (the movement), and sapphire. For reference, the steel quartz PRX with rubber strap weighs 86 grams, while the forged carbon model weighs 75 grams. Still, the bracelet weighs just over half the weight of the automatic steel model. So it’s not record-breaking, but it’s certainly comfortably light.
Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon specs
The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon measures 40.5mm wide, just under 46mm long and 11.2mm thick. Note that the strap is slightly flared, making it appear larger than a typical 40 x 46 mm watch. Although it has slightly larger dimensions compared to the steel model, it does not make a noticeable difference as the black exterior visually reduces the watch. There is a flat sapphire crystal on the top and a sapphire crystal on the caseback that sandwiches the carbon case. Tissot specifies water resistance to 100 meters.
Inside is the widely used Swatch Group Powermatic 80 movement. This ETA 2824-based caliber moves at a deceleration of 21,600 vibrations per hour, giving it an autonomy of 80 hours. The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon shares one key upgrade with the Tissot Gentleman: the silicone hairspring. A small “Si” signature on the balance bridge confirms this feature. Other PRX models feature Nivachron hairsprings.
I like that Tissot also includes a bare forged carbon dial. Each cut of forged carbon reflects light, creating a dynamic appearance that gives a sense of depth. Aesthetically, I think it’s a very attractive material, a bit more interesting than pure black or anthracite. The watch has a black rubber strap with a black PVD-treated buckle and quick-release bayonet. As of this writing, Tissot does not offer forged carbon bracelets, which can significantly increase the price.
Wearing Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon
Let me preface this section by admitting that I love forged carbon in watchmaking. This is not just my opinion of its appearance. The strength, scratch resistance, and lightness of this material make it ideal for watch exteriors. And yes, looks matter too. As mentioned above, I enjoy the dynamism and depth that forged carbon provides more than a PVD steel case. You’ll also notice that it looks a little softer on your wrist compared to an all-black watch.
When I put the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon on my wrist, my mind immediately went back to the Zenith Defy. I really like the Carbon Defy, but it’s essentially an outlier in my collection, and I don’t think I’d spend that much money on something that’s only meant for incidental use. The PRX Forged Carbon suddenly gives you a lot of what I love about that watch.
There are certainly compromises, which I’ll get to later, but this week at PRX was one of positive chaos. It always felt like I was wearing something much more expensive and exotic than the Tissot PRX. If you’re interested in carbon, you can’t go wrong here.
Sure, it’s not perfect, right?
Of course, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon offers a lot, but it’s not perfect. Let me briefly touch on a few things that didn’t impress me. First, readability is highly dependent on ambient light. The poor lume performance combined with the large negative space on the dial makes me think Tissot could have experimented with a little more substantial hands and indexes. That could solve all of the above while further differentiating the forged carbon model as a true sports version.
Of course, making such a sharp proposal requires compromise. I always prefer to pay more to get a screw-down crown and screw-down caseback on a sports watch like this. However, all of the above is subjective. There is another generally objective issue with PRX. On some models, the quick-release bayonet is wedged between the case back and the strap, making it difficult to reach. The same applies here. The system is very cumbersome. Again, I only remove this strap when it wears out and needs replacing.
lastly
Overall, the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon is a watch I would happily own and wear. Tissot brings another great value proposition to the market. Additionally, this truly differentiates your product from your competitors.
The feeling of wearing something much more exclusive than Tissot couldn’t leave me (hat tip to Tissot). Sure, you can use a loupe to spot flaws, but this isn’t the type of watch you should bring a loupe to. At the end of the day, it’s all about how it makes you feel. And I was very impressed with this!
What do you think about the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon? Let us know in the comments section below.
