Tissot · Review

Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph review

By the Watch Winder team · Updated September 2026 · Based on published reviews and owner reports

The Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph takes the integrated-bracelet PRX, scales it up to 42mm and fits a Valjoux-based automatic chronograph with a long reserve. For $2,150 it's one of the cheapest ways into a Swiss mechanical chronograph from a major brand, and the case and bracelet are finished far better than the price suggests. The catch is size: at 14.5mm thick, it's a lot of watch.

Specs at a glance

Design and dial

Tissot launched the PRX Automatic Chronograph in 2022, a year after the time-only PRX Powermatic 80 became a hit. The launch pair was a blue dial with silver sub-dials and a silver "panda" with black sub-dials, both with a vertically brushed finish instead of the time-only model's waffle texture. The range has grown since, with reverse panda, green and other colorways. The original blue T137.427.11.041.00 no longer appears on Tissot's US site; the current blue is a gradient-dial version, T137.427.11.041.01.

The layout is the classic tri-compax: running seconds at 9, a 30-minute counter at 3 and a 12-hour counter at 6. Reviewers like the brushed dials, which keep a busy chronograph from looking cluttered. The date sits between 4 and 5 o'clock, which is where the Valjoux architecture puts it; SJX found it awkward, and many owners simply stop noticing it.

Two dial weaknesses come up repeatedly. Lume is thin: aBlogtoWatch called the Super-LumiNova modest, and Worn & Wound judged it lackluster. And on the light-dial versions, the polished gold-tone hands can disappear against the silver, which Worn & Wound flagged as a legibility problem at a glance. The blue dials read more easily.

Case, size and wearability

The tonneau case is 42mm wide and 14.54mm thick. Tissot lists its length as just 41.5mm, and reviewers quote the same figure as lug to lug. That number flatters it: the integrated bracelet's first link continues the line of the case, so the watch occupies more of the wrist than 41.5mm implies.

Thickness is the real issue. Worn & Wound described it as wearing tall, with the weight of the movement making it feel top-heavy and bigger than the dimensions suggest. SJX, on the other hand, thought Tissot had scaled the PRX up smartly and found the proportions good. Both are fair. It suits wrists of about 7 inches and up, and it won't slide under a tight shirt cuff. If your wrist is smaller, try one on first, or look at the 40mm time-only PRX.

The case finishing is excellent for the price, with broad brushed surfaces and sharp polished bevels. The rectangular pushers are bevelled and brushed, and reviewers like how they look and feel. The polished edges do pick up scratches, as on every PRX.

Movement and power reserve

Inside is the Valjoux A05.H31, a Swatch Group update of the Valjoux 7753, the 7750 family's three-register sibling. It beats at 28,800 vph, hand-winds, hacks and uses the familiar cam-actuated chronograph with firm pushers. SJX notes that the upgrade is mostly about reserve: the A05.H31 keeps a conventional regulator and balance, and the longer run time likely comes from mainspring and gear-train changes rather than exotic materials. Finishing is simple. aBlogtoWatch was impressed for the money, while SJX called it basic and suited to a solid caseback.

Power reserve needs a note. When the PRX Chronograph launched, Tissot and every major review quoted 60 hours, and the product descriptions on Tissot's site still say "an extended 60-hour power reserve". But the spec tables on those same pages now list 65 hours for the panda and reverse panda, and 68 hours for the blue gradient and green versions, which also list Tissot's Nivachron anti-magnetic balance spring. That suggests Tissot has updated the movement in newer references, but Tissot hasn't explained the change, and the older blue reference was always a 60-hour watch. We use the 60-hour launch figure here and in Watch Winder because it's the conservative number: if yours is a newer piece, it may simply run a few hours longer.

Accuracy isn't published, and the watch isn't chronometer-certified. Reviewers and owners generally report good timekeeping, typical of a well-regulated Valjoux. Running the chronograph costs a little reserve, and like other 7750-family movements, the rotor is felt and heard more than on a slim three-hander.

In practice, 60 hours means a watch taken off on Friday evening is still running on Sunday afternoon but may have stopped by Monday morning. Check your own schedule with the Will my watch stop? calculator. Watch Winder counts down the reserve and reminds you before the chronograph stops, which matters more here than on most watches because resetting the date means finding a tool for the recessed corrector.

Bracelet and strap

The integrated bracelet is the PRX's party trick, and it's arguably better here than on the time-only models. Worn & Wound singled it out for its finishing and comfort, with light playing off the alternating brushed and polished surfaces. SJX was less effusive, calling it good enough but not up to the standard of the case. It tapers to a butterfly clasp with push-buttons, and quick-release tabs let you swap it without tools.

The limitation is the same as on every PRX: the 13mm integrated fitting means you're mostly restricted to Tissot's own bracelets and straps. Tissot sells leather and rubber options, but there's nothing like the freedom of a standard 20mm or 22mm lug.

What owners say after months of wear

Owners mostly describe the PRX Chronograph as the watch that got them a Swiss mechanical chronograph for far less than the big names charge. The case and bracelet quality get the most praise, followed by the long reserve, and reliability complaints are rare.

The recurring complaints are practical. Several owners, like reviewers, say it wears thicker and heavier than they expected. The recessed date corrector annoys people who don't wear it daily. Owners also note that the brushed bracelet is a fingerprint magnet and shows scratches easily, and some find the date placement odd. Price comes up too: owners who bought at $1,750 feel they got a bargain, while at $2,150 the value case is still strong but less overwhelming.

Alternatives worth considering

• Tissot PRX Powermatic 80: the same design in a thinner 40mm case, 80 hours of reserve and roughly $1,300 less. No chronograph, but far easier to wear.
• Tissot PR516: if you prefer a 1970s racing look, the PR516 family includes an automatic chronograph on the same A05.H31, plus a compact time-only version.
• Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium: no chronograph, but a more versatile round case, standard lugs and an 80-hour reserve for much less.

Who should buy it

Buy the PRX Automatic Chronograph if you want a Swiss mechanical chronograph with genuine build quality, love the 1970s integrated-bracelet look, and have the wrist for a 14.5mm case. Skip it if you want something slim, a strap you can swap freely, or a watch you'll leave in a drawer for a week at a time.

If it's one of several watches in rotation, Watch Winder suggests which one to wear next so none of them stop, and helps you avoid setting the date during the date-change danger zone.

FAQ

Sources

• Tissot: PRX 42mm chronograph, T137.427.11.041.01 (specifications and price)
• Tissot: PRX 42mm chronograph, T137.427.11.011.00 (specifications and price)
• Worn & Wound: Review, the Tissot PRX Chronograph
• SJX: Hands On, Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph
• aBlogtoWatch: Hands-On, Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Watches