A couple years back, I picked up the 35mm PRX thinking it might be a great fit. Sleek dial, integrated bracelet, decent price—on paper, it checked a lot of boxes. But once it was actually on wrist, I couldn’t unsee how small it felt. Not vintage-small in a charming way, just… off. My wife wears it now, and to be honest, it suits her much better.
The 40mm version (check out my review here) wasn’t the fix either. It looks great in photos, sure, but on wrist it always felt a bit too flat, too broad. That case shape doesn’t do you any favors unless you’ve got the wrist real estate to carry it. So when folks started asking for a 38mm version (pretty much right after the PRX dropped) it was the obvious middle ground.
Now we’ve got it in titanium.
Tissot’s newest PRX Powermatic 80 finally lands in that elusive 38mm zone, with a full titanium case and bracelet. Thickness is just under 11mm, basically matching the 40mm version. The shape’s the same, but the sizing is smarter. With titanium in the mix, the whole package comes in lighter. They don’t list the actual weight, but if you’ve ever handled titanium, you already know that moment: picking it up, expecting heft, and instead getting that “wait, did they forget the movement?” feeling.
It’s still running the Powermatic 80, Tissot’s go-to movement for just about everything automatic in their catalog now. 80 hours of power reserve, hacking, hand-winding, and a date at 3 o’clock. It’s not flashy, but it’s consistent. At this price, that’s enough. You also get the usual PRX feature set: butterfly clasp, quick-release bracelet, 100 meters of water resistance, and the waffle dial.
Speaking of the dial, this one leans a little more modern than previous variants. The anthracite base keeps things low-key, while the rose gold accents on the hands, indices, and date frame add just enough warmth to keep the gray-on-gray look from going full monotone.
If you’ve worn any of the previous PRXs, this’ll feel familiar. The 38mm case pulls the whole design into proportion. The bracelet should wear similarly to the others, and while Tissot doesn’t always knock it out of the park with micro-adjustment, the half-links do help.
And then there’s the Damascus steel PRX—a second 38mm release dropping alongside the titanium model. This one’s a little wilder. The case and dial are both made from layered, wave-patterned steel—the kind of thing you usually see in folding knives or small-batch indie watches. Here, it’s paired with a black leather strap that’s got Damascus end links and a matching buckle. No bracelet.
The dial keeps things legible with black nickel indices and a solid black seconds hand. It looks sharp, and while I can’t say I’d reach for it every day, it’s easily the boldest design move Tissot’s made within the PRX family. If you’re the type that already has a bronze diver and a forged carbon chrono in rotation, this one probably makes sense to you.
Pricing stays reasonable for the category, at least. The titanium 38mm lands at $975 on bracelet. That’s about $125 more than the standard 40mm steel models and $25 more than the gold PVDs. The Damascus steel version comes in at $1,175 on leather.
If I were picking, I’d go titanium. It’s light, wearable, and finally gets the sizing right. Tissot didn’t need to reinvent anything here. They just made the watch a lot of us were already picturing in our heads. And in a catalog full of “close, but not quite,” that’s enough to make this one stand out.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.