Hands-On: The New Tissot PRX Chronograph Blue Panda

December 11, 2024

When Tissot showed us the PRX Chronograph last year (digitally), I ordered one during the introduction presentation. You can call it an impulse purchase, but I was so incredibly enthusiastic that I didn t have to think long. And when we visited the Tissot manufacture in Le Locle a few months ago, it made me even prouder to have one on the wrist.Tissot s headquarters and production facility in Le LocleTissot produces an incredible number of watches per year. Despite that, visiting the brand s headquarters in Le Locle brings you back to the old days of watchmaking as soon as you head to the archives. A few levels above the huge automated order-picking system (that you will also find at companies like and Omega) is an attic with a special room that has all the brand s vintage treasures.An original Tissot Seastar from the 1970s - Image: RedditBig books have all the sales registrations from 1853 until Tissot stopped recording them sometime in the last century (of course). And in the next big room, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of watches spanning the brand s history, including one of the very first pocket watches. But it s here where Tissot also keeps the original Tissot Seastar quartz models on which the PRX is based.Tissot PRX ChronographIt s good to understand that the Tissot PRX has legitimacy. No, it s not a copy of a Royal Oak, Oysterquartz, or any other watch with an integrated bracelet. It s a style that belongs to the 1970s and is highly in demand again today. I know there were Seastar chronograph watches in the 1970s, but I am unaware if they also had the same case and bracelet design as the PRX ancestors. Anyway, the chronograph is an interesting addition to the very successful PRX lineup. Tissot launched it last year and fitted it with the ETA/Valjoux A05.H31 chronograph movement. It s basically a modernized adaption of the Valjoux 7753.The Blue PandaAs an owner of the Tissot PRX Chronograph, let me start with the downside of this watch. It s heavy (184 grams) and large, as explained here, and it measures 14.54mm thick. The diameter is 42mm, and the lug-to-lug length is 46.5mm. That said, it wears nicely on my 18.5cm (~7.25″) wrist. However, if you re used to the 40mm (or even 35mm) three-hand PRX, it will wear and look significantly larger.Tissot has something for everyoneThe good thing is that there are several PRX variations (35mm, 40mm, and 42mm), so Tissot should have you covered in any case. However, if you re after the chronograph, there s only the 42mm version. I don t mind it, to be honest, and I am not in a specific size camp when it comes to watches. To me, it all depends on the type of watch and also the wrist size, of course. It s impossible to create a watch that will fit everyone or is to everyone s liking.Now, the difference between the new Tissot PRX Chronograph Blue Panda and my own Black Panda is the use of colors. The sub-dials on the new PRX Chronograph are dark blue, and the hour markers and hands are a silver color instead of the gold on mine. The vertically brushed finish on the silver dial is the same, though. Although the sub-dials are blue, they easily turn dark. Because of this, they might even look black in some images.The use of dark blue is nicer than the black on my Tissot PRX Chronograph because it s just a bit more playful. Oh, and blue is my favorite color, so that helps as well. Tissot s designers didn t take the opportunity to make any other changes to this watch, but why should they? Some are against the date window, or at least its four-thirty position, but many buyers (still) want to have a date function on their watch. I could do without it, but it is definitely not a dealbreaker.Caliber Valjoux A05.H31For this PRX Chronograph Blue Panda, Tissot stuck with the A05.H31 movement. As I mentioned earlier, this is a newer iteration of the classic Valjoux 7753. It has a ticking speed of 28,800vph and gives you a 60-hour power reserve when fully wound. Part of the deal with this movement is that you need to have a date corrector on the side of the case. The movement has been decorated with perlage finishing on the bridges, and the rotor is partially skeletonized and engraved with the Tissot signature.AfterthoughtsThe retail price of this new Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph reference T137.427.11.011.01 is $1,995, which is $100 more than last year s introductory price (the others models increased in price as well). For under $2K, you get a very nice watch with that integrated-bracelet look and feel. Thanks to the quick-release system, the bracelet can easily be swapped for a soft, fitted strap. However, part of the fun to me in the PRX is the integrated design, so I prefer the all-steel look. My conclusions are still the ones I vented in this article, despite the little price hike.If I were in the market for the Tissot PRX Chronograph today, I would have a hard time choosing between this new Blue Panda and the one I bought last year. I love the touches of gold on mine, but the somewhat more sober look of the Blue Panda is definitely attractive as well.You can find more of our articles on Tissot here and visit the brand s official website here.Watch specifications Brand Tissot Model PRX Automatic ChronographReference T137.427.11.011.01Dial Silver with vertically brushed finish, dark blue minute track and sub-dialsCase Material Stainless steelCase Dimensions Diameter: 42mm C Lug-to-lug: 46.5mm C Lug spacing: 13mm C Thickness: 14.54mmCrystal SapphireCase Back Sapphire Movement Caliber A05.H31 - Valjoux 7753 base, self-winding chronograph, 28,800vph (4Hz) frequency, 60-hour power reserveWater Resistance 100 meters / 330 feetStrap Stainless steel bracelet with quick-release system and butterfly claspFunctions Time, date, 12-hour chronographPrice $1,995