PRX Powermatic 80, 40mm, Ice Blue Dial

Why it works as a gift

A first serious watch is one of the few gifts that can mark a 40th, 50th or a promotion and still be worn on an ordinary workday. The PRX takes its tonneau case shape from a Tissot design of the late 1970s and pairs it with a modern movement. The Powermatic 80 is automatic, so it winds itself as he wears it, and its 80-hour power reserve means a watch left on the dresser on Friday evening is still running on Monday morning.

The specification is generous for the price band. Authorized retailer Watches of Switzerland lists a 40 mm stainless steel case about 10.9 mm thick, a sapphire crystal, an exhibition case back that shows the movement, 100 meters of water resistance and a steel bracelet with quick-release pins and a deployment clasp. The ice-blue dial carries a fine Clous de Paris texture, baton markers and a date at 3 o'clock, which makes it look lighter and more playful than the black or dark blue versions.

Against a smartwatch at a similar price, the PRX will not track sleep or steps, but it will not need charging or replacing in three years either. Against Swiss automatics from bigger luxury houses, it gives a recognizable design and a sapphire crystal for a fraction of the cost. The pale dial is the one real judgment call: it suits someone who wears color, and a quieter man may prefer a darker dial.

Who it’s for

• A husband or partner turning 40 or 50 who has never owned a mechanical watch
• A father retiring after a long career, as a watch for the years after work
• A brother or son marking a promotion or a new job, who wears both suits and T-shirts
• A design-minded man who notices 1970s shapes in cars, furniture and watches

Skip it if

• He wears a smartwatch every day and values fitness tracking and notifications
• His style is very understated; a pale ice-blue dial makes a statement, and the darker dials are quieter
• He has small wrists or prefers dress watches under 38 mm; this is a 40 mm sports watch
• He already owns a PRX; a different model or a strap would be the better gift

Giving it

• Buy early enough to have the bracelet sized at a jeweler before the day, or include a note that sizing is part of the gift
• Check that the listing is sold by Amazon.com, as this one is, so the purchase comes from a known seller
• Keep the box and papers together for him; they matter for service and resale
• Pair it with a small leather card holder for a fuller milestone gift

The facts

Reference

T137.407.11.351.00

Case

40 mm stainless steel, about 10.9 mm thick; tonneau shape

Movement

Swiss automatic Powermatic 80; 80-hour power reserve

Crystal and case back

Sapphire crystal; see-through exhibition case back

Water resistance

100 meters (10 bar)

Bracelet

Stainless steel with quick-release pins and a deployment clasp

Dial

Ice blue with baton markers and a date window at 3 o'clock

Consider instead

• Garmin Venu 4 Smartwatch — For a man who wants health tracking on his wrist rather than a mechanical watch
• Tateossian Tonneau Skeleton Cufflinks — A watch-lover's gift at a lower budget, for a man who wears French cuffs
• TASCHEN Collector Watches, XL Two-Volume Edition — For a man who already owns the watch he wanted and enjoys reading about the rest