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Note: all photographs and media provided by Tissot
Horology wonks of all grades came together in excitement a few years ago over Tissot’s re-release of the PRX. This adorable group of enthusiastic humans can rarely agree on anything, so the fact that the PRX continues to be one of the brand’s strongest models, currently with over 50 SKUs, is a testament to the quality of these pieces. Tissot’s timing was paramount, for it came at a time when brands from Timex all the way to A. Lange & Söhne were all releasing integrated bracelet sports watches popularized by the legendary designer Gerald Genta. Currently, the PRX is offered with both mechanical and quartz movements and ranges in sizes from 35mm all the way up to 42mm for the stunning mechanical chronograph models. There is even a 35mm and 40mm digital model available.
One would think that Tissot would simply be using its most potent platform for their most recent collaboration with the manga UFO Robot Grendizer, but there is a deeper connection as to why these two are kindred spirits. So, before we get into the beautiful details of this watch, let’s first explore the significance of the manga, its creator, and its lasting cultural impact outside of the great island nation of Japan.
UFO Robot Grendizer
Originally airing in Japan from 1975 to 1977, the popular anime by Kiyoshii Nagai (known by his pen name, Go Nagai) sparked the imaginations of viewers in France and Italy in 1978. The anime was so popular in Italy, regionally named Goldrake, that its Italian dubbed theme songs were on the best-seller lists for that year. The anime would then spawn 89 issues in Italy titled Atlas UFO Robot Presenta Goldrake, and would go on to create its own material and plotlines. In France, locally named Goldorak, the anime was so popular that it made its way across the ocean and into the homes of Quebec. Still resonating in the hearts of the French, a graphic novel was published in 2021, and the French Postal Service released a series of stamps inspired by the series. The anime in 1979 would go on to become popular in Lebanon, where the main character, being a resistance fighter, resonated with the war-torn country.
The Tissot SeaStar PRX was also released in 1978, and this goes a long way to explaining why this collaboration came to be. Both embody different characteristics that are essential to the 1970s aesthetic, and as you can see here in the photographs, they work quite well.
The manga’s plot was set in the science fiction genre, a relative departure from its creator, Kiyoshi Nagai. After a severe stomach ailment at university, Mr. Nagai decided to leave behind a legacy, which took the form of creating manga. Starting work in 1967, the 78-year-old has won countless awards while drumming up a little controversy early in his career for being one of the first to bring erotic elements to modern manga.
UFO Robot Grendizer focuses on the fleeing Duke Fleed while he escapes his planet as it is being ravaged by the evil Vegan Empire – from the fictional planet Vega not to be confused by those who choose to avoid consuming animal products. After managing to steal the giant monster robot, the Grendizer, as the sole survivor of his royal family, the young Duke attaches his robot to the spaceship, the Spazer, and makes his escape.
His faster-than-light travels bring him to Earth, where he lands near Mount Fuji and is taken in by the locals. As you can probably guess, the Vegan Empire soon makes its way to Earth, and Duke Fleed uses the Grendizer to defend planet Earth. Details about how the world was built and what happened in the series will not be written about here in case you want to watch the series for yourself.
The Watch
Tissot decided to arm this limited edition with the workhorse mechanical movement, the Powermatic 80. For those of you who are unaware, based on the legendary ETA 2824-2, the Powermatic more than doubles the power reserve of this movement while slightly reducing the beat rate to 3Hz. More importantly, it adds the Nivacrhon hairspring, bringing the classic movement into the present with the modern challenges of ever-present magnetism from all our devices. This is where we will start by looking at what makes this watch unique.
The rotor of this automatic movement has the Grendizer engraved on it, which is mirrored on the blue dial. On this dial is probably the most interesting feature I have seen on a limited-edition timepiece in this price range – the use of yellow Super-Luminova, which illuminates the Grendizer robot on the dial. This luminescent paint is rarely used in the watch world, and seeing it appear here brings a smile to my face. The hands and indices use the standard blue/green Super-Luminova for contrast. One particularly highlighted detail is that the Tissot 1853 logo is placed on the chest plate of the fictional robot, which acts as a visual foundation for the entire dial design.
The show’s original title in Japanese is hidden on the top flange of the watch, covertly visible to only the owner. The last custom feature on this watch is the Harken-styled counterweight on the second hand, which adds a degree of aggressiveness to the watch. Fans of the show would appreciate the limited-edition box, which is shaped like the Spazer spaceship and comes with Go-Nagai’s original drawings.
Final Thoughts
It is easy enough to find out whether this watch will suit your wrist, for the standard 40mm PRX models are available in many brick-and-mortar stores. The enthusiasm that the watch collector community continues to show for the PRX is well deserved, and if you are one of those collectors, this manga collaboration might be the best such alliance between an anime and a Swatch Group brand since the Omega Speedmaster Ultraman. The Tissot PRX UFO Robot Grendizer Special Edition launches today for the list price of $1,125 Canadian.
Time of writing: August 22nd, 2024
Specifications:
Case: 316L Stainless Steel
Diameter: 40mm
Crystals: Sapphire in front, Mineral in back
Water Resistance: 100 metres
Movement: Powermatic 80
Power Reserve: 80 hours
Bracelet: integrated with a triple-blade folding steel clasp
