Short answer: the Tissot Powermatic 80 is a Swiss automatic movement that stores up to 80 hours of power reserve, so a watch taken off on Friday evening is still running on Monday morning. At ChronoSeasons you will find it inside the Tissot PRX, Seastar 1000, Le Locle and the COSC-certified Ballade, with prices from $1,124; the T-Race, from $675, is Tissot's Swiss quartz alternative.
What the Powermatic 80 actually is
Powermatic 80 is the name Tissot gives to its self-winding mechanical movement. The rotor you can watch through the caseback swings with the motion of your wrist and winds the mainspring, so there is no battery to replace. The headline number is the reserve: a fully wound Powermatic 80 runs for up to 80 hours, against the roughly 38 to 42 hours that many traditional automatics deliver.
The extended reserve comes from a few engineering choices that are widely documented in the trade: a longer, more efficient mainspring and a lower beat rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour (3Hz), which uses less energy per hour than the 28,800 vph common in many Swiss calibers. The trade-off is a slightly less fluid sweep of the seconds hand, which most owners never notice.
Why 80 hours matters in daily life
- The weekend test: if you rotate between a work watch and a weekend watch, an 80-hour reserve means the Powermatic 80 piece is still ticking when you reach for it again on Monday.
- Fewer resets: every time an automatic stops, you have to set the time and date again. A longer reserve simply means doing that less often.
- Low-effort ownership: you get the character of a mechanical watch without having to wind it every morning or keep it on a winder.
If you are still deciding between mechanical and battery-powered, our guide to automatic vs quartz walks through the trade-offs in plain terms.
Nivachron and COSC: what the Ballade adds
In our catalog, the Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 COSC takes the movement two steps further. First, its movement carries official COSC chronometer certification, which means it passed roughly fifteen days of independent precision testing. Second, it uses an anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring, designed to shrug off the everyday magnetism of phones, laptops and bag clasps that can make a mechanical watch run fast. If you want the full background on certification, read COSC certified watches explained, or browse every certified piece in Hour II: Chronometer COSC.
That makes the Ballade the answer to searches for "Tissot COSC watches" at ChronoSeasons: a 39mm stainless steel case with a fluted bezel, sapphire crystal, applied Roman numerals and 100m water resistance, from $1,124.
Tissot model by model
Here is how the Tissot line we carry breaks down. All figures below come from the product listings; see the full Tissot collection for every dial and strap option.
| Model | Movement | Case | Water resistance | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRX Powermatic 80 | Powermatic 80, 80h | 40mm steel, integrated bracelet | 100m | $1,168 |
| Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 | Powermatic 80, 80h | 43mm steel, ceramic dive bezel | 300m | $1,156 |
| Le Locle Powermatic 80 | Powermatic 80, 80h | 39.3mm steel | 30m | $1,168 |
| Ballade Powermatic 80 COSC | Powermatic 80, COSC, Nivachron, 80h | 39mm 316L steel | 100m | $1,124 |
| T-Race Chronograph | Swiss quartz chronograph | 45mm steel or black PVD steel | 100m | $675 |
PRX: the integrated-bracelet pick
The PRX distills 1970s sports-luxe into a slim tonneau case whose steel bracelet flows straight out of the case. At 40mm with a low profile it slides under a shirt cuff, and the exhibition caseback shows the Powermatic 80 rotor at work. We stock it in blue, black, silver, green and ice blue. It anchors Hour III: Integrated Sport.
Seastar 1000: the diver
The Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 puts the same movement in a 43mm brushed-and-polished case with a unidirectional ceramic dive bezel, screw-down crown and caseback, and 300m water resistance. Choose black on a steel bracelet, green on a steel bracelet, or a blue gradient dial on a black rubber strap.
Le Locle: the classic dress watch
Named for the Swiss town where Tissot was founded in 1853, the Le Locle Powermatic 80 is the most traditional design here: a polished 39.3mm case, Roman numerals, a guilloche center and a date window. It is offered on steel, two-tone rose gold PVD, black leather and brown leather, with silver, black or blue dials. Note the 30m rating: fine for rain and hand-washing, not for swimming. We also list a 29mm Le Locle Automatic with a 48-hour reserve and a Nivachron spring for smaller wrists.
Ballade COSC: the certified chronometer
Covered above: certified accuracy, Nivachron, 80 hours and a dressy fluted bezel, in blue, green, silver and a two-tone silver option.
T-Race: the quartz chronograph
The T-Race is the outlier: a Swiss quartz chronograph rather than a Powermatic 80, with motorcycle cues such as a brake-disc bezel and handlebar-shaped pushers. The 45mm case wears large, so check our watch size guide if your wrist is under about 7 inches.
Tissot watches to start with
- Tissot PRX 40mm Powermatic 80, Blue Dial — 40mm integrated steel bracelet, 80-hour reserve, 100m, from $1,168.
- Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80, Black Dial — 43mm, ceramic bezel insert, 300m, from $1,156.
- Tissot Le Locle Powermatic 80, Silver Dial, Steel Bracelet — 39.3mm, Roman numerals and guilloche center, from $1,168.
- Tissot Le Locle Powermatic 80, Brown Leather Strap — the same dress watch on warm brown leather, from $1,168.
- Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 COSC, Blue Dial — COSC chronometer with Nivachron spring, 39mm, from $1,124.
- Tissot T-Race 45mm, White Dial — Swiss quartz chronograph in brushed steel, from $676.
Every Tissot we sell arrives new and boxed with a 2-year international warranty, and unworn watches can be returned within 30 days.
How to choose
- Office first: Le Locle for tradition, Ballade if certified accuracy matters to you.
- One watch for everything: the PRX, which balances dress and sport at 40mm with 100m water resistance.
- Water and travel: the Seastar 1000, the only 300m Tissot in our catalog. See our dive watch guide for what to look for.
- Bold and battery-powered: the T-Race.
Questions we get
How long does the Tissot Powermatic 80 run off the wrist?
Up to 80 hours from a full wind, which is enough to bridge a two-day weekend.
Is every Powermatic 80 COSC certified?
No. In our catalog only the Ballade Powermatic 80 COSC carries chronometer certification. The PRX, Seastar 1000 and Le Locle use the Powermatic 80 without a COSC certificate.
Which Tissot has the Nivachron balance spring?
Among the watches we list, the Ballade Powermatic 80 COSC and the 29mm Le Locle Automatic state a Nivachron balance spring in their specifications.
Can I swim with the Tissot Le Locle?
It is rated to 30m, which covers rain and hand-washing. For swimming, pick the PRX or Ballade (100m) or the Seastar 1000 (300m).
What size is the Tissot PRX?
The PRX Powermatic 80 we carry is 40mm with an integrated steel bracelet and a slim profile.
Is the Tissot T-Race automatic?
No. The T-Race is a Swiss quartz chronograph with sub-dial counters and a date, from $675.
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