This is definitely a mechanical-pro community, so I'd venture to guess the majority of votes will be for the automatic version. I'd say go for the automatic, just because it will be easier to sell, should you ever decide to.

 

I actually gotta go quartz on this one. If the mech added anything notable, I would of course always opt for that. In this case though (literally), it's essentially the exact same watch at less than half the price and the powermatic 80, while great as a workhorse, doesn't represent anything particularly special that would warrant me seeking it out specifically. I'd enjoy this style as a grab and go.

 

I would get the Quartz variant of this specific watch, because;

Automatic Variant:
1). The specific Powermatic 80 movement it uses has a regular hairspring (could be magnetised) and 23 jewels (plastic escape wheel and pallet fork). Therefore, although there's nothing wrong with it, I feel for a similar price a better version of this movement could be purchased.

Quartz Variant:
1) Has the nicer looking non-waffle, sunburst dial (subjective)
2) Is the original movement for this specific style of watch from Tissot (apparently)
3) Has a very nice ETA quartz movement with really good battery life and EOL indicator

 

Actually, the new Powermatic 80's have a Nivachron hairspring. So, more resistance to magnetism than before. Still not as good as silicium. Agree on the plastic escape wheel and pallet fork comments.

 

Just get the automatic - we only live once.

It looks much nicer and you will not have to look at a jerky second hand

 

Exactly,.. damn you, jerky second hand!! Damn you!!

 

Two things that make me reconsider the quartz, even though the price is super nice:
1) the movement is not a HAQ (thermocompensated) movement (maybe not that big of a deal but still a deal to some); and
2) apparently the precision of the seconds hand hitting the indices is very hit or miss - some people report that their seconds hands hit the seconds marks perfectly, while others have posted videos showing the seconds hand diverging from the seconds marks by considerable margins. I guess you get what you pay for here...

On the other hand, a lot of people speak negatively about the "plastic" components in the Powermatic 80 as being "throwaway" or that servicing the watch might actually mean replacing the movement altogether. So it seems like there is considerable give and take on both sides.

I think for me, I'd probably still give the edge slightly to the quartz, thought I'm waiting to see what the 35mm models look like on wrist.

 

A nicer daily kind of beater watch, then get the Tissot PRX quartz.

 

Ok, I´m a quartz-guy so the answer is obvious. But in this case, more than ever. Twice the price for a waffle dial and a frame on the date window? Against a maintenence free, good time keeping, and long battery life no worries watch? Please, you have to be more than romatic to chose the Powermatic 80 over quartz in this case...

 

I'd say the quartz model is way overpriced. Should be a $15 watch with a quartz movement. For this reason, the mechanical model seems like a much better value.

 

Get both and a different color dial for each!

 

Automatic ftw.

 

On one hand, the waffle dial on the PRX 80 really pops but paying an extra few $100 for the dial and a basic Powermatic 80 movement doesn’t appeal to me.
On the other hand, the quartz version has the exact same case and the blue dial stands out as well but it’s not an automatic.

the answer seems obvious to me...

base on the quoted post by the op, the answer seems obvious you like the quartz more

dial seems like a wash (you like both) and outside of movement, everything is the same

you want an automatic but dont want to pay for the auto movement they offer and you dont seem to mind a quartz movement at all (as it saves you a few hundred bucks as well)

 

The powermatic 80 is not worth the price difference, personally. Save yourself a few hundred and go with the Quartz.

 

" paying an extra few $100 for the dial and a basic Powermatic 80 movement doesn’t appeal to me. "



You answered your own question.

 

Either buy the powermatic, or buy the quartz and ask a watchmaker to remove the second hand (less worry about the second hand hitting the marker and accuracy 😀)

 

100% agree

 

Quartz. Looks wise, only the frame on the date window enhances the auto.
At the price, quartz seems like a much more appealing proposition.

 

Went with powermatic for both the PRX and its classier gentleman cousin. I can't do without the sweeping seconds hand and fuzzies knowing it's mechanical.
The powermatic models IMHO are a steal at full MSRP being priced well below their value. They share a lot of features with watches that cost 2x-3x what they do and come from a proven and trusted brand with a legacy.

Get either off Amazon while eyeing their prices and the pricing shortfall between quartz and automatic closes quite a bit. If you want a solid deal on one, keep an eye on Amazon's warehousedeals' open/ damaged box deals. I have never had an issue with them and always gotten the right watch like-new and sometimes with all plastics still on. My PRX 80 was only $470 and my gentleman 80 $490 both from there. These are very popular watches that get sold and subsequently returned, so pop up there really often. No comment on the santos that was along for the ride in my recent blue-dial-addiction pic.

Only gripe I have with the PRX is Tissot did not share the silicium spring with the PRX from the gentleman.

 

Those all seem huge. What's your wrist size. The two things that keep me from getting the PRX is the size and the lack of the silicium spring like in the Gentlemen.

 

Look, there's nothing that special about that mechanical movement. I prefer the dial on the quartz too, although that's very subjective. Also, I've been preferring quartz lately. Unless it's an in-house, high end, hand made mechanical movement, it's just as machine made and mass produced as a quartz. So you might as well just buy the cheaper, objectively better at telling time, quartz movement.

In my opinion, of course. The fact that it's more respectful to the watch it's supposed to be a reissue of is not a concern for me, since the design really isn't all that similar, and it's more of an Oysterquartz homage. I'm cool with that, to be fair, just because that being a Rolex it's already at stupid price levels.

 

I voted quartz, and I think if I were to get one that’s what I would get
The quartz dial is far more attractive than the automatic waffle style dial, and you can put a cyclops on it if you want to roleplay having an Oysterquartz 😛

 

I personally waited for the Powermatic variant before I picked up a PRX. I found that, in person, the quartz dial feels a lot cheaper looking than the automatic dials (thinking specifically of the blue dial variant). Also even though the powermatic movement is basic, in my experience they keep really good time and at the end of the day it’s basically just a 2824 which is an industry benchmark.

 

i will say are similar in most ways on the exterior and both aesthetically pleasing. But the fact of the matter is, true automatic watches will retain value for longer in their life then quartz or even automatic movements with capacitors. For 100 extra dollars, that seems like a no-brainer. All that being said, I don't know if the power matic 80 is true mechanical or has a capacter. But if you are gonna keep it for you and don't care about value retention, you do you!

 

Powermatic 80 is a true automatic, mechanical only movement, there is no capacitor

 

I have the automatic version and really recommend it

 

Too similar to overpay for automatic version, I rather buy two watches for the price of the Powermatic.

 

Quartz make excellent daily watches, IMHO.

 

I voted Powermatic 80, and I voted with my wallet earlier this week. I felt free to choose black because my Aqua Terra is blue, and I'm pleased with the black PRX. I posted first impressions here earlier today: Excited about my newly arrived PRX!

In my opinion the price difference (only $275) between the two movements is immaterial, and I strongly prefer a mechanical caliber under the hood.

 

Powermatic 80 just for the dial.

Do you want another boring plain dial?

 

Thank you for the very thought out responses. Since I’m going mainly for the style of the case, the quartz appeals to me. I already have a stable of affordable automatics (Seiko divers like the monster 2nd gen, turtle and Seiko samurai as well as Hamilton khaki with a similar 80 hour reserve movement and a few watches with the ETA 2824 and similar Selitta movements). My collection is a good mix of quartz (mostly Tissot, so I know what to expect) and automatics.
I think at this point, I’m going to have to find a place, I think Macys may have both, and choose the one that stands out and appeals to me most.