Head-To-Head: Beyond 1969 - A Three-Way Showdown of Iconic 1970s Heritage Chronographs

Following my deep dive into the automatic chronograph revolution of 1969, my collecting journey as a statistician and financial analyst has naturally extended into the late 1960s and 1970s—a golden era of racing, flight, and space-age industrial design.

 In my previous writeup, I highlighted three specific models as the ideal next chapter for expanding a 1969/1970s heritage chronograph cluster. Today, we are putting those three exact timepieces from my collection head-to-head in a standalone showdown: the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green Titanium Limited Edition (Ref. CAW218E.FC6565) (alongside the Carrera Glass Box), the Tissot Heritage 1973 Limited Edition (Ref. T124.427.16.031.00), and the Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronometer Chronograph Mark II (Ref. 327.10.43.50.01.001).

Head-To-Head: Solar Technologies Employed by Four Major Brands; Tissot, Seiko, Citizen and Casio

In this particular article, I wanted to do a head-to-head comparison between the various solar technologies employed by four major brands: Tissot, Seiko, Citizen and Casio. The comparison will be based on the detailed reviews of four watches in the collection that are tabulated below: 

 

Tissot T‑Touch	Seiko Prospex Alpinist
Citizen Promaster Tough	Casio G‑Shock MOVE

 

Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Si Forged Carbon T137.907.97.201.00 - The Forged Carbon Case gives it a Modern, Avant-garde Edge, while the Classic PRX Design Language keeps it Grounded in Timeless Style, A Review (plus Video)

The Tissot PRX series is already part of the collection. At the moment I have two, the standard PRX Powermatic 80 and the PRX Automatic Chronograph. Both, and all at that time, were stainless steel models. For the first time, early October 2024, Tissot introduced the lightweight forged carbon material for the body of the PRX as well as the dial. What is exciting is that the price point of the watch did not appreciate considerably as expected. It would seem that forged carbon watch is possible to buy by the vast majority of watch collectors.

 

Getting one in KL was not that easy. Tissot only allocated units to its own boutique. It was only in February 2025 that authorized dealers started to receive their consignments.

 

I was lucky to go into the Timekeeper shop in NU Sentral. The shop manager informed me that they just received one the day before. I immediately took possession of that piece.

 

 

 

Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Blue Dial Reference T137.427.11.041.00 (similar to White Dial T137.427.11.011.00) - Pressed All The Right Buttons, A Review (plus Video)

When Tissot announced the launch of the Chronograph PRX in March 2022, I was elated. I already got the PRX automatic and it worth the investment. Adding a mechanical chronograph function in the PRX line is just icing to the cake. I really want to get one. After making a few inquiries in Kuala Lumpur, I was told that the model will be released to dealers in August at a MSRP of RM7,400.

As it happens, I was scheduled to go for a trip to UK in mid-June. Tissot announced that the model will be released in the UK around the same time. Although I wasn’t hoping to find one, luck was with me on this. I found one in a UK jewellery chain in Dundee (actually, it’s branch in Inverness got one so they had it shipped to the Dundee branch for me). After a few days I finally got my hands on one. 

Do note that the price I paid for this watch is higher than the list price in Kuala Lumpur after taking into consideration foreign exchange conversion from GBP to RM. Nevertheless, I am willing to pay the premium just to have the experience dealing with a Scottish jeweler for the very first time.

Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Blue Dial Reference T1374071104100 (Similar to T1374071105100, T1374072103100 & T9314074129100) - Value for Money Classic Design, A Review (plus Video)

For 2021, Tissot released two types of PRX, a quartz version first and a later, an automatic version. There are a number of examples in each of the two categories. I personally had my eyes on the automatic version but it took me a long time before I got my hands on one. Even when I did get one, there wasn't any discount given from the MSRP price.

There are four models to choose from. What I got was the blue dial version.

The retro styling of the watch and the integrated bracelet design caught my interest. The PRX is a watch inspired by the original model first launched in 1978. It features a tonneau-shaped case with an integrated bracelet that was the rage back then. It has a circular bezel mirror-polish to contrast against the brush finishing on the case itself. To me, visually, the PRX is a really interesting piece.

I am not the only one that thinks this watch is a keeper. For the Malaysian market, it was a sellout and I had to put in an order for the next batch earmarked for this region.

Tissot Heritage 1973 Limited Edition Reference T124.427.16.031.00 - Tissot was able to Capture the Essence of the Original, A Review (plus Video)

The last time I bought a Tissot for the collection was in 2011 when I visited Switzerland for a family holiday. All this while, I have been eyeing a number of its classically designed models under the Visodate range. Unfortunately, these models were never up there in terms of priority. However, in 2019, Tissot launched the Heritage 1973 limited edition timepiece to commemorate its involvement in motorsports back in the 1970s.

In 1976 Tissot entered the world of F1 when the brand became the official backer of young driver called Loris Kessel. Although Kessel isn't as well known as some of his contemporaries, he was a true motorhead. He not only raced, but also created Kessel Classics, a Swiss shop that specializes in campaigning classic race cars in historic races around the world as well as running a Swiss motor racing team under the same brand name. The operation is located in the canton of Tessin, Switzerland. Tissot is currently in partnership with the racing team, Kessel Classics. The Tissot Heritage 1973 was introduced to celebrate the Tissot’s relationship to motorsport and the Kessel branding.