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Tissot PRS-516 Inital Thoughts...

3K views 10 replies 10 participants last post by  arman003 
#1 ·
Hello everyone... well if you haven't heard by now I've recently ordered and received a Tissot PRS-516 Retrograde chronograph. My wife likes chronographs and this one attracted me for several reasons;
1. Nice layout
2. Race oriented (I'm a race fan)
3. Tissot quality and heritage
4. Good price

Initial Impressions

Packaging:

This is an area that Tissot has done nicely in. It is a cardboard box, but an intricate one at that. It contained 5 different books; one being a Tissot history book, a catalog or two, a warranty book, and a movement book from ETA. The box is well done and looks very nice, probably the nicest I've gotten apart from the Bernhardt wooden box. With a $200 watch, this is as nice a box I could ever expect. 9/10

Dial:

This was what originally attracted me to the watch in the first place, I love the layout, colors, fonts, and hands. Upon closer inspection, I really love the dial much more in person. The fonts are crisp, the colors work well, and just looks well put together. The retrograde layout leaves more dial room than the conventional chronograph layout, which is a great design attribute. The second hands don't line up that well but that is a minor quibble on an affordable watch. 8/10


Case/Bezel:

The case is very well done, many of the corners are well rounded and machined. The top of the case is all brushed and the brushing is pretty well done, actually not as well as my 4469 Invicta though. The caseback is very nice and smooth with a nice design with nice crisp engravings. One quibble, the corners on the lugs are rather sharp, while this doesn't touch the skin, they are rather sharp. I'm sure this is something the 500+ watches pay more attention to. The bezel is plastic but the engravings are well done as well as the paint in the tachy numbers. The crystal is a sapphire and flush with the bezel. Overall, Tissot paid attention to what really matters, meaning that what is seen is well done and what touches the skin is well rounded and machined for comfort. Parts that aren't touching the skin, weren't as well rounded and are rather sharp. I forgot to mention the bottom of the case is brushed, a nice touch considering that many watches are polished on the bottom. 7/10

Bracelet:

They use a combination of brushed and polished sections. It is very comfortable, and the movement of the links are very fluid. The solid links are very tight which is very appealing. The deployment is sturdy and the action is solid. Like the case, while some aspects are well done some seemed to be neglected. The insides of the links are very nicely machined and have a bit of a concaved shape for comfort, but like the lugs, the outsides of the links aren't really rounded. They aren't sharp, but not perfectly rounded either. The deployment has some corners as well. Overall, a well made bracelet with nice end links but could use some more attention like the case. 8/10

Movement:

This watch uses the G10 retrograde movement from ETA. It isn't a jeweled or repairable movement which is discouraging but ok at this price. The crown movement is very secure and gives me confidence. It is somewhat snug when setting the time but like I said, it feels secure and solid in it's action. The chrono pushers are well done with a polished front and a brushed finish around it for a nice touch of extra work. The action of the pushers is solid as well but isn't as reassuring as the Ronda 5040.D in my Invicta Speedway. The Tissot is more of a click where the Invicta is a little softer but has a more solid feeling... if that makes any sense. The retrograde function works flawlessly and is cool to watch. So...
7/10


Overall:
I'm pleased... the presentation was well done, the price was good from Joma...the watch is well constructed with some appearant attention to detail and appearant inattention to others. Overall, they have paid attention to what really matters. Good detail work to the dial, nice work on the bracelet and case, and a nice box. To improve I'd do some more work on the case and bracelet to make them a little more comfortable, just by smoothing out some edges. Otherwise... I love it...

Overall score 8/10















 
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#6 ·
Watch looks great! Nice photos and excellent review. That bracelet fits the rest of the case perfectly, I'm really impressed! :thumbup:
I have minimal experience with Tissot, but have noticed sharp links and corners on another model as well. Is this the norm for the brand?
 
#8 ·
It's a nice watch, but have you have any problems adjusting to the retrograde features.

All my chronos are traditonal with slight variations, but all hands move clockwise.
 
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