Hands-On The Tissot PR516 Mechanical Chronograph Makes Its Case As The Best Chrono Under $2,000

Tissot introduced the PR line, which in a bit of straightforward midcentury marketing stood for "particularly robust," in the '60s as a line of time-only watches. It added the first chronograph to the PR collection in 1968, to which the new PR516 makes reference. The idea was to make the PR fit for racing, similar to the Daytonas and Carreras that had been released a few years prior. The original PR chronograph fits nicely between the simplicity of those pure midcentury chronographs and the funkier designs of the '70s. The case is chunky but measures just 36mm, and while there are some bright colors, it's not quite all-out disco.

The PR516 Mechanical updates this look, sizing the case up to 41mm and 14mm thick (49mm lug-to-lug). About 1.5mm of that thickness comes from the glassbox sapphire crystal. The diameter and length make for a well-proportioned watch, but the case is thick, especially with its slab-sided midcase. On wrist, it reminds me of a Tudor Black Bay Chrono, just a touch smaller on most dimensions. Especially considering the manually wound movement, I would've loved to see the PR516 come in at a couple of millimeters thinner, which would've made it really stand out from any competition.

But on its face, the PR516 gets a ton right: 41mm (imagine just five years ago, this might've been 42mm or – horror! – 44m), no date, a wearable profile that could be reasonably described as "having presence" and a heritage-inspired design that's not too on-the-nose. 

As you can see from the photos, the PR516 looks well-proportioned from above, but when viewed from the side the thickness does become noticeable. But a thick chronograph isn't a Tissot-specific problem – look at offerings from brands priced 2x, 3x, or even 4x higher, and you'll often see similar dimensions.

Inside the PR516 and visible through the sapphire caseback is the caliber A05.291, a chronograph movement based on the Valjoux 7753 that basically removes the automatic winding mechanism to make for a manually-wound chronograph with 68-hour power reserve beating at 4 Hz. The movement is industrial, to be expected at this price.

Tissot nailed the dial and bezel execution. The matte black dial has orange chronograph hands and additional pops of pale blue and red on the 30-minute counter subdial. The subdials are also nicely outlined with silver, grained rings for contrast. The hands and indices are coated in Super-LumiNova, and in a bit of fun, so is the pulsations portion of the bezel. 

The only real criticism I have about the dial is with the 12 o'clock signature, and it's similar to something I've said about the PRX line. I wish that Tissot would (1) do away with the "1853" because it doesn't really mean anything to anyone except Tissot, and (2) for heritage-inspired releases like this, I'd love to see an older-style font, or even the block T logo seen on watches like the PR chrono. The dial already has a playful, vintage vibe, and it'd be great to have a logo treatment to match.

The case is brushed, with sloping, polished bevels. The fit and finish of the bracelet is also impressive for a watch with a retail price of $1,850. Again, it's brushed with polished edges and tapers from 20mm to 18mm at the folding clasp with three micro-adjust positions (you'll need a tool to use them). The bracelet is quick-release, which means you can remove it to swap for a strap without a tool. Considering you can find other brands with no-tool micro-adjust at this price, I would've liked to see an upgraded clasp, but I came away impressed with how solid and comfortable the bracelet felt.

From the spec sheet, I didn't expect this watch to work on my 16cm wrist. But the 49mm lug-to-lug means it's relatively compact and doesn't overhang. I wore it around for a couple of days, and it's a true everyday chronograph. It's thick but not totally obtrusive, and the chunky vibe feels somewhat true to the original PR chrono that helped open the door to the funky '70s, even if it's been beefed up.

Priced at $1,850, there's not a ton of true competition for mechanical chronographs under two grand. The Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph is $2,195 on bracelet; for a slightly different vibe, the Tissot PRX Chrono is $1,895. Last year, Seiko introduced a pair of new Speedtimer mechanical chronographs at $2,500. Furlan Marri's new mechanical chronograph lineup is about $3,000.

But if you want a heritage-inspired, mechanical chronograph, the Tissot PR516 creates a lane for itself. As I hinted, it reminds me a lot of the Black Bay Chrono, both in its stated intention and simply by how it feels on the wrist. But honestly, the PR516 is more interesting to me. To be clear, they're not competitive – the PR516 is a third of the price – but this illustrates just how far Tissot has come with its heritage offerings. It's making me question why I'd even buy a similar watch for 3x the price tag. 

Of course, it's not perfect. Like any watch priced under $2,000 (or maybe at any price, period?), there are compromises. Either way, the PR516 is a solid addition to the market. It's probably not the "PRX" for mechanical chronographs, the type of watch that'll take both the enthusiast corner and mass market by storm, but that's just fine. Lightning doesn't often strike twice, but Tissot is consistently putting out hits nowadays, and that feels better anyway.

The Tissot PR516 Mechanical Chronograph measures 41x14mm (49mm lug-to-lug), delivered on a stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp. 100 meters water resistance. The PR516 uses the caliber A05.291, a manual wind chronograph beating at 4 Hz with 68-hour power reserve. MSRP: $1,850.