Make Texture a preferred source on Google to support us
Add Texture to GoogleA sports watch that’s willing to leave the wrist and go into the pocket: it’s this almost defiant freedom that gives the Tissot PRX Skeleton Damian Lillard Special Edition its character. In recent years, the integrated wristwatch has become one of the most fiercely contested arenas in accessible watchmaking. Here, Tissot chooses to redefine the codes of its PRX with a timepiece designed around basketball player Damian Lillard—but above all, around a single gesture: wearing time differently.
This special edition is therefore more than just a dial in an athlete’s colors or a signature added to an existing model. It changes in scale, mechanics, and usage. With its 44-mm case, hand-wound movement, and conversion kit for turning it into a pocket watch, it distances itself from the idea of a merely reimagined PRX. The approach is clear: rather than producing a decorative variation, Tissot gives its collaboration with Lillard a distinct identity.
A PRX That Thinks Big
Measuring 44 mm in diameter and 11.2 mm thick, this PRX is the most imposing model in the collection. Even the PRX chronograph pales in comparison to its presence on the wrist. This size may surprise those who prefer more understated proportions, but here it serves a different purpose: to make the watch a visible, almost theatrical object, reflecting the personality associated with the project.
The stainless steel case remains water-resistant to 100 meters (10 bar) and bears the inscription “Dame Time” on its middle. This nickname refers to the game-winning shots that have built Damian Lillard’s reputation, particularly in the final seconds of a game. His return to the court after an injury coincides with the launch of this model, lending special significance to this inscription. For him, the wrist is also a signal: after certain big shots, Lillard points to it. This watch is designed to be part of that gesture.
The partnership between Tissot and the NBA has lasted for over ten years, while the connection with the point guard has already been embodied in a 40-mm PRX Powermatic 80 in gold PVD. That first collaboration focused primarily on personal touches. The new edition, however, chooses to transform the very nature of the object, and that is what makes it more interesting: it doesn’t require the collector to be a basketball fan to justify its existence.
Burgundy as a narrative thread
Burgundy dominates the piece without making it garish. It covers the rubber strap, whose embossed pattern echoes that of milk crates. At first glance, it’s a fairly distinct graphic texture that adds volume to a watch largely constructed of steel. But this design also evokes a more personal story: the crates served as makeshift basketball hoops during Damian Lillard’s youth.
This reference could have remained merely anecdotal. Instead, it’s seamlessly integrated into the overall design, as it doesn’t come across as a slogan. The strap tells its story to those familiar with the player’s career, while remaining consistent for those who see it simply as a material, a color, and a texture. Tissot also includes an additional burgundy leather strap. Both options feature quick-release pins and a dedicated tool.
This dual-strap setup truly changes the watch’s character. The rubber strap complements the PRX’s sporty design and water resistance. The leather softens the overall look, without drawing attention away from the 44 mm case. The goal is not to pass this piece off as a dress watch in the strict sense, but to allow it to transition between very different settings without losing its personality.
A Dial That Reveals the Mechanics
The skeletonized dial shifts the PRX’s center of gravity. In this edition, the movement’s gears and architecture aren’t hidden behind a solid caseback—they become part of the design. The faceted hour markers ensure easy readability, while the Super-LumiNova-coated hands fulfill an essential function on such an openwork dial: telling the time without having to search for the information.
The small seconds sub-dial brings together several elements of Lillard’s identity. The phrase “Dame Time” surrounds it, and its hand takes the shape of the “Dame D.O.L.L.A.” monogram—the stage name under which the player performs in the music world. There is a density of symbols here that could easily have resulted in a showy piece. The choice of a skeletonized design, however, mitigates this pitfall: the personal references blend into the bridges, wheels, and volumes of the caliber, rather than being spread out across the surface.
The back of the watch continues this theme. An anti-reflective sapphire crystal reveals the movement and bears Damian Lillard’s signature. The watch as a whole embraces a technical aesthetic without falling into the trap of being an over-the-top timepiece saturated with sports-themed details. It is precisely this that allows it to transcend the market for fan merchandise.
The Return of Hand-Winding
The choice of a mechanical movement is undoubtedly the most defining feature of this edition. Tissot uses a manual-winding caliber based on the ETA 6497, a renowned movement, which here offers a 52-hour power reserve. In a world where the PRX is largely associated with automatic or quartz movements, this decision changes the way the watch is experienced in everyday life.
Winding a watch involves taking a break, however brief. With an open dial and a transparent case back, this ritual takes on a visual logic: the owner isn’t just recharging the power reserve; they’re also observing the mechanics that drive it. The caliber, often appreciated for its size and readability, also complements the case’s large diameter. The proportions do not seek to conceal the movement’s presence; rather, they make use of it.
This combination of a sporty silhouette with an integrated bracelet and a manual-winding movement drawn from the world of pocket watches lends the piece a subtle historical twist. Tissot does not treat it as mere nostalgia. Instead, it puts it to contemporary, almost adaptable use.
From the wrist to the pocket, without any forced staging
The most unexpected feature is found in the box: a leather case and a chain allow the watch to be converted into a pocket watch. Thanks to the quick-release pins, switching from one configuration to the other can be done with relative ease. This feature does not claim to herald a massive return of the pocket watch to everyday use. Rather, it offers an alternative, available whenever one wishes to remove the watch from the wrist.
Most owners will likely keep the PRX in its bracelet version. And that doesn’t make the feature superfluous. It gives this edition a rare versatility, while reminding us that the chosen movement carries this heritage within it. A pocket watch is no longer a necessity; here, it becomes a style option and a natural extension of the manual-winding caliber.
This versatility is also what elevates the collaboration beyond a mere branding exercise. References to Damian Lillard are present—from the engraved case side to the seconds hand—but they serve a broader watchmaking vision: a large, skeletonized, manual-winding, water-resistant, and transformable PRX. The basketball player himself summed up the value of the collaboration as a means of growth. In this specific case, the growth is also literal: the watch expands the PRX’s territory.
A Standout Model in the Collection
Back for five years now, the PRX has become a flagship model for Tissot. This Damian Lillard edition shows that the collection can still push the boundaries without losing its recognizable design. The integrated bracelet, angular case, and urban aesthetic remain, but the manual winding mechanism, skeleton design, and conversion into a pocket watch take the formula in a more unexpected direction.
Referenced as T137.405.17.371.00, the Tissot PRX Skeleton Damian Lillard Special Edition is priced at 1,720 British pounds. It displays hours, minutes, and seconds, with a burgundy rubber strap and a second leather strap in the same color. Details about this series are available on the Tissot website. This is a watch that deliberately breaks the mold, designed for those who prefer a PRX that can stand out rather than blend in.
