The Worst Watches Of 2023

The Worst Watches of 2023: A Critical Overview
Tissot's PRX Digital: A Misstep in Design

In the realm of horology, 2023 has been a year marked by both innovation and disappointment. Among the latter, Tissot's PRX Digital stands out as a particularly notable misfire. Tissot, a brand generally known for its value and quality, particularly with the PRX line, took a misguided step this year. The PRX Digital, an attempt to blend the classic 70s integrated case and bracelet design with a digital display, falls short of expectations.

The primary issue lies in the integration of the digital display. The original PRX's charm was its analog dial, complete with a waffle texture, which has been replaced by a bland, stock digital display. This results in a disjointed aesthetic, with the small digital window surrounded by negative space, detracting from the watch's overall appeal. Furthermore, the pricing of the PRX Digital – £415 for the steel version with yellow gold PVD coating and £330 for the plain steel version – is steep, considering the watch's lackluster design and digital features.

Swatch's Collaborations: The Moon Swatch and 50 Fathoms

Swatch, known for its playful and innovative designs, continued its collaboration series in 2023. The first part, the Moon Swatch, received mixed reactions but was generally accepted as a decent effort. However, the second part of the series, a collaboration with Blancpain to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the 50 Fathoms dive watch, was less successful.

The Swatch 50 Fathoms, made in brightly colored bioceramics to represent different ocean biodiversities, was criticized for its higher price point and lack of appeal. The collection's reception was lukewarm at best, with initial interest quickly fading. The decision to prioritize this collaboration over a more significant update to the 50 Fathoms line for its anniversary was seen as a misstep. The Blancpain store's focus on these watches, likened to a car dealership showcasing toy pedal cars, further highlighted the disconnect between the brand's heritage and its current direction.

Conclusion: A Year of Questionable Choices

2023 has been a year where some watch brands, in their pursuit of innovation or collaboration, have strayed from their core strengths. Tissot's PRX Digital and Swatch's collaborations, particularly with Blancpain, serve as reminders that not all experiments in watch design are successful. As we look forward to 2024, the watch industry continues to evolve, hopefully learning from this year's less favorable outcomes.

Timestamped summary
The TSO's PRX digital watch and other watches discussed in the video are considered the worst of 2023 due to various reasons such as bland design, lack of features, and overpricing.
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00:00 TSO's PRX digital watch is the worst of 2023 due to its bland digital display and lack of analog dial.
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01:34 The digital watch is overpriced and doesn't capture the vintage Casio vibes it was aiming for.
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02:37 The watch is marketed towards partygoers but the integration of features is not great.
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03:10 The TSO 1853 watch has very few positive aspects, and the Swatch times collaboration with the blon pan 50 was unexpected and questionable.
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04:19 Swatch created expensive, unpopular dive watches to celebrate biodiversity, but they were considered crap and ended up being displayed like toys in a store window.
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05:26 The watches are becoming predictable and feel like forced corporate fun.
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06:10 Blanc Pan's attempt to revive the 50 Fathoms watch collection with a bronze gold version for 30 grand fell short, leaving the catalog feeling futile and the store employee feeling depressed.
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07:17 The worst watches of 2023 were discussed, and viewers were asked to share their opinions on other terrible watches from that year.