Maen Manhattan 39 ultra-thin vs. Tissot PRX Titanium 38

At a Glance

Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin

• Case: 39 mm, just 6.9 mm thick, stainless steel

• Movement: Hand-wound ETA/Peseux 7001 (2.5 mm slim, decorated, display back)

• Bracelet: Integrated stainless steel, hidden butterfly clasp

• Water resistance: 50 m (splash-proof, not a true sports diver – varies slightly by ref on spec sheets)

• Vibe: Elegant, dress-leaning integrated watch, often compared in spirit to slim Patek/Vacheron style pieces rather than tool watches.

Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Titanium 38

• Case: 38 mm, ~10.9–11.3 mm thick, titanium case and bracelet

• Movement: Automatic Powermatic 80 with ~80-hour power reserve, Nivachron hairspring

• Bracelet: Integrated titanium bracelet, 100 m water resistance

• Vibe: Lightweight, ‘70s-inspired Genta-esque sports watch from a major Swiss brand.

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Thinness vs. Convenience

This is the heart of the comparison.

The Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin is built around thinness as a core value. By using the ETA 7001 hand-wound caliber, Maen gets the case down to 6.9 mm, which is firmly in “dress watch” territory in terms of profile.
On wrist, it hugs the arm and slides under any cuff. If you’ve ever wished PRX-style watches were less slab-sided and more svelte, the Maen is basically answering that complaint directly.

The Tissot PRX Titanium 38 is not thick by modern standards, but at around 11 mm it’s clearly more of a sports watch than an ultra-thin.
The trade-off is convenience: the Powermatic 80 is an automatic, and with ~80 hours of power reserve you can set it on Friday, take it off for most of the weekend, and still find it running on Monday.

So your decision here is:

• Maen: daily ritual of winding + razor-thin case.

• Tissot: “set it and forget it” auto + thicker, sportier presence.

If you enjoy the tactile ritual of winding and bonding with the watch, the Maen will feel special. If you just want it to run whenever you reach for it, the PRX wins.

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Movement Personality

Maen – Hand-Wound ETA 7001

The ETA/Peseux 7001 is a classic hand-wound caliber used by brands much higher up the food chain (Omega, Blancpain, Nomos, etc.).

• Pros:

  • Very slim, enabling that 6.9 mm case.

  • Beautifully decorated in the Maen (blued screws, Geneva stripes) and visible through the sapphire caseback.

  • Winding action itself is part of the charm.

• Cons:

  • You must wind it regularly; skip a day or two and it’s stopped.

  • No rotor, so less “technical” on paper if you love automatics.

Tissot – Powermatic 80 Automatic

The Powermatic 80 is basically the Swatch Group’s workhorse modern movement: 3 Hz frequency with a long 80-hour reserve and a Nivachron hairspring for better magnetic resistance.

• Pros:

  • Long power reserve is extremely practical.

  • Automatic winding = just wear it.

  • Backed by a giant group with easy servicing down the line.

• Cons:

  • Rotor and architecture are more industrial than romantic.

  • Thicker, and you’ll feel that in the overall height on the wrist.

Movement choice here is almost philosophical: romantic hand-wind vs ultra-practical automatic.

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Aesthetics & Style

Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin – Neo-Dressy, High-End Vibes

The Maen feels like a scaled-down, more approachable cousin to the likes of Patek’s Nautilus or a thin Vacheron 222/Overseas-style piece:

• Vertically elongated octagonal bezel, crisp brushing and polished bevels.

• Côtes de Genève dial gives it a very refined, almost haute horlogerie texture.

• Two-hand layout keeps the dial minimal and dressy.

Overall, it leans more sophisticated and dress-oriented. It’s the integrated watch you’d happily wear with tailoring or to a formal event without feeling like you’re wearing a sporty PRX under a dress shirt.

Tissot PRX Titanium 38 – Sporty, Genta-Inspired, Crowd-Pleaser

The PRX has already cemented itself as the gateway integrated-bracelet sports watch:

• Strong ‘70s case shape with sharp transitions and a wide, flat bezel.

• The titanium versions keep the same design language but with a slightly darker, more technical look and a lighter feel on the wrist.

• Dial textures (especially on the Powermatic 80s) give sporty depth.

It’s versatile and casual-leaning: jeans, t-shirts, polos, office casual, maybe even smart-casual dinners. In black-tie territory, it will still look good, but it doesn’t disappear as elegantly as the ultra-thin Maen.

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Finishing & Build Quality

Despite very different brand scales, both pieces punch above their weight.

Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin

• Reviews highlight the sharp case lines, polished bevels, and how “architectural” the thin case feels despite the low height.

• Bracelet gets good marks for articulation, taper, and a hidden clasp that feels properly thought-out rather than generic.

• For a microbrand, it’s considered very well executed – more boutique/enthusiast energy than mass-market.

Tissot PRX Titanium 38

• Finishing is clean and consistent, with strong brushing and polished accents.

• Titanium case and bracelet bring the weight down to around 84 grams, which makes it feel more upscale and comfortable vs the steel PRX.

• The big advantage is availability: you can usually find PRXs at ADs and try them on before you buy.

If you value the “finding a gem from a small maker” feeling, Maen has that microbrand magic. If you want the reassurance of a large Swiss name and easy AD support, Tissot is the safer bet.

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Size & Wrist Presence

You already laid out a great wrist-size guide; here’s how it connects specifically to these two models.

Specs Check

• Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin: 39 mm diameter, 6.9 mm thick, integrated bracelet. Lug-to-lug is very manageable thanks to short case profile, but it still presents as a 39 integrated piece.

• Tissot PRX Titanium 38: 38 mm diameter, ~10.9–11.3 mm thick, integrated bracelet; lug-to-lug ~43.2 mm bare case, ~49.2 mm including first link.

5"–6.5" (Smaller Wrists)

• Tissot PRX Titanium 38 will usually be the better call than the Maen here.

  • Integrated bracelets always wear larger than their numbers, and 38 PRX already has a decent wrist presence.

  • The 39 mm Maen can work at the upper end of this range (around 6.25"–6.5"), but on truly small wrists (<6") it may start to look a bit wide, even though it’s super thin.

6.5"–7.5" (Average Wrists)

This is the sweet spot where both shine:

• The Maen 39 looks sleek, balanced, and extremely comfortable; the thinness makes it feel like a high-end piece glued to your wrist.

• The PRX Titanium 38 is also ideal here – enough presence without being dinner-plate-ish, and the lightweight titanium makes it an easy all-day wear.

If your wrist is in this range, you genuinely can’t go wrong on proportions and should choose based on style and movement preferences.

7.5"–8" (Larger Wrists)

• The Maen 39 will still fit and feel great, but visually it might lean a bit more “dressy” and compact, almost like a refined piece rather than a bold sports statement.

• The PRX Titanium 38 may also start to look a bit small at the upper end of this range; many people with 7.5"+ wrists prefer the 40 mm steel PRX for more visual heft.

If you’re firmly near 8", you might see both as more refined / under-the-radar options rather than big statement pieces.

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Price & Value

On paper, the Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin and the Tissot PRX Titanium 38 live in a similar bracket, but the way that money translates into “value” feels different. The Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin is listed at around €1,119 on Maen’s site, which lands roughly in the $1,200–1,300 USD range at current exchange rates, before any taxes, duties, or currency conversion fees. For many buyers—especially in North America—once you add VAT, import charges, and FX spread, the real-world cost can creep closer to $1,400 equivalent.

The Tissot PRX Titanium 38, by contrast, has a straightforward MSRP of $975 USD in the U.S. market. That means the Tissot undercuts the Maen slightly on headline price while giving you a titanium case and bracelet, an automatic Powermatic 80 movement, and 100 m water resistance from a big Swiss brand. The Maen asks a bit more but counters with a rarer hand-wound ultra-thin package, more boutique microbrand appeal, and a design that feels closer to “mini high-horology.” In practice, if you can snag a small discount on the PRX from an AD or retailer, the Tissot often ends up being the more aggressively priced daily-wear sports watch, while the Maen positions itself as the enthusiast’s slimmer, more special choice at a modest premium.

Which One Should You Pick?

Go Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin if…

• You want a truly slim integrated watch that feels closer to high-end dressy pieces than to mainstream sports watches.

• You like the idea of a daily winding ritual and a beautifully decorated hand-wound movement.

• You enjoy supporting a microbrand that sweats the details and offers something a bit more niche and under-the-radar.

• You’ll mostly wear it in office, smart-casual, or formal contexts.

Go Tissot PRX Titanium 38 if…

• You want a do-it-all sports watch with proper 100 m water resistance and automatic convenience.

• You prefer a widely recognized, proven design from a big Swiss brand, with easy access to bracelets, service, and ADs.

• The idea of 80 hours of power reserve really appeals and you often rotate watches.

• You like the PRX look but want it lighter and a bit more “technical” than the standard steel versions.

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Final Thoughts

In short:

• Maen Manhattan 39 Ultra-Thin = ultra-slim, hand-wound, dressier, microbrand, “enthusiast pick.”

• Tissot PRX Titanium 38 = automatic, practical, sporty-casual, big-brand, “modern icon” in a lighter, upgraded material.

If your heart wants that paper-thin, refined experience and you’re happy winding your watch, the Maen will likely feel more special. If your priority is a robust, grab-and-go everyday watch with strong specs and a famous silhouette, the PRX Titanium 38 is very hard to argue against.

If you tell me your wrist size and how you plan to use the watch (office, travel, dress only, daily beater, etc.), I can give you a very specific recommendation between the two.