Thunderbirds men's chronograph watch steel bracelet 45 mm

The first thing you notice is the black dial set against all that silver steel, with sub-dials and a tachymeter scale giving it the look of a proper racing chronograph. This is a men's watch from Thunderbirds with a round 45 mm case, 12 mm thick, and a quartz movement (TMI VD53).

What the dial does

The black dial is easy to read at a glance. Hands and hour markers are luminescent, so after a little time in the light they stay visible in the dark. Seconds run in a small sub-dial of their own, the date sits in a small window, and a 24-hour display helps you tell day from night. The chronograph starts, stops and resets with the pushers, and its minute counter runs up to 60. The tachymeter scale turns it into a quick speed calculator: start the chrono at the beginning of a kilometre, stop it at the end, and read your average speed opposite the seconds hand.

Steel bracelet and fit

The silver stainless steel bracelet is made of links and closes with a deployant clasp fitted with a safety catch, so it will not pop open by accident. To shorten it, you remove links, and our watch size guide explains how. Keep any links you take out, as they may come in handy later. With a 45 mm case, check it suits your wrist, especially if your wrist is on the slim side.

Built for daily knocks

Case and bracelet are stainless steel, which copes well with sweat and everyday damp. The mineral glass resists scratches better than plastic, and a crown guard protects the crown from knocks. Water resistance is 5 ATM, which covers rain, splashes and hand washing, but not swimming. The quartz movement keeps accurate time without servicing, and when the battery runs out a watchmaker can replace it and check the seals at the same time.

It is an easy watch to wear every day, at work or at the weekend, and its chronograph looks will appeal to motorsport fans.