Autodromo Prototipo Chronograph — White Panda Dial

OUR TAKE Every microbrand with a barrel case owes Autodromo a royalty cheque. Bradley Price drew this one first, a decade of imitators still haven't bettered it. White panda dial. Blue hands sharp enough to cut yourself on. Inside, a Seiko VK64 meca-quartz: quartz running costs, mechanical theatre. The chrono snaps dead to zero and sweeps at a fifth of a second. Sapphire, 50 metres, 20mm lugs. It's 42mm but lugless and wears 48mm tall, so under a 6.5-inch wrist it'll sit like a dinner plate — fair warning. Full set: box, papers, booklet, a rally strap, plus a blue-stitched DASSARI fitted now. The box leather's cracking at the seams and I'm not dressing that up — but the watch is clean. The panda's the one people actually chase, and I'd wear it before half the stuff at three times the money. THE SPECS Brand: Autodromo Model: Prototipo Chronograph Reference: BP-003 Case diameter: 42mm (48mm tall, lugless barrel case) Case material: Stainless steel Dial colour: White panda — black sub-dials, blue accents Movement: Seiko VK64 meca-quartz Water resistance: 50m (5 ATM) Crystal: Sapphire Lug width: 20mm Lug-to-lug: ~48mm Case thickness: 11.5mm CONDITION Pre-owned — Excellent (watch); box worn Case: brushed stainless, clean and sharp — light hairlines on the caseback from handling, nothing on the sides or bezel worth flagging Crystal: sapphire, clean — no notable marks Bezel: fixed steel surround, clean Caseback: solid, six hex screws, faint surface swirls only Straps: two included — a black perforated rally strap and an aftermarket DASSARI black leather strap with blue stitching, fitted now and showing light use Box: original Autodromo leather case — leather cracking and splitting at the seams and top rim, cosmetically worn but structurally sound and closes fine WHAT'S IN THE BOX The watch (on the aftermarket DASSARI strap) Original Autodromo leather box (worn — see condition) Warranty card (chassis BP-003) Instruction booklet (chassis BP-003) Spare perforated rally strap Price on this one is our best.