Uniting strong links between classic motoring and refined watchmaking, REC Watches is a luxury watch manufacturer that has been in existence since 2014, making it a relatively young brand within the industry. Co founders Jonathan Kamstrup and Christian Mygh launched the company after spotting a gap in the market. Despite its short history, REC watches are both distinctive and memorable. The brand’s approach to innovative watchmaking is motivated by three simple principles. Recover, recycle, reclaim. By merging motorcycling and watchmaking , REC Watches sits in a unique category of its own, offering wristwatch designs that feature elements inspired by body metal, leather chairs and dashboards. Uniquely, REC extracts parts from unused old cars and integrates them into its luxury watches, creating one off designs for the wrist. Reprocessing these forms in this way breathes new life into another mechanical tool, enabling it to reinvent itself through a statement piece on the wrist.
The first watch collection to be launched by REC Watches was the Mini Cooper collection. Quartz powered watches like the Mark 1 and Cooper were developed from salvaged Minis, selling out swiftly since they appealed to both automobile fans and collectors of dynamic luxury watches alike. REC Watches then released a minimalist quartz watch collection in 2015 and promoted their timepieces on the Danish version of Shark Tank, creating extra exposure around the brand’s philosophy and ethos. Having successfully acquired investors, REC watches released the P-51 collection. This line of timepieces, crafted from parts extracted from pre loved Ford Mustangs, was the brand’s first series of mechanical timepieces.
In 2016 the brand created a limited edition watch range developed from a salvaged Raven Black 1966 Ford Mustang recovered from Sweden. The second collection of mechanical watches was then released, called the 901 line. The collection was created through raised funds via Kickstarter. Two years later, REC Watches released its second limited edition series named the P 51 RTR which featured cases crafted from carbon. The design, in collaboration with 3 X World Champion Drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr, was limited to just 350 pieces worldwide, heightening its desire to be owned by watch collecting circles all over the globe.
By reclaiming parts from salvaged motors and recycling depleted components, REC watches are luxury, high end timekeeping instruments that honour the original design of classic motors. Simultaneously they encapsulate true Danish DNA. The company has created thousands of one off designs and each timepiece comes complete with an actual VIN number of the salvaged motor and a booklet that contains a documented history of the recycled vehicle and its previous owners. Understandably, it is the unique story behind each timepiece that makes every REC watch so desirable. Having recently partnered with drifter and professional racecar driver, Vaughn Gittin Jr, these wristwatches not only remember the classic motor behind the timepiece that was once driven and loved but also promote the company’s modern approach to watchmaking within the motorcycle and motor racing industry. As Vaughn Gittin Jr. reiterates himself “Cars and driving is an accessory, it’s part of your lifestyle, an extension of your personality, it’s amazing to look down and know you’ve got a piece of your car on your wrist”.
