Peter Palmer: This Denmark-Based Watch Company Is Giving Old Mustangs New Life

Christian Mygh and Jonathan Kamstrup give new meaning to the term “second-hand.” The duo has gathered parts from different classic Ford Mustangs, and turned them into rare, handmade watches. Mygh and Kamstrup visited salvage yards all over the world to find the Mustangs, but they say it’s about more than old car parts.

“Most people would just see a pile of metal, a ghost of a Mustang,” Mygh explained. “We see something completely different – the soul of a car and a story that needs to be told.”

Recovering & Recycling

Mygh and Kamstrup launched REC Watches in 2014 in Denmark, describing it as a “small and independent watch company.” The name “REC” represents the company’s concept of recovering, recycling, and reclaiming and is a play on the pronunciation of the word “wreck.” They even put a little humor into their work, joking on their FAQ page they believe customers prefer to do something else rather than read through the entire list of questions. Although, according to the FAQ section, the company can make anywhere from 400 to 800 watches from a given car.

Salvaged Ford Mustangs are transformed into unique timepieces by REC Watches. Photo: Ford Motor Company, REC Watches.

Inspired Design

The unique identity of each individual watch remains a central them in Mygh and Kamstrup’s work. In addition to collecting the parts, the pair seeks out the history of each vehicle, talking to the owners, and collecting photos and stories of the car for a special video. Each watch incorporates the vehicle’s original identification number, production year, and various classic Mustang design elements. The power dial, which resembles a fuel gauge, shows remaining battery life; the hands, date, and dial numbers are all inspired by the Mustang’s interior. On one trip to Sweden, Mygh and Kamstrup happened across a rare 1966 Raven Black, which later became their P51-04 collection of 250 watches.

“I’m not cutting up Mustangs,” Mygh said. “I’m bringing Mustangs that are beyond repair back to life as a watch.”

Pricing & Availability

The unique timepieces begin around $1,500 and are one of a kind, given how they are made. The watches are available now through the company’s website. With the holidays here, we think something like this would make an amazing Christmas gift for the car enthusiast in your life.

Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.