In Southern Europe we usually associate the Danish design trend with minimalism, such as a Skagen timepiece or a Bang & Olufsen digital stereo device, a must have, the latter, for most Italians as they both showcase a style that, even if applied to different products, often reminds us of the bahaus culture. This statement is true unless you met the two guys in the picture below:
They are, respectively Christian Mygh and Jonathan Kamstrup and are two danish watch enthusiasts. So enthusiasts to have created a watch brand that, according to what we are accustomed to, you might expect to be created in a London-ish suburb more than in the heart of Denmark, Copenhagen.
REC Watches is a casual chic brand that does not reject danish minimalism but, by enlarge, merges it with a touch of British heritage and vintage culture. REC is the cut off to RECycle, REClaim, RECover: please take something to be scrapped, recycle its metal parts and make watch dials out of it, turning them into something unique. Design and model names reveal Christian and Jonathan are crazy for English cars and for one in particular.
Sir Alec Issigonis’ small cars inspired REC Watches‘ main collections: Mark I and Cooper. The first one being a two counter chrono, is perhaps the most original collection of the brand: its dial features two circular chrono counters enclosed into an elliptical part that draws inspiration from the Mark I’s central dashboard. The recycled metal parts to make the dial come from old scrapped Minis Mark I though.
Inside the Mark I is a Miyota that powers the hours on a 24h scale as well as a 60 minute chrono. The second collection is the Cooper, a three hand timepiece whose dial is embellished with the unmistakable two longitudinal stripes we have been used to see on the hood of a car that was a 3 time winner of the Rally of Montecarlo and is powered by Swiss caliber Ronda. What’s next in the REC Watches‘ line up is a come back to the top of this article and to its Danish roots as it will be simply called: the Minimalist.
(Photo: courtesy of REC Watches)
Federico N. @Horbiter®
