Photos courtesy of REC Watches
When you go to a car show, what do you typically see? I’ll guess: gorgeous lines, candy paint, glistening tires, and people taking pictures on their phones. Let’s not overlook the other machines that many car enthusiasts love: watches. You might spot a Rolex Daytona, Tag Heuer S/EL Chronograph (a model worn by F1 legend Ayrton Senna), or Bulova Shelby Racing Chronograph (which we reviewed right here). Starting in 2027, keep your eyes open for the REC Bullitt 558 DNA, each of which has a piece of the 1968 Ford Mustang GT stunt car used in the Steve McQueen classic “Bullitt.”
REC (pronounced “wreck”) Watches is a Danish company founded in 2014 by Jonathan Kamstrup and Christian Mygh. It may be a relative upstart in the industry, but the timepieces it produces in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland are “made from reclaimed materials that carry historic, legendary, or heroic stories.”
There are few cars more legendary than the Highland Green Mustang that Steve McQueen flew over the streets of San Francisco in pursuit of villains in a black Dodge Charger R/T. But there were two Mustang fastbacks used in the filming of “Bullitt.” VIN 8R02S125559 was the “hero” car that was driven normally and appeared in the close-up shots. VIN 8R02S125558 was modified for the movie’s brutal stunts with a heavy-duty four-speed manual gearbox, stiffer clutch, reinforced shock mounts, and custom springs, all of which get a real workout in the iconic car chase below:
In the years following the release of “Bullitt,” both Mustangs faded into obscurity, but luckily they didn’t stay there. The hero car eventually resurfaced and sold for nearly $4 million in 2020. The stunt car was discovered several years earlier. According to REC, “In early 2017, a dusty white 1968 Mustang Fastback surfaced in Baja California, Mexico. Hidden away in a backyard, it was moments from being transformed into an Eleanor replica when body shop owner Ralph Garcia decided to verify its VIN. He reached out to Ford historian Kevin Marti, who got to work authenticating the car, and suddenly history shifted.”
That discovery led to VIN 558 being restored. During the process, a small section of the taillight panel was deemed beyond repair. REC got a hold of it and, instead of throwing it away, the company decided to incorporate it into its line of Bullitt watches. Given the limited amount of material, REC will only produce 1,486 Bullitt 558 DNA watches, each engraved with its unique serial number.
Aside from some of VIN 558’s metal, REC made sure to include several references to the car as a whole. The Mustang’s rear gas cap influenced the 38.5-milimeter case’s domed, layered look; its grille shape is represented by the black side sections. If the crown looks familiar, that’s because REC styled it after the Mustang’s interior knobs. Translating the black interior into a black calfskin leather strap was a no-brainer.
Under the sapphire crystal, REC reinterpreted the Mustang’s gauges through the design of the minute track, hour markers, and largely orange second hand. Not only is the dial Highland Green, but it also has a fumé gradient finish to mimic VIN 558’s patina. See that black ribbed section next to the skeletonized barrel above the 6 o’clock hour marker? That’s REC’s nod to the “Bullitt” stunt car’s quarter window louvers.
So where exactly does REC put the metal from VIN 558? It forms the “DNA Ring,” aka the inner caseback ring that surrounds the in-house RC-B558 movement, which features 25 jewels, four-hertz frequency, and a 56-hour power reserve.
As you can imagine, getting an actual piece of one of the original “Bullitt” movie cars won’t be cheap. The good news is that if you pre-order a REC Bullitt 558 DNA for $3,825, you’ll score a 15 percent discount from the retail price of $4,495. Whichever route you go, your watch will be covered by a three-year warranty. Expect deliveries to start rolling out in February 2027.
Go to REC Watches to learn more.
