Gordon Murray’s legendary McLaren F1 is universally regarded as the absolute high-water mark of modern automotive engineering. Over three decades after its debut, it still defiantly holds the crown as the world’s fastest naturally aspirated production road car, serving as the last road-based vehicle to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright.
For watch collectors who also happen to harbor a deep obsession with motorsport history, the design team at REC Watches has spent the last decade building a reputation for intersecting these two fanatical worlds.
Their latest release is undoubtedly their most ambitious and historically significant project to date: the REC DNA Edition GTR 02R No. 24 Watch.
Retailing for £2255, this certified Swiss-made chronograph doesn’t just pay lip service to racing iconography—it carries the physical, track-worn soul of a legend directly on your wrist.
Forged From a Racing Legend
This is no mere marketing exercise or basic licensing agreement. To bring this timepiece to life, REC tracked down McLaren F1 GTR chassis 02R—the single most victorious F1 GTR in racing history.
The brand collaborated directly with endurance racing champion Ray Bellm, the competitive force who originally persuaded McLaren to build the racing GTR variants and personally piloted chassis 02R to its historic stack of victories.
“Framed perfectly at the 6 o’clock position on the multi-layered dial is a dedicated ‘DNA ring’ forged directly from an authentic brake disc bell salvaged from chassis 02R during its historic racing career.”
Knowing that every single component carries components specifically manufactured for this automotive icon makes checking the time feel like an intimate encounter with motorsport royalty.
Automotive Architecture on the Wrist
The visual cues of the GTR 02R are masterfully integrated, directly mimicking the flowing, aerodynamically optimized lines of the car’s bodywork. The watch utilizes a highly structural, 4-piece tonneau case machined from premium 316L stainless steel.
The dial layout draws inspiration from the unforgettable liveries worn by chassis 02R throughout its dominant track runs, available in both the legendary deep-blue Gulf-inspired palette and the stark, high-contrast Ueno Clinic colorway.
To anchor the track-ready aesthetic, the watch comes paired with a vibrant orange FKM rubber strap that offers superb durability and comfort.
Much like the expansive clear rear glass cover that proudly showcases the McLaren’s iconic BMW-sourced V12 engine, the GTR 02R utilizes a dual-piece sapphire exhibition caseback to reveal its complex mechanical inner workings.
A Certified Swiss Flyback Heart
An automotive tribute of this magnitude demands an equally sophisticated engine. Powering the watch is the Caliber REC-5100M, a certified Swiss-made, manual-winding mechanical movement that honors the pure, analogue, driver-focused nature of the McLaren F1.
Rather than opting for an off-the-shelf chronograph, REC implemented a fully integrated column-wheel operated flyback chronograph complication—allowing the user to instantly reset and restart the timer with a single crisp actuation of the pusher.
| Specification | Technical Detail |
| Movement | Caliber REC-5100M (Certified Swiss Made) |
| Complication | Manual-wind integrated column-wheel flyback chronograph |
| Frequency | 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) |
| Power Reserve | 63 Hours |
| Accuracy | Regulated to ±5 seconds per day |
| Chassis Optics | Double-domed sapphire crystal with 3x AR coating |
Operating at a modern 4Hz frequency, the 23-jewel caliber features Incabloc shock protection to safeguard the delicate balance wheel against the bumps of daily wear.
For £2255, REC has delivered a deeply researched, meticulously finished piece of independent horology.
It is a rare, serialized instrument that allows watch purists and automotive nerds to keep a literal piece of Le Mans history ticking on the wrist.
