In the world of horology, we often speak of a watch having a “soul.” For REC Watches, this is not a marketing metaphor but a literal, mechanical reality. The brand has built its reputation on salvaging automotive legends, and their latest, the REC 956-106B Liqui Moly Watch, is a spectacular piece of “mechanical continuity.”
This timepiece is not merely inspired by a car; it is the car, offering the wearer a tangible piece of motorsport history, salvaged from the revolutionary 1984 Porsche 956 chassis no. 106B.
The source material is the stuff of Group C legend. This was no ordinary 956. Built for Richard Lloyd’s GTi Engineering, it was re-engineered with a honeycomb monocoque to challenge Porsche’s own factory dominance.
This very car, 956-106B, secured a 2nd place finish at Le Mans in 1985 before its historic crash at Spa, where driver Jonathan Palmer famously credited the unique chassis for saving his life. It is from this near-mythical machine that the watch draws its lifeblood.
REC has incorporated a unique piece of chassis 106B—a repurposed brake disc bell—directly into the 30-minute chronograph counter at twelve o’clock. This isn’t just a gimmick; the provenance is undisputed, giving the owner literal stewardship of Group C heritage. The design of the watch follows suit, with every detail drawing a measurable line back to the car. The dial features a honeycomb pattern, recalling the unique monocoque.
The typeface mirrors the original race-number stencils. A 374 km/h mark on the tachymeter highlights the car’s 1986 Le Mans speed record, while the 41mm 316L case, skeletonized lugs, and ventilated FKM rubber strap all reference the car’s aerodynamic curves and cooling ducts.
Turn the watch over, and the exhibition caseback reveals the Sellita SW562 MP, a Swiss-made automatic mono-pusher chronograph calibre. The custom rotor is a perfect replica of a gold BBS rim, while the surrounding ring mimics the car’s stepped fuel cap.
With a 62-hour power reserve, 29 jewels, and a frequency of 28,800 vph, its performance is as assured as its design. Limited to just 448 pieces for this Liqui Moly livery and priced at £1,356, this is not nostalgia; it is engineering, wrist-sized.
