REC Spitfire Aircraft X4009 Watch

If you like wartime and aviation history as much as us here at The Coolector, the guys at REC Watches have got one hell of a timepiece for you in the shape of their, frankly rather extraordinary, Spitfire Aircraft X4009 Watch. REC are known for making watches from iconic machines and this one is no exception and it is hewn from a Spitfire flown by Australian fighter-ace Pat Hughes during the Battle of Britain.

Better still, purchasing this superb-looking watch from REC allows you to be a part of bringing Spitfire aircraft Mk1a X4009 back to her former glory, as they will donate a portion of the sale from each timepiece back to the restoration fund for this legendary machine. Available for the pre-order price of £1610 right now (before going up to £1895 after pre-sale), this is one of the most accomplished timepieces to date from the talented team at REC Watches.

The Spitfire Aircraft X4009 Watch is a limited edition offering and fans of military history will be pleased about its link to Paterson Clarence Hughes, DFC, who was an Australian fighter ace of World War II serving with the RAF and is today perhaps the greatest unsung hero of the Battle of Britain. He is credited with as many as 17 aerial victories during the aerial campaign of summer 1940, which puts him sixth in the “Ace of Aces”, as well as making him the highest-scoring Australian of the battle.

The X4009 aircraft wreckage was located in 2020 and is currently undergoing a complete restoration that is being overseen by the Hunter Fighter Collection charity organisation. Original and authentic aluminium from the fuselage of the aircraft, deemed unfit for the ongoing restoration, has been donated and incorporated into the small-seconds subdial at 6 o’clock of this extraordinary timepiece.

For the case, REC wanted to incorporate part of what made the Spitfire such an aerodynamic masterpiece – the wing shape and structure. This distinctive feature is captured in the crown guard, which adopts the elliptical form of the wing as seen from above. For the dial, they wanted to deliver a nod to the watches worn by RAF pilots of the era – a modern interpretation of the so-called ‘Dirty Dozen’ watches, the name given to a group of 12 watches commissioned by the British Ministry of Defense during the War.

The large exhibition case-back on this classy watch reveals a highly customised Sellita calibre SW-461 movement, complete with ruthenium anthracite plating, tempered blued screws, and a customized rotor presenting the X4009 aircraft in its most fearsome capacity; flying head-on towards you.

Last but not least, REC has placed the battle-scarred aluminium from the Spitfire centre stage in the design, right above 6 o´clock integrated into the small-seconds subdial, adding depth and uniqueness to each timepiece and making sure that no two X4009 watches will ever look exactly the same. Another mind-blowing addition to REC’s already incredible lineup of timepieces.

buy now from rec watches | pre-order price £1610