This could be the ultimate holiday present for the car nut on your list: a handmade watch made from a Ford Mustang. The idea is the brainchild of Christian Mygh and Jonathan Kamstrup, who scour salvage yards around the world for Mustangs that can be transformed into unique timepieces. The watches start at $1,495 US.

For the true Mustang enthusiast, REC Watches, based in Denmark, will even create an entirely new watch from parts donated by customers including World Champion Drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr., who wears a watch that includes carbon fibre bodywork from his 700‑horsepower World Drift Series Ford Mustang RTR.

“Most people would just see a pile of metal, a ghost of a Mustang. We see something completely different – the soul of a car and a story that needs to be told,” said co-founder Mygh. “I’m not cutting up Mustangs. I’m bringing Mustangs that are beyond repair back to life as a watch.”

To ensure these stories continue to be told, REC Watches painstakingly trace the history of each car, talking to previous owners, collecting stories and images from the car’s past lives, and incorporating them into a video.

Each finished design incorporates the vehicle identification number, year of production and classic Mustang design cues. A power dial designed to look like a fuel gauge shows remaining battery life, and the hands, date, and dial numbers are all influenced by the iconic car’s dashboard. On one trip to Sweden, the team struck gold with a rare 1966 Raven Black model that has become the basis for their limited edition P51-04 collection of 250 watches.