Toronto-based designer Mike Kingsborough grew up around classics, visiting countless car shows with his father, but it wasn’t until relatively recently that he began to appreciate them for more than their aesthetic appeal.
“My father passed not too long ago and I thought it was time to really make a commitment,” he explains.
After years of considering American classics, he purchased his 1970 MGB GT in 2017: “I saw the GT version of the MGB and thought it was stunning, so slick and sexy; the cockpit reminds me of an aeroplane. My wife Darlene and I buzz around in it on weekends and it catches a lot of looks.”
His eye for style carries across to his wrist, too: “Just like cars, I love the design, the precision and the quality of watches.
“I always wore an inexpensive wristwatch growing up, but I never acknowledged it as more than a necessity until we got married and Darlene asked me what I would like for a wedding gift.
“I quickly realised that collecting watches can be really complicated or very simple – there’s something there for anyone at any entry point.”
The pair eventually settled on a handbuilt 2018 Stowa Marine, which served as the foundation for a 13-strong collection that includes a 1970 Vacheron Constantin and a 1986 Rolex Submariner from the year of his birth.
