De Bethune article Status Magazine 2013

DE BETHUNE
The DB16 Tourbillon Regulator’s
window displays make it easy
to read the perpetual calendar.
This 43mm rose gold model will
be produced in a limited series
of just five watches.
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Element
OF
SURPRISE
T
Like gifted storytellers,
De Bethune founders
David Zanetta and Denis
Flageollet keep you wondering what twists await.
BY SCOTT HICKEY
hat ability to surprise is one of the things that makes the DB16 Tourbillon
Regulator such an intriguing timepiece. The dial projects an air of refined
classicism through elements like its Roman numerals, sunburst guilloché
and an instantly legible perpetual calendar.
But the plot thickens when you turn the watch over to discover the
thoroughly modern movement lurking behind the dial. Produced
exclusively by De Bethune, the hand-wound caliber teems with
innovation. In fact, much of what you see through the clear
caseback is patented technology. A prime example is the
retrograde display near the bottom. It shows the exact
day of the lunar cycle depicted by the spherical
moon phase indicator on the dial.
The jumping seconds mechanism located
beneath the blue, arrow-shaped bridge provides
another demonstration of technical prowess.
Unlike most mechanical watches — where the
seconds hand moves continuously around the
dial — the DB16 Tourbillon Regulator’s hand
stops every second to give a precise reading
before advancing.
While both are impressive, the undisputed star here is the 30-second tourbillon.
Kept hidden like a secret behind the dial, this
mechanism is among the fastest and lightest
produced. It weighs less than .2 grams
thanks to an advanced design that features
key components made from silicon, a
material that is strong yet light.
De Bethune will produce the
The clear back reveals a gauge for the
DB16 Tourbillon Regulator in rose
four-day power reserve and shows off
gold as a limited edition of just
De Bethune innovations like the jumping
five pieces, making it an exseconds mechanism, 30-second tourbillon
treme rarity.
and retrograde age-of-the-moon indicator.
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DE BETHUNE
ON POINT
Walk
among
the stars with
the DB28 Skybridge.
Its 45mm titanium case
contains a blued-titanium dial
decorated with gold and diamonds.
THE BLUES ARE ALRIGHT
Vivid blue dials are a recurring aesthetic motif that runs throughout
the De Bethune collection. It’s easy to understand why when
you see the strikingly vibrant color in person.
The firm uses it to great effect with the DB28 Skybridge.
Crafted from blued titanium, the dial’s concave shape
intensifies its mirror-like sheen. To this twilight sky,
De Bethune adds gold and diamond stars as well as a
“bridge” that bisects the dial and gives the watch its
otherworldly name. De Bethune’s signature moon
phase display rotates nearby. At the center of the instantly recognizable design is a spherical indicator
that uses blued-steel for the moon’s dark side and
palladium for the other.
The outer beauty is matched by the excellence of the
hand-wound movement contained within the titanium
case. Manufactured by the brand entirely in-house, the
caliber uses a sophisticated balance wheel made from a
combination of silicon and the rare metal palladium.
The DB27 Titan Hawk Black uses a triangular pointer at the
center to indicate the date. Reminiscent of a pocket watch,
the 44mm titanium case features the crown at 12 o’clock.
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Introduced last year, the DB27 Titan
Hawk returns with a new black dial. Its
dark surface flows gracefully from the
center where tight ripples build into a
rolling tide that crests at the edge and
lifts the chapter ring, giving the arrangement a subtle depth. Like a gleaming
boat on this ebony ocean, a triangular indicator circumnavigates the dial as it
points out the current date.
The other side of the Titan Hawk is
covered with a titanium caseback. An
arrow-shaped form — similar to the
Skybridge — rises out of the middle. At
its base is a small porthole that provides
a clear view of the automatic movement’s
silicon and white gold balance wheel as
it oscillates four times a second.
The watch’s 44mm titanium case
features self-adjusting lugs, one of the
brand’s signature innovations. When the
watch is worn, its lugs pivot smoothly to
create a comfortable, custom fit that
continuously adapts to your movements.
BUILDING ON SUCCESS
BEAUTIFUL HARMONY
The same floating lug system is also used
for the DB28 collection, one of De Bethune’s
greatest success stories.
Two years ago, that model earned the
prestigious “Golden Hand” award at the
Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix. This year,
De Bethune writes the next chapter in the
watch’s legend with the DB28T Black.
The entire watch is a study in contrasts
thanks to the captivating interplay between
key elements, like the bright minute ring
and the dark zirconium metal case. What’s
more, the rich juxtaposition of textures
draws the eye from the black, mirrorpolished bridge to the plate behind it, which
is decorated with undulating waves the
brand describes as côtes De Bethune.
The tourbillon revels in artistry
of a different kind by using the
latest materials to achieve
mechanical beauty. Made from
a combination of silicon and
titanium, the tourbillon is
placed inside a carriage that
rotates once every 30 seconds to protect the balance
spring from gravity’s pull
and enhance timekeeping
accuracy.
Sophistication through simplification is the principle that guides the
DB25. For this two-handed model, De Bethune focuses intensely on horological purity.
Stripping away the extraneous reveals the natural beauty of the
dial’s guilloché decoration, which is bounded by a gently raised chapter
ring. Shaped from blued-steel, the minute and hour hands are open in
the middle, an airy design note echoed by the hollowed lugs attached to
the 40mm rose gold case.
Inside beats a hand-wound movement manufactured exclusively at
De Bethune’s workshops, which are located in L’Auberson, Switzerland,
not far from Lake Neuchâtel.
The DB25L shares a similar aesthetic with its cousin, but has its
own distinct technical personality.
The obvious difference is the lunar indicator at the top of the guilloché dial. It features a star-spangled blue field and a rotating sphere
designed to mimic the phases of the moon. More than
just an artistic expression, De Bethune’s moon phase
mechanism is also exceptionally precise and
will not require an adjustment for 122 years.
Turn over the 44mm white gold case to
find a gauge that shows how much of the
six-day power reserve remains. Just like
every watch made by the firm, the DB25L
stores its energy in a self-regulating twin
barrel that’s designed to maximize
efficiency.
In a remarkable way, the DB25L manages to not only define the De Bethune
watchmaking ethos — artistic expression
and technical excellence in harmony —
but also capture the dynamic between its
founders, Zanetta and Flageollet. ¨
Clockwise from top:
The DB28T Black’s 42.6mm case
is sculpted from zirconium, a
metal that is both lightweight
and rugged.
Shown here in white
gold, the DB25L’s
hand-wound
movement is
equipped with
a moon phase
indicator that
will remain
accurate for more
than a century.
When fully wound, the
rose gold DB25 stores enough
reserve power for six days.
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