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De Bethune

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A Deep Dive Into De Bethune’s Art of Watchmaking 

An exercise in incredible watchmaking, the DB28 Kind of Blue is a rare bird indeed and we have the very first example to come out of De Bethune’s workshop. Let’s dive deep and find out what makes this watch so unique
&nbsp;

<h3>A Science Experiment on the Wrist</h3>

In 2002, De Bethune burst onto the independent watchmaking scene with hi-tech materials, innovative movements and stunning avant-garde design. Founded by speciality watchmaking house partners from THA, Denis Flageollet and David Zanetta, De Bethune has an unapologetically experimental design aesthetic that has since enabled their watches to look as though they would feel at home on alien planets.

&nbsp;
<img alt="DB28 on the wrist" data-caption="The De Bethune DB28 on the wrist&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="765150fe-c557-40d2-89b5-fec743a9f9da" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1794.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

Ever since their first watch, the DB1, De Bethune’s modus operandi has clearly been to break the mould. Even within the DB1’s slightly more ‘traditional’ silhouette, compared to their modern standards at least, it has been clear that De Bethune has never been fine with the idea of creating anything even remotely ordinary. With that, I bring you the DB28 Kind of Blue from 2016. Bringing their science fiction-esque design flair to a whole other level, and perhaps demonstrating a rather uncharacteristic sense of humor (at least for the Swiss), the Kind of Blue is a cacophony of eccentric color usage, sci-fi design and other-worldly craftsmanship. So let's jump in.

&nbsp;
<img alt="DB1" data-caption="De Bethune’s launched its first-ever watch in 2002: the De Bethune DB1 chronograph ©Phillips" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cd0b1e6a-fd46-45aa-990c-223300002ee5" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/Edit%2520DB28.png" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

<h3>A Unique ‘Kind of Blue’</h3>

&nbsp;
<img alt="DB28" data-caption="The blue case, dial and movement of the 42.6mm Ref. DB28BMW, together with its distinctive shape, create a watch that is unlike anything you've probably seen before&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afea27e0-8efc-4c58-8c7b-d5436c5cc3f0" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1739.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

Without a doubt, this watch’s most striking feature is its use of color. The DB28’s blue case, dial and movement combined with its distinct silhouette, present a watch that’s ultimately unlike anything you’ve probably seen before. And that’s De Bethune’s goal – create watches you haven’t seen before. Bringing futurism to an industry plagued by tradition to the point where brands are often crippled by the anxiety of doing anything out of the ordinary, De Bethune’s relentless desire to push boundaries is impressive and worth mentioning. While the rest of the DB28’s design speaks for itself, its use of blue everywhere you look could be skipped over as a design choice for choice’s sake. Instead, this use of blue is part of De Bethune’s story.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="DB28" data-caption="De Bethune's bluing method has been fine-tuned to provide one of the world's most distinctive monochrome looks, showcasing its array of colors&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6a341ba4-7698-45bb-97ba-4a459b7fd234" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1746.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

The Bluing technique has been used in watchmaking for a long time now. While originally reserved for steel and iron, bluing watch components protect the metal from rust and corrosion by oxidizing the metal with heat, thus creating a blue film around the surface of the metal. However, Denis Flageollet and his team at De Bethune discovered that titanium could be heat-blued too, like steel and iron. And so, by hand bluing the titanium balance wheels, De Bethune struck their most important vein of inspiration.. From there, De Bethune looked to the sky as a source of inspiration in what is a rather natural move from the color blue.&nbsp;

The team at De Bethune have fine-tuned their bluing technique to create one of the most unique monochromatic aesthetics in the world of watchmaking, with the DB28 Kind of Blue acting as a sort of “look at what we can do,” and in the world of modern watchmaking where brands try to show off what they can do that others can’t by further complicating movements and functions, I have to say that I really enjoy De Bethune’s approach. While it might look simple, to achieve the Kind of Blue’s level of chromatic consistency by hand-bluing is far from easy and therefore it acts as a subtle ‘if you know you know’ kind of statement for other brands and watchmaking enthusiasts alike.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="DB28" data-caption="The DB28 is as ergonomic as they come, with floating skeleton lugs, torpedo-style lug caps and a flawlessly round 42.6mm titanium case&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ead6f401-0f78-4462-9838-85df935dd46a" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1758.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

<h3>A Curious Case</h3>

Beyond its striking use of color, DB28’s most fascinating feature is its construction. Known for their avant-garde design, the DB28 sports the design that De Bethune has championed for several years. With its floating skeleton lugs, torpedo-style lug caps and perfectly round 42.6mm titanium case, the DB28 is as ergonomic as they come. While some watches like the Cartier Tank Cintree are praised for their curved design, the DB28 takes an original design aesthetic to a new level with spring-loaded articulating lugs that curve to wrap around the wrist no matter its size or shape.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="DB28" data-caption="The DB28 takes its design aesthetic to a whole new level with spring-loaded articulating lugs that curve to wrap around the wrist, regardless of size or shape&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b3070c52-1d6d-4def-9a2a-0a4dc0be46a1" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1790.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

Light as a feather, thanks to its titanium construction, the DB28&nbsp;is a pleasure to wear, just as it is a pleasure to look at. Incredibly unique and incredibly comfortable, I have to admit that the DB28 really does do it for me. Entirely polished and radiating soft purple tones depending on the angle of light hitting it, the DB28 is what modern independent horology is supposed to be about. But, again, taking the sky as its inspiration, the DB28 appears like a spaceship – reflecting the brand’s overwhelmingly futuristic aesthetic. I have a hard time accepting this as a stroke of pure luck or an accident.

It might be a bit of a stretch but the DB28’s side view – with its lugs pulled down all the way – reminds me of the alien tripods in War of the Worlds with its crown at 12 o’clock acting as a sort of cockpit or turret. But, of course, I’m letting my imagination run wild.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="DB28" data-caption="Light as a feather, thanks to its titanium construction, the DB28 is a pleasure to wear, just as it is a pleasure to look at&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8aff955b-b353-4c41-afac-621a63c9af51" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1751.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

<h3>Aesthetic Consistency</h3>

&nbsp;One of the most telling signs of a watchmaker’s devotion to their craft is the level of aesthetic consistency they put into their designs, at least I think so. With De Bethune, this is absolutely undoubtful. While you can obviously point at the DB28’s “Kind of Blue” construction and say, “well, they didn’t have a hard time achieving aesthetic consistency, did they?” I would say that you need to look further. An independent watchmaker like De Bethune won’t do the exploring for you. Instead, the DB28 Kind of Blue is filled with design aspects that are interlinked across the watch.

&nbsp;
<img alt="[close up of the dial]" data-caption="The Kind of Blue is a kaleidoscope of eccentric color combinations, science fiction design and other-worldly craftsmanship&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="839056f7-79cc-4a6e-9e93-3afdd653e877" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1748.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

Beginning with a grade 5 polished and satin-polished blued titanium dial, the DB28 features a delta-shaped arrowhead-style motif upon which the movement is semi-exposed. Utilizing the very same shape, the DB28’s delta-shaped polished steel hour markers shine wonderfully bright. Jumping through the watch like stepping stones in a river, there are numerous design consistencies like these.

The skeletonized framework that surrounds the DB28’s case and forms its articulating lugs is linked to its skeletonized Breguet-style hands in terms of construction, which further complement the skeletonized blued titanium buckle on the black and navy 26mm alligator leather strap. A cacophony of intricate design, the DB28 Kind of Blue delights in more ways than one indeed.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="db28" data-caption="The watch is powered by the manual wind Calibre DB2115V4 and has a mirror-polished steel motion-work bridge, a ruthenium plate, and a barrel bridge cover with &quot;côtes de Bethune&quot; ruthenium circular-grained power reserve decoration&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="258d7c11-cf79-4c81-93ef-5f0d74dd9e0f" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1764.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

<h3>The Marvelous Movement</h3>

Powered by the manual wind Calibre DB2115V4, the DB28 Kind of Blue features a breathtaking array of finishing that goes toe-to-toe with its dial, such as a mirror-polished steel motion-work bridge, a ruthenium plate, and the barrel bridge cover adorned with “côtes de Bethune” ruthenium circular-grained power reserve decoration – and several hand-polished, chamfered steel parts. This displays the level of detail that De Bethune can put into their watches while creating less than 200 pieces a year.

&nbsp;
<img alt="[close up of the tourbillon and moon phase]" data-caption="The tourbillon at 6 o'clock reveals the Cal. DB2115V4's magic on the dial side&amp;nbsp;Photo: Perkin Yu/ Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f99ec961-5a14-4cac-8320-4240a44b087b" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/126/WCL_1744.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

Of course, the DB2115V4’s magic is revealed on the watch’s dial side, with its tourbillon spinning mystically at 6 o’clock just above the moon-phase indicator. Made of palladium and flame blued steel, this rather unique indicator provides a 3D sense of the moon’s position in the sky and is so accurate that it will require an adjustment through the recessed pusher on the case flank once every 1112 years.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>

An exercise in incredible watchmaking, the DB28 Kind of Blue is a rare bird indeed, and we have the very first example to come out of De Bethune’s workshop. It offers everything that one expects of a timepiece constructed by a watchmaker of De Bethune’s caliber. The DB28 Kind of Blue merges futuristic aesthetic with traditional timekeeping in such a charming manner that if you were to see it in Star Wars, you probably wouldn’t even realize you were looking at something from this world, and that’s certainly praiseworthy in my book. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h3>Specifications</h3>

DB28 Kind of Blue 
 
Reference: DB28BMW 
Case size: 42.6mm 
Thickness: 9.3mm 
Material: Titanium 
Crystal: Double Anti-Reflective Sapphire Crystal 
Water-resistance: 50m 
Movement: Cal. DB2115V4 
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Tourbillon, Moon phase 
Winding: Manual-winding 
Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hours) 
Power reserve: 144 hours (6 days) 
Bracelet: Extra-Supple Alligator Leather, Alligator Lining 
Availability: Limited edition, 5 pieces. 
 
<a href="https://wristcheck.com/buy/de-bethune/db28-kind-blue-w00185sfodb000">Available now on Wristcheck.</a>

 
For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.debethune.ch/en/collections/db28-collection/db28-kind-blue-tourbillon" tabindex="-1">De Bethune</a>.

The De Bethune DB28 Kind of Blue

In this instalment of our fundamentals-focused series, we take a protractor to circles, squares and even those hybrid geometries which have inspired the shape of watches across the years
&nbsp;

Chances are – but don’t quote me on this – that if you were to ask 100 randomly selected passersby to paint you a picture of a wristwatch, at least 50 would begin with something in the ballpark of a circle. It’s a motif that has been folded indelibly into the iconography of watchmaking for quite some time, and with good reason. Consider, if you will, any number of the quintessential building blocks in a mechanical wristwatch: gear train, mainspring, chaton, rotor. For over a century, the vast majority of those parts were circular and concentric; so it seemed only logical that the external shell housing them should adopt a similarly complementary curvature. Not for nothing, in the days prior to computer-aided manufacturing, it was also a helluva lot easier to produce roundly shaped cases that were resistant to water, dust, and other environmental perils.

The round watch’s preeminence speaks to industry-wide adherence for that most classic pearl of wisdom – “form follows function”. And yet, on a number of occasions, brands (and the watchmakers who shape their destinies) have repeatedly wandered off the enclosed curve: a clunky metaphor for all the interesting, non-circular shapes watch cases have been twisted into over the last century. Between the myriad, individually collectible riffs on the Cartier Tank to the notoriously ergonomic tonneau of Richard Mille, you’re about to discover firsthand that watches really do come in all shapes and sizes.&nbsp;

<h3> 
'Round the World</h3>

A logical place to begin our discussion about iconic watchmaking shapes, round watches account for the vast majority of what you’ll see in the wild, at boutiques, and when you attend your local get-together. Very much a self-explanatory kinda category, it’s no surprise that this shape accounts for many of the most ubiquitous watch designs of all time. In no particular order: multiple ‘professional’ series of Rolex sports watches (i.e. Explorers and the GMT-II), Patek Philippe’s enduring ‘Calatrava’ collection, and even outwardly avant-garde creations such as the <a href="https://wristcheck.com/buy/debethune/db28xp-starry-sky-w00179hofdb000">De Bethune DB28</a>.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Rolex GMT Master II ref. 126710BLNR &quot;Batgirl&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="545e280d-c76c-4251-87b9-a4fa2865826d" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/DSCF0782_0.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar ref.&amp;nbsp;5159R-001" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8660d7d1-d84e-41f6-b937-ca6c89db2940" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/DSCF7665%2520%25281%2529%25202.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The De Bethune DB28 &quot;Kind Of Blue&quot; Tourbillon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33bce366-379c-430d-89af-e1b0217ea52d" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/KEV_3002.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

In addition, the symmetry and ordered visual sensibility of round cases make them an ideal foundation for complicated watchmaking. Because the total amount of usable surface area is maximised in a shape without any corners, you’ll often see watches with information-dense displays (think chronographs, perpetual calendars or a hybrid of the two) that utilise round cases.

<h3> 
Tanks and Other Rectangles</h3>

Almost certainly the second most populous category of watchmaking shape, rectangular timepieces (and their many brand-specific derivations) have played a key role in the progression of watch designs since the early 1900s. By far less common than their roundly shaped brethren, the creation of these watches frequently ran concomitant with breakthroughs in technology and the rise of international artistic movements like the Avant-Garde.

&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Cartier Tank Cintrée&amp;nbsp;&lt;em&gt;(Image source: Revolution)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="638a73b3-cee0-42f4-9269-133dca443d46" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/Rectangular_Cintree%2520reissue%2520flatlay.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The&amp;nbsp;Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface in pink gold &lt;em&gt;(Image source: Jason Reekie for Time+Tide)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="27b24945-54e9-4c02-8fa3-ab7e3c0a9ec7" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/JLC-Reverso-Tribute-Duoface-4-845x550%25402x.jpg" width="1568" />
&nbsp;

Unsurprisingly, the rectangular design which has exerted the most influence over watch culture continuously is the Cartier Tank – the original incarnation of which was released in 1917, amidst the turbulent geopolitical landscape of WWI. Inspired by the then-revolutionary shape of hulking Renault tanks being deployed by the Allied Powers across Europe, Louis Cartier conceived a rectangular case shape that would eventually become the basis for some of the brand’s most covetable designs: including the Americaine, Cintrée, and Normale. Cartier notwithstanding, other honourable mentions include Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso and a number of Patek Philippe references (e.g. the Ref. 5124G) from the ‘Gondolo’ collection.&nbsp;

<h3> 
Hip to be Square</h3>

Another defining style of shape for watchmakers during the mid-20th century, almost every brand with an avowed knack for time-only dress watches – Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget – has, at some point, had a crack at square cases. Although the tradition of square casemaking is closely associated with thin time-only watches in precious metal, brands specialising in sporting activities would go on to experiment with this shape at various phases during the 1970s.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The TAG Heuer Monaco&lt;em&gt;&amp;nbsp;(Image source: Phillips)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c32fcf59-6e7c-41fa-af60-dcada6b15541" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/Square%2520watches_Heuer%2520Monaco.jpg" width="1568" />
 
In order to distinguish itself from the vast glut of brands producing round-cased chronographs, in 1969 Heuer debuted the Monaco – a self-winding racer’s watch that would be immortalised just two years later in the Steve McQueen sports drama Le Mans. Although the Monaco’s original calibre 11 movement has been the subject of much adulation (and rightfully so), its brutish square case – crafted for Heuer by celebrated casemaker Ervin Piquerez – eventually became its most recognisable feature, signalling a deviation away from the previous generation of dressier, more diminutively sized chronographs. &nbsp;

<h3> 
"Grab a Cushion"</h3>

Widely characterised as being square with ‘rounded off corners’, cushion-shaped watches are yet another oddity of the 20th century: combining the symmetry and legibility of the traditional round case with the sharp, angular lines of a four-sided polygon. Over the years, a variety of brands like Omega and Grand Seiko have opted to dress the cushion case up; although, its greatest ambassador is still (invariably) the original Panerai Radiomir.

&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Panerai Radiomir ref. PAM 00021&amp;nbsp;&lt;em&gt;(Image source: Phillips)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7c8b5c4-8e8a-44f6-9229-cb745b525dde" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/download%2520%25281%2529.png" width="1568" />
 
Commissioned by the Royal Italian Navy and delivered to the force’s divers in 1936, the first Radiomir – named for the luminous material that adorned its dial – was a beast of a diving watch, intended primarily for underwater military use. The cushion case, composed of multiple, individually sealed parts, demonstrated superior water resistance and remains, till this day, a big part of Panerai’s characteristic ‘action hero’ aesthetic. Although frequently conflated with the tonneau (see the paragraph below), cushion cases are a separate, if somewhat similar category of shape. &nbsp;

<h3> 
A ‘Tonneau’ Fun</h3>

Translated literally from the French for ‘barrel’, the tonneau is easily one of watchmaking’s most emblematic case shapes. Put simply, it includes any wristwatch that has a broadly rectangular profile, with the distinguishing characteristic being convex sides, often with the addition of rounded corners. In contrast to jewellery and industrial design – where the geometric form language of squares and rectangles is well-known – the tonneau is uniquely tied up in horological design, having given us some of the enduring icons of the 20th century.&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Left to right: The&amp;nbsp;Richard Mille RM 67-02 'High Jump' and the RM 67-01" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9191f87e-9592-4f19-9568-f669849fa7db" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/DSCF4235_3x2%2520%25281%2529.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Richard Mille RM029 &quot;Yellow Flash&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="19922e4d-f67a-434d-9269-c1f01006c538" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/RM029-01.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Urwerk 100V IRON" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="97396ca4-18fc-4a07-bbbe-5c168d1877ad" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/UR100V%2520IRON-01.jpg" width="1568" />
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Needless to say, here at Wristcheck we’re big fans of the tonneau and the way in which this idiosyncratic shape adapts itself to the peculiarities of different aesthetic styles. In the guise of technical watches like the Richard Mille <a href="https://wristcheck.com/discover/editor's-pick/the-richard-mille-rm-67-01-and-rm-67-02-'high-jump'">RM 67-01</a>, the shape appears lean and industrial; yet it’s also an extremely effective foundation for watch designs emphasising the shape and finish of the bezel. By far the most influential of these is the <a href="https://wristcheck.com/discover/watch-drop/the-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-"jumbo"-extra-thin-ref.-15202pt">Royal Oak</a>, released by Audemars Piguet in 1972. Even today, the signature feature of this archetypal luxury sports watch remains its octagonal bezel: a handsome combination of satin-brushed and mirror-polished finishes, studded (in an ode to antique diving helmets) with 8 exposed screws. This aspect of the Royal Oak’s design language has proven so impactful, in no small part, because of the surrounding tonneau shape. The case is an excellent framing device for the sharp, geometric edges of the bezel; and merges seamlessly into the bracelet without the visual interruption we’d associate with separately attached lugs.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Jumbo' Extra Thin ref. 15202BC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d29da7c-fd7d-4b01-a518-2df1b275af0c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/593A0049.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked in Black Ceramic&amp;nbsp;ref. 26585CE" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bffac0ed-8c9b-403b-ab78-e05d149376be" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/593A0239.jpg" width="1568" />
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<h3>Asymmetry and the Avant-Garde</h3>

Unsurprisingly, over the decades there have been a robust number of watch designs which don’t fit neatly into either a geometric or circular space. Something of a two-part category, the first asymmetrical watches may be traced back to at least the mid-20th century, with silhouettes like the Cartier Crash continuing to exert profound influence on collectors today who have a penchant for design that is intriguing and iconoclastic (if LUMBERJACK is to be believed, <a href="https://sub.rescapement.com/p/cartier-so-light-thought-i-floated">Tyler the Creator is a fan</a>).&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Cartier Crash Skeleton in pink gold" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dc2003c3-1d5f-4504-97ab-657d20b3bdb1" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/DSCF8910.jpg" width="1568" />
 
In the realm of ‘avant-garde’ watchmaking, there are precious few collectives as routinely mad-cap (nor as consistently successful) as MB&amp;F. Most pertinently, the brand’s ‘<a href="https://www.mbandf.com/en/machines">Horological Machine</a>’ collection explores the notion of what is possible when one infuses complicated watchmaking with the whimsy of childhood. Mind you, these designs aren’t necessarily asymmetric, but they’re also the farthest thing from ‘conventional’: showing off shapes that are inspired by boyhood obsessions ranging from 70s-era supercars (the HM5) to early turbojet engines (the HM9).

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The MB&amp;amp;F&amp;nbsp;HM9-SV RG in Blue &lt;em&gt;(Image source: MB&amp;amp;F)&lt;/em&gt;​​​​​​" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="49fd6336-f027-4137-9bc5-c0419e0b7d50" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/MBandF_HM9_SV_RG_Blue_Front_preview.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The MB&amp;amp;F HM5 CarbonMacrolon&amp;nbsp;&lt;em&gt;(Image source: MB&amp;amp;F)&lt;/em&gt;​​​​​​" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0ce3d07f-9a74-497c-8e49-377bde7fab8c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/HM5-Carbon-Macrolon-Front_preview.jpg" width="1568" />
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Iconic Case Shapes in Watchmaking

After a year devoid of travel or the midday jetlag-induced narcolepsy, it’s about time we take to the skies and jet off with De Bethune’s first complicated Starry Varius model strapped to our wrists: the brand new night-sky inspired DB25GMT Starry Varius. It’s complex, it’s beautiful, and it’s De Bethune in every way possible
<h3>Sticking to the Script</h3>

Debuting in 2002, De Bethune burst onto the watchmaking scene with hi-tech materials, innovative movements and stunning avant-garde design to quickly become one of the most distinctive watchmakers in the industry. Founded by specialty watchmaking house partners from THA (movement and complications manufacture Techniques Horlogères Appliquées), Denis Flageollet and David Zanetta, the idea for De Bethune was that it would become a true manufacture&nbsp;–&nbsp;something De Bethune has undoubtedly achieved.

When we look at modern watchmaking, the litmus test for any high-end watchmaker is if they use an in-house movement. With the higher costs involved, greater creative and engineering freedom and room for flexing some horological muscles, in-house movements are usually regarded as&nbsp;better. Still, they only really caught on in the mainstream in the early 2000s, which just so happens to be when De Bethune was founded. Since their relatively recent introduction to the horological&nbsp;industry, De Bethune have stuck to their script and released an utterly mind-boggling 29 in-house calibres – the latest of which can be found within the brand new DB25 GMT Starry Varius, which we will now explore.

<h3> 
The Merging of Two Collections</h3>

When conventional watchmakers release new watches, you will typically find that they tend to stay within their lane so as to not bump into other offerings from the brand and thus avoid the cannibalisation of sales. On the other hand, De Bethune is not a conventional watchmaker, and they release the watches they want with little to no worry about shifting tens of thousands of units. Free from the commercial constraints slapped onto higher-volume brands, De Bethune is given a far more refreshing sense of creative freedom, a liberty they have exercised with the DB25 GMT Starry Varius as it merges two seemingly unrelated collections into one timepiece that is unapologetically De Bethune in its execution.

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="83b3cac7-8b0a-4c5d-bee0-dc4295a24b7c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/55/L1260328.jpg" width="1568" />

<h3> 
The Starry Varius</h3>

Definitely the DB25 GMT Starry Varius' most obvious relation (aside from the fact that it is in the name!), is the Starry Varius&nbsp;released in 2018:&nbsp;a time-only model that blended simplistic functionality with a complex case design and its incredible eponymous gold-leaf and silver studded high polished blued titanium dial and immaculate watchmaking to create a timepiece that showcases exactly who De Bethune are. Aesthetically consistent and functionally brilliant even with just an hour and minute hand, the Starry Varius provides the perfect foundation for the DB25 GMT Starry Varius to build upon, which we'll get into later.
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Left to right: the DB25 GMT Starry Varius and the DB25 Starry Varius in titanium.&amp;nbsp;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dff9e951-4796-40a7-a45e-9bf42783fba5" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/55/593A0785.jpg" width="1568" />
<h3> 
DB25 World Traveller</h3>

The DB25 GMT Starry Varius' "[big] sister," as De Bethune puts it themselves, is the DB25 World Traveller. Introduced in 2016, it&nbsp;provides the aesthetic and character on which the DB25 GMT Starry Varius has been created. Of course, the DB25 World Traveller is a Worldtimer, as its name somewhat suggests, so its function is similar to the DB25 GMT Starry Varius. Thus, with the understanding that the DB25 GMT Starry Varius is an amalgamation of two watches, let's explore it in its entirety and see what it's all about.
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Left to right: The De Bethune DB25 GMT Starry Varius; DB25 Starry Varius in Titanium; DB25 Starry Varius in Rose Gold; DB25 Starry Varius in Rose Gold with a diamond-set bezel&amp;nbsp;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c2ee7973-7830-4786-9392-6468d4752c19" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/55/KEV_3060.jpg" width="1568" />
<h3> 
Design, Aesthetic and Functionality</h3>

In the same way that many watchmakers have their own style, De Bethune typifies what it means to carry aesthetic consistency across unrelated offerings. The DB25 GMT Starry Varius is no different with its 42mm polished titanium case. The DB25 GMT's case lends from the Starry Varius thanks to the lack of pusher at 7 o'clock, which the World Traveller has, and its openworked buttress-like lugs that have become a signature piece of De Bethune's design. To further showcase that the case design is taken from the Starry Varius and not the World Traveler, the DB25 GMT's lugs feature the enlarged ends, which was introduced to De Bethune with the Starry Varius and are a detail that the World Traveller lacks.

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The DB25 World Traveller, introduced in 2016. &lt;em&gt;(Photo: De Bethune)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5e712375-7958-4302-b06d-5f01eaea74bf" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/55/DB_25_WT_6.jpg" width="1568" />
On the flip side, the DB25 GMT's dial borrows its layout from the World Traveller's due to its increased functionality and status as the first complicated variant of the Starry Varius. While the DB25 GMT's silver dial does include the Starry Varius' galaxy-inspired starry sky at its centre in the shape of a beautifully blued and polished titanium plate dotted with white gold 'star' pins and a sunburst-engraved insert sitting atop, its overarching functional inspiration is very World Traveller-esque thanks to its multi-layered construction. Featuring a recessed 24-hour GMT chapter ring, the DB25 GMT ingeniously displays its 2nd timezone via a circling orb made from blued titanium and 18ct pink gold. This orb rotates along the chapter ring's axis to cover the GMT hour that it is indicating and also rotates on its own axis to display the evening (blue side up) or daytime (pink side up).

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With its jumping pointer date indictor and traditional hour and minutes hand made of blued titanium, as per&nbsp;De Bethune's tradition, the DB25 GMT is a stunningly well-designed piece of horological cohesion. It is rare to see a brand stitch two watch designs together into one and have them complement one another so seamlessly.

<h3> 
Movement and Engineering</h3>

Powered by De Bethune's 29th in-house calibre, the DB25 GMT features the manual-wind cal. DB2507 movement, which beats away at 4 Hz (28,800 BPH) and packs an impressive five-days of power reserve. Specs aside, I love how De Bethune construct and display their movements. While the DB25 GMT and many of its siblings feature sapphire crystal exhibition case backs, you see very little in terms of mechanics. What you do see, however, is about as unique as you can get in modern horology.

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Flipping the DB25 GMT over, we see a perfectly symmetrical and beautifully polished steel barrel bridge cover with mirror-polishing adorned with "côtes de Bethune", enhanced with microlight decoration in its centre that houses a shock-absorption system which De Bethune has called the Triple Pare-chute System. Functional and beautiful – what's not to like? A signature of De Bethune's since 2016, it covers the mechanics, but you don't buy a De Bethune to see traditional watchmaking on display; you buy a De Bethune for futuristic cutting-edge technology and design, and the DB25 GMT packs it in abundance.

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e2710b61-5e29-44eb-bf80-1b603b2a0bff" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/55/593A0579.jpg" width="1568" />

With its silicon balance wheel suspended on a balance bridge that spans the ends of this steel bridge cover, the cal. DB2507 movement's only sign of life is isolated, on display, and captivating. It might seem a bit airy-fairy, but considering the movement is so complicated and that De Bethune has given you nowhere else to look in terms of mechanics (not including the ends of the twin mainspring barrels), the cal. DB2507 is a mechanical tease, and I appreciate its refusal to satiate the calls to reveal more of its secrets.

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="911c869b-7598-45c7-9545-2d906af28784" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/55/L1260394%25202.jpg" width="1568" />

<h3> 
Quick Take</h3>

I really do have a soft spot for De Bethune, and the DB25 GMT strikes just about every note that I look for in one of their timepieces. From its beautiful Milky Way galaxy-inspired dial to its seductively decorated movement and gorgeous case, it's a home run. Combining its looks and engineering with the fact that this watch represents the nearing end of the tumultuous 18-months that we have all just had to endure, it transcends traditional watchmaking by quite some margin as it attempts to tie into its prospective wearer's lives with the sincerity and decorum that only passionate independent watchmakers like De Bethune can achieve.

<h3> 
Specifications</h3>

De Bethune DB25 GMT Starry Varius 
Reference: DB25VGTIS3 
Case size: 42 mm 
Thickness: 11.8mm 
Material: Titanium 
Crystal: Double Anti-Reflective Sapphire Crystal 
Water-resistance: 50m 
Movement: Cal. DB2507 
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Second time zone (GMT) Day/Night Indicator, Jumping date 
Winding: Manual-winding 
Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hours) 
Power reserve: 5 Days 
Bracelet: Extra-Supple Alligator Leather, Alligator Lining 
Availability:&nbsp;Limited production 
Price: CHF 95,000 / $110,000 USD

For more information, visit <a href="https://www.debethune.ch/en/collections/db25-collections/gmt-starry-varius">De Bethune online</a>.&nbsp; 
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