De Bethune Archives - Revolution Watch

Geneva Watch Days 2023: The De Bethune DB28XP Kind of Blue

Felix Scholz — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 05:00:59 +0000

Geneva Watch Days 2023: The De Bethune DB28XP Kind of Blue

News

Aug 30, 2023

De Bethune has made a lot of iconic watches over the years, but one of the most famous must be the DB28 Kind of Blue, which won the 2011 GPHG Aiguille d’Or. Well, for Geneva Watch Days, De Bethune has given us a very limited update on the modern classic, the DB28XP Kind of Blue.

The newly unveiled DB28XP Kind of Blue is a limited edition of only 25 pieces that marries the timeless sophistication of the DB28XP with the captivating allure of the DB28 Kind of Blue. This exceptional timepiece showcases the artful integration of two iconic models, offering something completely new.

De Bethune DB28XP Kind of Blue

The DB28XP Kind of Blue represents an evolutionary step forward, amalgamating the refined aesthetics of the DB28XP with the enduring charm of the DB28 Kind of Blue. For many, the instant appeal will be in the captivating dial, a testament to De Bethune’s mastery of craftsmanship. The dial redefines traditional guilloché technique. The expansive titanium surface transforms the technique into a contemporary form of visual artistry, playing with light and shadow to create depth and architectural dynamism. This reimagining of a classic technique results in an effect that’s both modern and captivating.

De Bethune DB28XP Kind of Blue

The case, at 43mm across and 8.5mm high, is grade 5 titanium with a microlight case middle and features a deep and luminous blue hue, a result of natural oxidation. Each watch is a unique work of art, with the material’s oxidation process bestowing an exquisite and individualistic touch.

Underneath the captivating aesthetics lies De Bethune’s dedication to ultra-thin craftsmanship. The manual-winding movement DB2115v12 embodies a culmination of the brand’s ten-year mechanical and aesthetic research. The movement boasts an ultra-thin profile while maintaining precision. The balance wheel is prominently visible through the dial at 6 o’clock. The balance wheel’s unique construction and De Bethune’s triple shock-absorbing system contribute to enhanced inertia, reliability, and regulating quality. These innovations have resulted in a 20% increase in power reserve efficiency, which is a substantial six days.

De Bethune DB28XP Kind of Blue

The debut of the DB28XP Kind of Blue at the 2023 edition of Geneva Watch Days marks the brand’s continued pursuit of tradition and innovation, all captured in a vivid limited edition.

De Bethune Unveils DB28XP Kind of Blue Specs

Movement: DB2115v12, manually wound, 6 days of power reserve
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Power reserve on the back
Dial: Blued titanium
Case: Blued grade 5 titanium, 43 by 8.5mm, floating lugs, water-resistant to 3 ATM
Strap: Supple alligator with alligator lining, blued titanium pin buckle
Availability: Limited to 25 pieces

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FROM THE SHOP

Bell & Ross

Limited Edition

Bell & Ross x Alessandro Palazzi x Revolution & The Rake Bellytanker Chronograph "Vesper"

$5,250.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber BR.CAL-301; 42-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case	41mm; CuAI7Si2 bronze; water resistant to 100m
Dial	Sunray brushed with applied, gold-plated indices
Strap	Black calfskin; satin polished bronze folding clasp
Limited Edition	Limited edition of 50 pieces

The post Geneva Watch Days 2023: The De Bethune DB28XP Kind of Blue appeared first on Revolution Watch.

How My De Bethune DB28 Pièce Unique Went to Michael Rubin’s White Party

Wei Koh — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 10:28:41 +0000

How My De Bethune DB28 Pièce Unique Went to Michael Rubin’s White Party

The unique DB28 with white minute track that I commissioned more than 10 years ago was one of the first watches to feature De Bethune’s stunning blue aesthetic. Here’s how it ended up in the Hamptons.

Opinion

By Wei Koh

Aug 16, 2023

Yes, I am old. And like the semi-desiccated Corvina grape found in one of my favorite Italian wines, Amarone, time has only made me more intense in flavor. I am a salty and contentious mother**ker well on my way to becoming a curmudgeonly old fart. But I’ve learned to take it easier, and to treasure the moments of tranquility in life. Because at every given moment, especially when trying to keep up with my stunning Lululemon ambassador and fitness high priestess girlfriend, I feel my knees are about to explode. One thing I’ve realized is that once you hit the mid-century mark, as I did a full four years ago, there are few things that you find as edifying as a strong cup of coffee followed by the smooth enactment of one’s morning ebullitions. While I have not yet achieved my “Coming to America” dream of having professional “wipers” that prestidigitate out of thin air when I clap, let’s just say this is a special moment of personal reflection for me.

During these moments of meditative introspection, I like to watch YouTube Shorts. My discovery feed invariably draws from a variety of subjects such as women’s high diving, Harley-Davidson stunt riding, dachshunds attacking lions and, of course, watches. It was during one such moment a few weeks ago that YouTube fed me a video of a young man named Chad Alexander who specializes in what YouTube calls verticals, where he projects images of celebrities wearing watches and narrates around them. I landed on his story detailing all the watches worn by the various ballers, shot callers and elite underwear models who attended Michael Rubin’s White Party in the Hamptons. I paused to view the story because the cover image featured two of my favorite contemporary timepieces, Audemars Piguet’s blue ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, one of which I’m lucky enough to own, and Richard Mille’s ultra thin chronograph, the RM 72-01. Incidentally, I recently discovered something pretty amazing about Richard Mille’s chronograph. When I remarked to François-Paul Journe that the caliber CRMC’s design used the barrel to drive the minute and hour counters, and thus reminded me of Journe’s Centigraphe, the great man winked at me and said, “That’s because I helped design it.” That to me only makes this oscillating pinion chronograph even more extraordinary. Talk about incredible watchmaking pedigree. Nothing beats having a movement that Journe was involved in.

DJ Khaled (left) wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked In Black Ceramic; Michael Rubin (middle); Corey Gamble (second from right) wears the Patek Philippe Grand Complications in rose gold. Photo: @michaelrubin Instagram

But I digress. Back to Chad Alexander’s White Party video. I watched with amusement as he chronicled the watches worn by Jay-Z, his Patek reference 2499 with integrated bracelet sourced for him by retired watch dealer Tony Kavak, Kevin Hart’s vintage Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, DJ Khaled’s black ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, and Travis Scott’s Richard Mille RM 69 Erotic Tourbillon.

Jay-Z with Beyoncé. He wears a vintage yellow gold Patek Philippe Reference 2499. Photo: @michaelrubin Instagram

James Corden with Kevin Hart, who sports an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in yellow gold. Photo: @michaelrubin Instagram

Travis Scott reportedly wears the Richard Mille RM 69 Tourbillon Erotic. Photo: @michaelrubin Instagram

But the last person featured was NBA star Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards. To my surprise, on his wrist was a very special De Bethune DB28 Pièce Unique watch which I knew very intimately, because for more than 10 years, it was my watch. And as I saw it on Kyle Kuzma’s wrist decked out with an all-new, all-white strap which not only fit the theme of the party, but also perfectly complemented the special white minute track of the watch, a vast range of emotions ran through me.

From left: Winnie Harlow, Kylie Rubin, Michael Rubin, Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma wears Wei's pre-owned De Bethune DB28 Piecè Unique

De Bethune DB28: All the Best Innovations in One Watch

My love affair with De Bethune stretches all the way back to 2004, two years after the brand was launched by Denis Flageollet and David Zanetta. I remember Mike Tay, the owner of Singapore retailer The Hour Glass, organizing a trip to his favorite independent watchmakers. And our last stop was in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, where we met the individuals behind the brand. Immediately, I was smitten with De Bethune’s unique design philosophy and horological language. The aesthetics of the watch were like nothing I had ever seen, like 18th-century watchmaking married to science fiction, with a brilliant integration of ergonomic details such as crowns at 12 o’clock where they couldn’t hurt your wrist, and (later) spring-loaded flexible lugs that made the watches wearable by a wide variety of wrists. For years, De Bethune would fly decidedly under the radar, one of those best-kept secrets, a community symbol for ultra watch nerds that loved discussing Flageollet’s relentless advancement of horological innovation, best represented by the 10 different balance wheels he’s created over the years.

De Bethune started to gain momentum around 2011 with the launch of its sublime DB28. Says the brand’s CEO Pierre Jacques, “The DB28 was kind of the greatest hits list of everything that was De Bethune.” And he was right. It was almost all of the brand’s signature inventions in one watch — the front facing movement with the mirror polished Delta-shaped bridge, the in-house balance wheel and hairspring, the three-dimensional moonphase indicator, the triple shock absorption system, the crown at 12, the mirror polished titanium, and the flexible lugs. It was no wonder that this absolute watchmaking masterpiece won the top prize, the Aiguille d’Or, at the 2011 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).

After a decade-long love affair and scrupulous saving of my shekels, shortly after the launch of the DB28, I commissioned my own watch. Around this time, Denis Flageollet had been experimenting with flame bluing titanium. He explains, “I started this initially to harden and protect the arms of our titanium balance, but then I found that I really loved the color and started to apply this thermal bluing to other parts of the watch.” I encouraged Flageollet to use my timepiece as a test platform for the maximum amount of flame blued parts. Says Flageollet in my video interview with him, which you can watch at our Revolution Watch YouTube channel, “Yes, that’s true, yours was the first piece.” This would eventually lead him to create the Kind of Blue series of fully flame blued watches and I’m lucky enough to own one of the very first tourbillons made with this treatment.

OK, I know what you’re about to ask. With all this love for De Bethune, why did I eventually end up selling my DB28 Pièce Unique? The answer to that is simple. It was in order to buy another De Bethune, a Pièce Unique DB25 40mm Perpetual Calendar with a blue titanium case. How did this happen? Well, at the beginning of this year, I was lucky enough to collaborate with De Bethune on a tiny limited series of the DB25 40mm Perpetual Calendar with the sobriquet “Rhapsody in Blue.” In fact, the idea of putting the perpetual calendar mechanism inside this smaller case size was born during a Clubhouse chat on De Bethune, which I had organized during the COVID pandemic when we were all stuck in our respective houses. My friend, renowned collector and GPHG Jury member Ahmed “Shary” Rahman suggested the idea during the virtual get-together and, to my amazement, Pierre Jacques replied that he would discuss it with Denis. A few days later, he replied, “We can do it as long as you don’t mind if we do our own version of this watch.”

Needless to say, I was blown away with gratitude. Even cooler was that De Bethune’s commercial director Jörg Hysek Junior messaged me to tell me that Denis had also approved an all-blue unique execution of this for my personal watch. This was amazing, but the reality was that I simply didn’t have the requisite amount for the new watch lying around. I eventually spoke to both Pierre Jacques and Jörg Hysek Jr. to see if they would mind if I were to sell my DB28 to fund my DB25. Jacques checked with Flageollet, then replied, “Yes, it’s fine, everyone knows you’ve owned this watch for more than 10 years and it meant a lot to you.”

I also checked in with Danny Govberg, the co-founder of WatchBox, which purchased De Bethune. He replied, “I get why you want to trade in for the new watch because the DB25 is, to me, more wearable at 40mm. Not only do I feel it’s okay, we [at WatchBox] will help you out.” And incredibly, they took in my DB28 and helped me afford the new DB25. Of course, I was incredibly grateful to them, and especially to Govberg and Mike Manjos, WatchBox’s chief sales officer, for helping me.

Wei's Pièce Unique DB25 40mm Perpetual Calendar with a blue titanium case

Naturally, I was completely overwhelmed with my new DB25, but I would occasionally think of my DB28 and wonder what happened to it. That was, of course, until I landed on the video about Kyle Kuzma wearing it to Michael Rubin’s White Party. This piqued my curiosity about Kuzma and his watch tastes. Fortunately, there was another video on Chad Alexander’s page chronicling Kuzma’s watches. From what I could see, his collection featured an end-of-series Tiffany Blue Patek Nautilus 5711, an end-of-series olive dial 5711 with diamond bezel, a Journe Élégante, a frosted white gold AP Royal Oak Chronograph, and a Patek skeleton Calatrava. It seems like he has a genuine passion for watches and the De Bethune represents his first foray into more hardcore independent watch fare.

De Bethune made watches cool again

What is cool is that De Bethune has clearly shifted from being the insider’s hardcore watch nerd brand to becoming something more mainstream. Much of this has to do with the merits of the watches themselves, which — let’s admit it — are stunning to behold. But at the same time, it is representative of the tireless efforts of the De Bethune team to connect their brand to the contemporary world by collaborating with artists like Swizz Beatz as well as WatchBox’s capacity to galvanize some of the most passionate high visibility celebrities around the brand. This March, at WatchBox’s stunning apartment concept lounge in West Hollywood, in an intimate event hosted by CEO Justin Reis, De Bethune launched its new DBD Digitale “Season 2.” Apart from the insane guest list, the single most memorable image of the evening was of Alicia Keys rocking two De Bethune watches, including one that became hers when it was purchased for her by Swizz Beatz that evening.

Why do I feel that the gain in public awareness for independent brands like De Bethune is so important? It’s because the watch industry is about to face another major challenge, and the brands that will come through it will be those that have created something truly authentic and singular, and those that have made the effort to ensure the significant growth in public awareness of their brands, like De Bethune and WatchBox have done. So, for that reason, it doesn’t bother me that my ex De Bethune DB28 Pièce Unique went to Michael Rubin’s White Party without me. In fact, I’m proud that it did and congratulate the people that made it happen.

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Sold Out

Angelus

ANGELUS x REVOLUTION CHRONODATE "ANGELS' SHARE"

$23,800.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber A-500; 60 hours power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case	42.5mm; titanium; water resistant to 30m
Dial	Salmon (6N gold plated) with gené or frosted area; Super-LumiNova filled Arabic numerals
Strap	Ballistic gray rubber; titanium folding clasp

The post How My De Bethune DB28 Pièce Unique Went to Michael Rubin’s White Party appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Introducing the De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

Felix Scholz — Thu, 25 May 2023 12:00:15 +0000

Introducing the De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

The latest addition to De Bethune’s ongoing assortment of creations of exceptional beauty is the DB28xs Starry Seas, with a smaller 39mm case and a very special dial.

News

By Felix Scholz

May 25, 2023

The latest addition to De Bethune‘s ongoing assortment of creations of exceptional beauty is the DB28xs Starry Seas, with a smaller 39mm case and a very special dial. Seeing the vivid blue titanium dial interspersed with white gold flickering stars makes the ‘Starry Seas’ appellation immediately perfect. On top of this, De Bethune declares that this dial is created thanks to a world-first — random guilloché.

De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

The Low-Down

At the time of writing, and with only the press release to hand, it isn’t immediately apparent how random gulloché is achieved — traditionally, gulloché is created using pre-programmed cams or a pantograph to guide the machine — though if I had to guess, I would suppose that it would be possible to introduce an element of randomness in the placement of the cams, to ensure a similar but non-repeating pattern. Regardless, this technique is an excellent way of creating a wavelike pattern, which is at once regular and unpredictable. For most brands, this innovative new element would be the star of the show, but for De Bethune, it but a single element in a larger story.

The tale that De Bethune is telling is one of Wabi Sabi — the Japanese concept that encapsulates finding beauty in the imperfect and the impermanent. The randomness of the Guilloché, the modesty of the smaller case, with its apparent simplicity and smaller size, and the watches overall atypical beauty are all aspects the De Bethune highlights as indicative of the watches representation of Wabi Sabi.

De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

IMHO

Deep philosophical underpinnings aside, there’s a lot to like about the DB28xs Starry Seas. Many will find the 38.7mm case perfectly sized and the fact that De Bethune has put in the work to make their patented floating lug system that is such a hallmark of the DB28 even smaller. Calibre DB2005, which is jam-packed full of patented technology and offers six days of autonomy from two barrels, has also been adapted for this smaller case. Indeed, the lighter weight of this smaller watch adds some benefits when it comes to shock resistance.

De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

For over 20 years, De Bethune has been continually refining their artistic and philosophical watchmaking vision, and for all that this latest exploration is of a smaller size, it’s clear how large that vision looms.

De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

Tech Specs

De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

Movement: Calibre DB2005, hand-wound, six days of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes
Case: Polished grade 5 titanium, 38.7mm x 7.4mm, water-resistant to 3ATM
Dial: Silver-plated hours and minutes ring, random guilloché blued titanium with white gold stars
Strap: Alligator with titanium pin buckle

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FROM THE SHOP

Sold Out

Angelus

ANGELUS x REVOLUTION CHRONODATE "ANGELS' SHARE"

$23,800.00

TECH SPECS

Movement	Self-winding caliber A-500; 60 hours power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case	42.5mm; titanium; water resistant to 30m
Dial	Salmon (6N gold plated) with gené or frosted area; Super-LumiNova filled Arabic numerals
Strap	Ballistic gray rubber; titanium folding clasp

The post Introducing the De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas appeared first on Revolution Watch.

De Bethune and Swizz Beatz Unveil the DBD ‘Season 2’

Cheryl Chia — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 07:06:12 +0000

De Bethune and record producer Kasseem Dean, better known as Swizz Beatz have joined forces once again to revive one of the most strikingly unusual watches the brand has ever created – the DBD Digitale – in a 13-piece limited edition. Their initial collaboration dates back to 2020, when Swizz Beatz approached the brand with a request to recreate the Dream Watch 5. The result was the Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon ‘Season 1’ launched the following year, featuring an open-worked ogive-shaped case that was fitted with seven pieces of precision-cut sapphire crystals to allow for greater visibility of the hour and minute discs as well as the brand’s distinctive spherical moon.

The DBD Digitale was first introduced back in 2006 in a highly limited quantity, available in white and rose gold. With a case shaped somewhat like a horseshoe and a dial with digital displays reminiscent of pocket watches created during the Art Deco era, it was a major departure from anything ever produced by the brand, and its uniqueness still endures today.

The De Bethune x Swizz Beatz DBD Season 2 is executed in zirconium, which has a rich, silvery grey hue that has been polished to mirror shine. This metal is rather uncommon in watchmaking as it is challenging to machine and polish, but it has several advantages. Zirconium is significantly lighter than steel, more durable and corrosion-resistant than titanium, and has exceptional hypoallergenic properties. The case stands out for having its crown positioned at 12 o’clock and its use of two distinct lug designs. It features ogival, bullet-shaped lugs at its base, while its upper lug is hinged, and attached to a metal tab to which the strap is fixed. As a result of this design, the watch wears a lot smaller than its almost 43mm case diameter would suggest.

DBD Season 2

On the burgundy dial, a single in-line window displays the day of the week, date, and month. At the stroke of midnight, all these calendar indications progress instantaneously and simultaneously. The minutes is displayed in a semi-circular aperture positioned below, and the jumping hours are indicated in a smaller window at six o’clock. The dial is beautifully austere; with the exception of the three visible jewels that serve as pivots for the time and date wheels, it is decorated with only vertical Geneva stripes and the De Bethune nameplate situated above the date window.

Notably, the DBD Season 2 does away with the brand’s signature spherical moon phase, which hung on a blued titanium sky dotted with gold stars on the back of the original. Instead, it has a sapphire case back that showcases the calibre DB2044 and all its greatest technical hits. As with all De Bethune movements, it has been optimized for maximum efficiency at every stage. Visible under the delta-shape barrel bridge is a pair of self-regulating double barrels that are fitted with jewelled blades on their upper and lower faces to minimize friction and offers a five-day power reserve.

DBD Season 2

The escape wheel, the fastest rotating wheel in the going train, is made of silicon, which has a low density and a perfect surface state, allowing it to operate with little energy and friction. It is paired with a high-performance balance wheel made of blued titanium, operating at a frequency of 4Hz. It is also fitted with white gold regulating weights around its periphery, providing adequate oscillating inertia. By using low-density titanium, the weight of the balance wheel is kept in check, achieving an optimal mass-inertia ratio. Its hairspring has a uniquely flat and wide terminal curve which reduces its height while enhancing concentricity. A rounded, mirror-polished balance bridge secures the balance, and is flanked by De Bethune’s patented triple pare-chute shock absorber. It consists of an additional pair of springs that complement the conventional Incabloc shock protection for the balance staff, hence the triple moniker.

While De Bethune watches have always had an explosive artistic or mechanics-celebratory beauty, the DBD ‘Season 2’ deviates drastically and hews instead to a pleasantly austere, and even traditional aesthetic that offers a gripping contrast to the back of the watch, which reassures us of what it really is all about.

DBD Season 2

Tech Specs

DBD Season 2, Reference: DBDSB

Movement: Hand-wound DB2109V4, power reserve of 4 days
Functions: Jumping hours and minutes; instantaneous day, date and month
Case: 42.6mm by 9.4mm; Anthracite polished zirconium; water-resistant to 30m
Dial: Burgundy dial with “Côtes de Genève”
Strap: Textile and extra-supple alligator leather with matching lining; Anthracite polished zirconium buckle with burgundy grade 5 titanium pin
Availability: Limited to 13 pieces

The post De Bethune and Swizz Beatz Unveil the DBD ‘Season 2’ appeared first on Revolution Watch.

The True Story Behind the 40mm De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar That Became Grail Watch 6

Revolution — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 22:29:44 +0000

In 2022, when De Bethune relaunched their incredible DB25 Perpetual Calendar in an all-new case size of 40mm, collectors sat up and took notice as it made an already thoughtfully-designed grand complication watch even more well-proportioned for the wrist. Wei and Jeremiah discuss the genesis of this sea change in the DB25 Perpetual Calendar’s case dimensions that reflects the close relationship a brand can have with its most ardent supporters. Grail Watch 6 was borne out of this very relationship.

The standard 40mm DB25 Perpetual Calendar was put into production as a way to amortize the cost of the Grail Watch 6 project which we are calling “Rhapsody in Blue”. From the navy blue hand-guilloché dial showcasing the brand’s spherical moonphase to the various blued titanium components that constitute the technically brilliant caliber DB2324V2, this very special watch is a poetic expression of what makes De Bethune one of the greatest independent watchmakers of the modern era.

Grail Watch 6: De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar “Rhapsody in Blue” is a limited edition of five pieces priced at CHF130,000 each and has been fully committed. Due to the extremely limited nature of De Bethune’s annual production, we are unable to offer Grail Watch 6 in a more accessible edition but there are more Grail Watches coming through the pipeline so stay tuned!

The post The True Story Behind the 40mm De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar That Became Grail Watch 6 appeared first on Revolution Watch.

Up Close with Grail Watch 6: De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar “Rhapsody in Blue”

Revolution — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 22:05:08 +0000

Grail Watch is proud to present Grail Watch 6, a dream collaboration of magnificent proportions! We are extremely privileged to partner with independent watchmaker De Bethune to create a deep blue-dialled version of their gorgeous DB25 Perpetual Calendar in a reduced case size of 40mm, first introduced at Geneva Watch Days 2022. Our version is called “Rhapsody in Blue” as we think it perfectly encapsulates the aesthetic codes that represent master watchmaker Denis Flagoellet’s two-decade long pursuit of chronometry.

The DB25 has one of the most legible perpetual calendar designs on the market with every calendar indication laid out in beautiful symmetry. The days and months are displayed at opposing ends in easy-to-read apertures, juxtaposed by two subdials for the date indicator and De Bethune’s signature spherical moonphase in palladium and hand-blued steel. The “moon” rotates in a night sky disk made of blued titanium engraved with rose gold stars and a yellow gold pastille that indicates the leap year. The Roman hour indexes and minute track are relief-printed in silver on a blue ring that rests upon a central dial plate featuring 12 sectors of a radiating hand-guilloché pattern. The dial is simply a symphony of layers and textures, and the hand mirror-polished stainless steel hands only add to its high-contrast quality.

The refinement of the finishing extends to the caliber DB2324V2 at the back which is an exhibition of propriety innovations from De Bethune. The blued titanium free-sprung balance wheel is adjusted through white gold inertia weights with a flat hairspring that has a patented terminal curve geometry. The entire oscillator is protected from shocks by an ingenious triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system consisting of the balance pivot anti-shock spring and two stainless steel arms that act as shock-absorbers at both ends of the blued titanium balance bridge. Impact-dampening innovation can also be found in the blued titanium and platinum oscillating weight affixed by a central four-spoke housing that has tiny spring-feet which help absorb shock during an impact. The entire wheel train and twin barrels are secured by a ¾ movement plate decorated with a star motif, sandblasted and snailed by hand. All steel components are also chamfered and polished by hand. Finally, all that technological finery is housed in a mirror-polished Grade 5 titanium case with integrated skeletonized lugs, making it light on the wrist and incredibly wearable.

Grail Watch 6: De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar “Rhapsody in Blue” is a limited edition of five pieces priced at CHF130,000 each and has been fully committed. Keep an eye out for the next Grail Watch coming soon!

Follow GrailWatchOfficial and check out GrailWatch.com for the latest on Grail Watch 6.

The post Up Close with Grail Watch 6: De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar “Rhapsody in Blue” appeared first on Revolution Watch.

De Bethune Archives - Revolution Watch

Geneva Watch Days 2023: The De Bethune DB28XP Kind of Blue

Geneva Watch Days 2023: The De Bethune DB28XP Kind of Blue

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De Bethune Archives - Revolution Watch

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IMHO

Tech Specs

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De Bethune and Swizz Beatz Unveil the DBD ‘Season 2’

Tech Specs

DBD Season 2, Reference: DBDSB

The True Story Behind the 40mm De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar That Became Grail Watch 6

Up Close with Grail Watch 6: De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar “Rhapsody in Blue”