The original DB28 offers an eloquent example of De Bethune’s approach to watchmaking.
De Bethune. De Bethune. De Bethune. De Bethune. De Bethune. De Bethune
DB28. DB28. DB28. DB28. DB28
Launch Year
2011
Functions
hours, minutes, performance indicator, power-reserve indicator on the back
Movement
mechanical manual-winding
Distinctive features
titanium case and floating lugs, 42.6mm diameter, Côtes de Bethune decoration, moon phases
In 2002 watchmaker Denis Flageollet and designer David Zanetta created a brand which they named after Chevalier De Bethune – a French nobleman who contributed to the development of horology during the Age of Enlightenment. Their motto - “Not doing more, but instead doing better” - applies on both technical and aesthetic levels. The DB28 watch, presented in 2011, is eminently representative of the art of watchmaking as practiced by De Bethune. Alongside the patented technical innovations that enhance the operation of its mechanical movement, it features several unmistakable signature traits.
The instantly recognizable pocket watch-type case with its 12 o’clock crown is linked to the strap by De Bethune’s innovative floating lugs, designed to ensure comfort on the wrist. A built-in spring enables them to adapt to the size of the wrist and react to its movements. They are available in two sizes – long and short – for optimal fit and, because they must be light, are made from titanium or, for some DB28 models since 2013, black zirconium.
DB28XP, 2020 ©De Béthune
The original DB28, which has no dial in the conventional sense, offers an eloquent example of the in-house approach to watchmaking. It reveals the patented balance-hairspring and triple pare-chute shock-absorbing device, the Delta-shaped bridges and the Côtes de Bethune decoration, a variation on Côtes de Genève which enhances radiance and draws the gaze towards the heart of the movement. It also features the exclusive moon-phase display in a specially allotted space at 6 o’clock. The 3D depiction of Earth’s satellite, inspired by a Leonardo da Vinci drawing, is composed of two hemispheres: one in palladium and the other in blued steel.
The blue of the moon, often picked up by the hands, testifies to the brand’s inherent subtlety. By means of a carefully applied flame-based treatment, steel takes on a distinctive shade that has become a hallmark of the brand. In the same vein, De Bethune has developed a technique for bluing titanium which it applies to cases, floating lugs and dials – as seen on the DB28 Skybridge, presented in 2013, whose dial imitates to perfection a star-studded sky. In parallel, De Bethune appeals to fans of black by playing with the equally sophisticated nuances that it achieves on zirconium.
The incomparable comfort of the DB28 is also available in versions featuring a tourbillon, digital display or chronograph, not to mention the feminine DB28 Jewellery watch or the sporty DB28 GS. Always innovating, in 2018 De Bethune imagined a skeleton version, the DB28 Steel Wheels in titanium, followed by the DB28 Yellow Tones in 2019. Confirming the brand’s expertise in heat-treating metals, grade 5 titanium is fired to the precise moment when it turns a golden yellow, visible on the case, dial and certain movement parts. Released in 2020, the DB28 Grand Sport Yellow Submarine showcases a new balance wheel along with five days of power reserve. Operated by a pusher, a miniature mechanical dynamo generates enough power to light up the display for several seconds. Three models marked the DB28’s 10th anniversary. One, a tourbillon, took this iconic model into new terrain, with its extra-slim profile.
Key Characteristics
- Floating lugs that hug the curve of the wrist and adapt to its movements
- Patented balance-hairspring and triple pare-chute shock absorption
- Palladium and blued steel spherical moon
