Hello, today I would like to talk about one of my favorite brands in the word of independent high-end watchmaking. It is the brand De Bethune, founded in 2002 by Denis Flageollet and David Zanetta. Before presenting their flagship novelty of 2024, let me take you on a journey with a brief retrospective of the brand.
De Bethune is an independent Swiss watch manufacturer located in L’Auberson, in the Jura Vaudois Alps. It is the result of a collaboration between an Italian collector and dealer of art and vintage watches and a fourth-generation French watchmaker. Denis Flageollet and David Zanetta first crossed paths while working at Techniques Horlogères Appliquées (THA), a manufacture that François-Paul Journe founded with Pascal Courteault in the late 1980s. Over the years, a desire for independence emerged. Naturally, David Zanetta proposed to Denis Flageollet to join him on a project named De Bethune, after a knight, a noble Frenchman of the 18th century and designer of revolutionary escapements.
The idea behind the project was to create watches that would allow people to discover the great history of watchmaking. Today, Denis Flageollet, co-founder of the brand and master watchmaker, along with CEO Pierre Jacques, steer the future of the company. The pure style, clean lines, and finesse of the cases are the unmistakable hallmark of De Bethune’s creations. With a lot of hard work and dedication, the brand has made a name for itself and now presents a piece that symbolizes the entire journey. Let’s discover this exceptional watch that features eight complications presented on two dials.
What are the features of the De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication ?
Case
The De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication features a grade 5 polished titanium double-sided reversible case. It symbolizes an unprecedented freedom of aesthetic expression while accommodating an impressive number of complications. Measuring 43.3 mm in diameter and 13.85 mm in thickness, this case is relatively thin given the number of complications.
This reversible construction, uncommon in watch cases, is made possible by a rotation system introduced in 2021, allowing the case to pivot smoothly around its central axis. Consequently, the crown is positioned at 12 o’clock on the recto side and at 6 o’clock on the verso side. I must specify that this timepiece remains very pleasant to wear with its signature floating lugs equipped with a pivoting system.
Dial
The De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication is adorned with a “Classic” dial and a “Contemporary” dial.
The “Classic” face, featuring an outer silver track with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes, reminds me of the “Starry Varius” design. The central dial is in blued and polished titanium, set with hand-mounted white gold pins representing stars, while the laser-micro-milled motifs are set with 24-carat gold leaves creating a Milky Way pattern.
On this display, there is a perpetual calendar with apertures for the day of the week and the month in gold relief, a sub-dial with the date in gold relief, and a leap year indicator. De Bethune’s spherical moon phase indicator is also on this side of the watch, always accurate to 122 years. This also means that De Bethune has slightly curved the Breguet hands to glide over the three-dimensional moon.
The more open “Contemporary” face houses the ultra-light 30-second titanium tourbillon, the retrograde age of the Moon, the end-of-power-reserve indication for the self-regulating twin-barrel movement with a 4-day power reserve, and the time. At the center of the dial is De Bethune’s iconic deltoid bridge, with its mirror-polished titanium surface supporting the asymmetrical gear trains. The brilliant bridge is topped with a smaller blued titanium deltoid structure for the minutes and the lightning seconds bridge. The coaxial titanium hands are also blued with open-tipped Breguet-style hour and minute hands and central lightning seconds hands. The seconds are relayed on the peripheral silvered railway track.
Movement
The De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication houses the DB2529, a manual-winding movement comprising no fewer than 751 components and displaying an encyclopedia of functions, including dual display of hours and minutes on both sides, jumping seconds, an ultra-light De Bethune 30″ titanium tourbillon, a spherical moon phase indicator, leap year indicator, perpetual calendar indicating the day, month, and date, end-of-power-reserve indicator, and age of the moon indicator. Equipped with a self-regulating twin-barrel, this high-frequency 5Hz movement ensures an impressive power reserve of 4 days and drives the ultra-light 30-second titanium tourbillon. Here, the crown allows winding of the watch and setting of the date and time, while the other complications are adjusted via correctors on the case.
Strap
The De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication comes with an extra-supple alligator leather strap with an alligator lining and a polished titanium pin buckle.
How much does the De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication?
The De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication will be produced in a maximum of 5 pieces per year at a price of CHF 400,000 (excluding VAT).
De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication: A watch with two atmosphere
The De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication is a masterpiece resulting from over two decades of innovation and craftsmanship. Imagined and crafted by Denis Flageollet and his team, this watch reflects the essence and know-how of the brand and represents the fulfillment of a young watchmaker’s dream. With its two contrasting faces, the DB Kind of Grande Complication offers a very refined, almost conservative vision on one side and a very futuristic vision on the other.
I believe that De Bethune has always remained true to itself, never trying to resemble another watch brand or taking a direction that was not part of its identity. I am sure this piece will find an audience of pure enthusiasts looking for a piece that reflects the brand’s perpetual innovation since its inception. I loved discovering this piece in the presence of Tiffany, whom I especially wanted to thank.
De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication – Watch Specifications
- Brand: De Bethune
- Reference: DBK2TV2
- Model: DB Kind of Grande Complication
- Case Material: Polished Grade 5 Titanium
- Dial: One side in mirror-polished grade 5 titanium; Classic reverse display in star-studded sky in blued and polished titanium with hand-fitted white gold pins depicting the stars, with a silvered and relief hour and minute ring
- Functions: Dual front and back display of Hours and Minutes, Jumping Seconds, Ultra-light De Bethune 30’’ Tourbillon in Titanium, Spherical Moon-phase Indication, Leap-Year indication, Perpetual Calendar Indicating Day, Month and Date, end of Power Reserve Indication, Age of the Moon Indication
- Movement: DB2529, Hand-wound, 36’000vph frequency (5Hz), 48 jewels and 751 parts
- Power Reserve: 4 Days
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Caseback: Sapphire
- Case Dimension: 43.3 mm (Diameter) × 13.85 mm (Thickness)
- Strap: Extra-supple alligator leather with Polished Grade 5 Titanium Pin buckle
- Availability : Limited Production of 5 Pieces per Year
- Retail Price: CHF 400’000 (Excluding VAT)
What do you think of this magnificent piece? The best piece of 2024? Tell me your thoughts in the comments.
For more information about De Bethune, click here.
