2012 De Bethune novelties, part 1: Beyond the SIHH
De Béthune Dream Watch IV
David Zanetta, the co-founder of De Bethune, declared during the brand’s victory at the Watchmaking grand prix of Geneva: “the future is quality, not quantity”.
At BaselWorld 2011, he had presented the DBM to me, an iPhone case including a De Bethune watch.
Heavy like a cobblestone, hardly adaptable for a possible iPhone 5, and likely to be stolen with the telephone.
I wasn't really convinced by this concept, by the assembly, and it was quite disappointing, given it is the finest watchmaker (CF De Bethune Manufacture Totale). David Zanetta had confided in me that he prepared his new secret weapon in the laboratory at La Chaux. Only 9 months later, De Bethune expanded the initial concept.
In this context, expansion means that the concept strongly, quickly and effectively improved across all its readings.
The well named Dream Watch IV is in fact a watch without a regular case.
Because the caliber is fitted in a functional casing, which can be inserted in three different titanium cases.
One wristwatch that revisits the mobile lugs of the fabulous DB28, one pocket watch for the 3 piece suit lovers, but also and especially an iPhone case designed as a spaceship, reminding us of Star Trek’s logo.
Hence, if you go into a red-light district, you can remove the watch and wear it on your wrist, or opt for the discretion by a metamorphosis into a chained pocket watch. You just bought the iPhone 5? No problem, you can wear the watch on your wrist while waiting for the new case. Of course, the set is provided with a superb cover featuring a stylized solar system.
The dial is as exceptional and as innovative as the cases are, in that it revisits the design of the DB25 Only Watch (the the charity auction held at Monaco). The titanium dial is blued by heating to 700°C. The optimal heating time is about half a second. It takes dozens of attempts to make the central inset, what hell!
Each blue is unique, and the map of the sky is totally customizable according to your wishes, by reproducing the firmament at a given date and location.
Oh, and by the way, the hour is displayed through a double rotary disk located at 6 o’clock.
The manual winding caliber is to be conjugated at the future pluperfect, it features a silicon and platinum balance-spring in order to enhance the high-inertia (hence a better chronometry despite the shocks), a triple drop-guard and a power reserve limited to 5 days for optimal precision.
At 120.000€, the final price of the set may seem high, but actually it is quite cheap, considering the plethora of finishes, of concepts and of patents.
De Béthune DB25M
The genesis of this DB25M ("M" for Maya), begins with the special order from a South American customer: a unique watch dedicated to the Mayan mythology.
Here, the 9th step of the cosmic BolonYokte Ku pyramid means the advent of the 9th underworld; the central glyph depicts the Baktun, the 144,000 days period (394 years).
The dial is made of gold, etched by Michele Rothen, engraver at the Locle; the execution is spectacular.
It is a fantastic tribute paid to the pre-Colombian civilizations, an invitation to dream, a voyage in an Uncle Scrooge magazine by Don Rosa/Carl Barks. In the same way as on the DB25 "Ciel étoilé", the light totally changes the look of the watch, and every time the light's incidence changes, you have the impression of wearing a different watch.
You will notice the blued indexes that display the hour with Mayan numbers: a dot corresponds to one unit and a dash means five units. I was never a fan of the transparent hands from DB (first seen on the DB26), but in this case their purpose is totally different, as they make the fantastic central Glyph visible.
Regarding the movement, it is the "usual" De Bethune caliber, which benefits from the magnificent balance (my favorite), made of titanium (for the frame) and platinum (for the weights); the balance spring is made of silicon, as usual at DB. The 44mm*12.5mm watch case is made of white gold. On the wrist, the watch looks very flat, thanks to the dial's very large aperture.
In order to satisfy the requests, the De Bethune team decided to produce a limited edition of 12 copies for 2012, each of them featuring a unique dial! The spoiled brats benefit from a financial parachute, when Sonny f…ks about, dad's money comes to the rescue, while the poor man's son ends up in the slammer.
At De Bethune, it is quite the same, there is a "Know-How" parachute; even in the most common mass market thematic, or even the cheesiest, De Bethune's know-how comes to the rescue: despite an overexploited thematic, the final pieces always feature a level of finishes bordering on Art.
Variations on the DB28:
The watch that symbolizes the new commercial blooming of De Bethune, initiated by Pierre Jacques, is of course the DB28; the watch, completed in 2010, was presented at the beginning of 2011, when Pierre got into the business.
Yet, this DB28 just generated two new variations:
The DB28 "aiguilles d'or", to commemorate the De Bethune's victory at the "Grand prix d’horlogerie de Genève".
It features a gold hand inserted in the hand of the minutes, and a retrograde power reserve indicator on the back of the watch.
The DB28Zr (?), where the "Zr" refers to the blackened zirconium of its mobile lugs; this material was selected because it is the hardest of the "black" metals….
You will notice the internal bezel's "crenellations", which remind us of the DB24vetrois' bezel.
Just one point regarding these novelties, presented at the "Wonder Week": it is just a pre-starter before BaselWorld ;).
