Travel Through Time And Space With The De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Rose Gold & Diamonds
When extreme refinement meets futuristic design techniques in a singular expression of contemporary watchmaking, elegance is the result.
First released in 2018 with a polished titanium case (read HERE), the 2020 versions of the De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius are presented in an elegant rose gold case and an astonishing rose gold case set with diamonds.
Earlier this year, in the middle of the lockdown in Switzerland, we had the opportunity to see these two marvels arrive at Watchonista for a dedicated photoshoot. And although we had to forego lifestyle shots to maintain social distancing, Watchonista photographer Pierre Vogel spent a few hours with the watches. The results are almost as impressive and valuable as the two new rose gold De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius timepieces.
Under Rose Gold and Diamonds Stars
An unmistakable aesthetic signature of the Starry Varius collection, is its golden Milky Way pattern set atop a blue dial which is not only a statement of De Bethune’s technical prowess but an inimitable beauty. Each Starry Varius is unique as each astronomical view presented on the dial is personalized, according to a specific geographical location on a precise date, whether in the past, present, or future. Then, the Milky Way pattern is gilded using traditional gold leaf techniques and enhanced with a micro-milling laser.
The polished titanium case of the first DB25 Starry Varius was a strong contrast to the blue dial and also a good complement to the Milky Way pattern. However, the new polished rose gold case along with its matching hands and hours markers seem to make the white gold pins of the Milky Way pattern shine like never before.
Once you set 273 diamonds into the rose gold case, the magical effect is only enhanced. The 1.33 carats shine in perfect symphony with the white gold Milky Way and deep blue sky of the Starry Varius.
Contemporary Classic Watchmaking
No matter how refined these new rose gold De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius pieces may be on the outside. Inside, De Bethune’s reinterpretation of horological fundamentals is quite advanced.
Viewable through the sapphire caseback, another kind of spectacle is on display. Powered by the in-house mechanical manual winding DB2105 caliber, oscillating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, onlookers will be surprised to see the titanium balance wheel attached to De Bethune’s patented triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system.
Along with a diameter of 42mm and open-worked lugs, the De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius in rose gold offers a particular horological hegemony over elegance, time, and the cosmos that is typical of the manufacture at L'Auberson.
The 2020 De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius with rose gold case is available for 65,000 CHF (excl. VAT and taxes), and the 2020 De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius with a diamond-set rose gold case is available for 80,000 CHF (excl. VAT and taxes).
(Photography by Pierre Vogel)