Reflections by Night, Beneath the Stars
De Bethune expresses a contemporary aesthetic, alive with glints of light, riffing on its own codes while drawing its inspiration from nature.
The dial of the DB25 Digitale is a meticulous study in evoking the delicate imagery of a nocturnal scene beneath the stars. The layered, refined finishes recall the reflections of a tranquil river in the moonlight.
Eighty-two elements combine to create this contemplative tableau. Every detail, from the starlit sky to the guillochage, contributes to its sense of serenity and wonder. The barleycorn motif evokes the language of classical watchmaking, while the random guilloché on blued titanium introduces a distinctly contemporary expression.
Legibility and Contemplation
This multifaceted display — digital for the jumping hours, analogue for the minutes, spherical for the moon phase — frees the watch from hands and hour markers, giving full expression to a richly considered work of aesthetic composition.
"To break free from the traditional codes of telling the time is to open up a space for creation: working deep into the material, exploring finishes, playing with light, until almost painting-like harmony emerges. Time is no longer something to register – it becomes something you contemplate."
– Denis Flageollet, Co-Founder of De Bethune and Master Watchmaker
The dial’s concentric architecture is anchored by the spherical moon at its centre. Its two polished hemispheres — one in palladium, the other in flame-blued steel —indicate the moon phase with an accuracy to within one lunar day every 1,112 years.
The way the materials are worked, together with the various heat treatments applied to the titanium, produces a deep gradient of blue that underpins the technical complexity of the piece.
Beneath this serene display lies a sophisticated micro ball-bearing system that drives both the jumping-hour display and the rotating minute disc.
Performance and Precision of the 3rd Generation DB2144 Calibre
The sapphire exhibition case-back reveals the latest evolution of an in-house De Bethune movement. For the first time, the Maison’s random guilloché motif extends onto the deltoid bridge, creating a visual dialogue between dial and movement. Through this window, a number of patents and innovations on the Calibre DB2144V3 come into view — among them the self-regulating twin barrel, the latest titanium-and-grey-gold balance wheel, the De Bethune balance spring with its flat terminal curve, and the triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system.
A De Bethune Signature
Crafted from grade 5 titanium for lightness, the DB25 Digitale’s 42 mm case. is mirror-polished, with a discreet bezel that leaves the dial to take centre stage. The slender, openworked and rounded lugs, with their hallmark ‘bullet’ aesthetic, accentuate the case’s sloping geometry — a design that underlines the roundness of the piece and hugs the wrist.
Paired with an extra-supple, dark blue, lined alligator strap and a matching polished titanium pin buckle, the DB25 Digitale joins the Maison’s signature DB25 collection.
