DB28xs, a family resemblance
The DB28 universe is both expanding and shrinking. The ever-eloquent Denis Flageollet, the watchmaking soul of De Bethune, has more than one trick up his sleeve. He has simultaneously extended the family of his flagship DB28 watch by adding two new models, while also reducing its diameter by introducing a 39mm Steel Wheels variation representing the brand’s smallest size.
The timepiece retains its original open architecture – a feature unique to the DB28 Steel Wheels within the De Bethune collection. The power of its design lies in the perfect balance between solid and hollowed-out surfaces. Just as in music, the strong beats are only perceptible because of the silence surrounding them, a subtle allusion to the Rolling Stones album (Steel Wheels, 1989, Polydor) that inspired the line’s evocative name.
The brand’s iconic deltoid bridge appears in a new “xs” format. The fusion of hemispherical, concave and spherical forms creates a bold design. It plays with light and shade, artfully accentuated by finishing and engraving variations, as well as the nuances inherent to the different materials used, such as titanium and the white gold of the inertia-block balance weights. While the DB28xs Steel Wheels even boasts a less than 39mm case diameter at 38.7 mm, this reduction has no impact on comfort, as it retains its floating titanium lugs designed to adapt to the curve of the wrist.
There have been numerous improvements to the movement, as the renowned Caliber 2115 is now in its V13 version, evidence of the continuous fine-tuning characterizing De Bethune’s approach to watchmaking. By way of example, this model has an appreciably intact six-day power reserve despite the almost 10% reduction in case diameter.
“There’s no point in working unless it’s to make progress” — Denis Flageollet
While the new DB28xs Sea Tourbillon bears a name naturally linking it to its predecessor, with “xs” once again denoting a 38.7mm-diameter case, the comparison ends there. While the Steel Wheels left its mechanics deliberately exposed, the Sea Tourbillon embraces a maritime theme.
The dial features a large expanse of blued titanium crisscrossed by waves rendered through random guilloché engraving. Unveiled in 2023 and unique to De Bethune, light filters through this technique, dancing from wave to wave. The striking, hyper-realistic effect is further accentuated by variations in finishes and materials. The Maison’s signature mirror-polished titanium aesthetic requires years of practice, sure-handed techniques and absolute precision. Lightweight and highly durable, it remains difficult to master, as it heats up quickly, marks easily and tolerates no shortcuts.
The movement itself remains one of De Bethune’s most iconic. A self-regulating double barrel ensures linear energy transfer. Its tourbillon features an ultralight frame, with its titanium structure acting as an exoskeleton. Weighing just 0.18 g and comprising 63 components, it enables the tourbillon to reach a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour and complete one revolution in 30 seconds.
“This exoskeleton not only offers the advantage of being much lighter than a three-pillar cage that is typically used for tourbillons, but it is also flexible enough to serve as a shock absorber.” — Denis Flageollet
A little closer to the stars
Beyond the waves, the vastness of the cosmos remains De Bethune’s other source of inspiration. This comes as no surprise, as watchmaking is the offspring of astronomy. This connection has been particularly evident for many years at the Manufacture, which has developed its own now instantly recognizable interpretation of the Milky Way and a starry sky.
After several polishing steps, the Manufacture’s artisans set each white gold pin into micro-perforations of varying sizes, thus bringing to life a poetic depiction of the above-mentioned starry sky. Following micro-engraving with a laser, the Milky Way gradually emerges as 24K gold leaf is applied.
This process serves as the backdrop for one of the purest perpetual calendars on the market. The day is displayed at 9 o’clock, contrasting with the month at 3 o’clock. The date is indicated by a dedicated pointer at 6 o’clock. The design is complemented by De Béthune’s signature depiction of the Moon at 12 o’clock: a palladium/blued steel sphere illustrates its phases, while a gold disk placed beneath it indicates the leap-year cycle.
“Our entirely in-house-crafted perpetual calendar stems from artisanal craftsmanship and countless hours at the workbench of which I am particularly proud.” — Denis Flageollet
The same lunar-inspired spirit guided the design of the LVDB-03 which reflects the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and De Bethune on a secret project launched in 2021 under the code name “Phase 3.” The goal was to unite the DNA of the two brands around the extraordinary revival of the “sympathique” clock as envisioned by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1795. This consisted of a watch (a pocket watch, at the time) that would rest at night on a clock that was more accurate than the watch itself. The watch would be automatically rewound and set to the correct time, enabling its owner to wake up to a timepiece that was accurate for the day ahead (the sympathique time-setting system was invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet, while the associated winding function was developed by his grandson, Louis-Clément Breguet, 30 years later). Only five clocks of this type were created during the great watchmaker’s lifetime.
The accompanying watch is a one-off variation on De Bethune’s iconic DB25 GMT Starry Varius model, while the sympathique clock was created specifically for the occasion. It comprises 763 components, a remontoir d’égalité and two barrels providing an impressive 11-day power reserve, operating at a sedate frequency of 18,000vph (2.5Hz, as in days of old). Both the watch and the clock epitomize the DNA of the two brands: Louis Vuitton and De Bethune. They feature the Parisian trunk-maker’s Tambour case and typography, as well as a very dainty “LV” formed by stars alongside the Milky Way on a polished and blued titanium dial.
The beating heart of the watch is De Bethune Caliber DB2507LV: a mechanical manual-winding movement endowed with a five-day power reserve. Crafted and assembled in De Bethune’s Sainte-Croix workshops, it combines advanced engineering with traditional craftsmanship; driving displays of the hours and minutes, a second time zone (GMT), a day/night indicator, as well as a jumping date – all functions that resonate particularly well with the Art of Travel so dear to Louis Vuitton.
“The first time I heard about Denis Flageollet, I must admit I was truly perplexed. It wasn’t until I visited the Manufacture De Bethune that I began to understand who he really is: a modern-day Leonardo da Vinci” — Jean Arnault, Watch Director, Louis Vuitton
