DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon

Last month at Geneva Watch Days, De Bethune unveiled the DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon. Limited Edition of only 10 pieces. De Bethune’s newest addition to the collection is the first DB28 Steel Wheels to feature a tourbillon. This time, the iconic delta-shaped bridge has been rendered in blue sapphire crystal, whilst the twin-barrels are displayed under clear sapphire crystal.

Evolution of De Bethune’s DB28

Eight years after Denis Flageollet founded De Bethune with David Zanetta, the brand unveiled the first DB28. Combining traditional watchmaking with a futuristic vision. The distinctive shape of the case and the crown at 12 o’clock, inspired by pocket watches, are characteristic features of the contemporary aestheticism specific to De Bethune. It is on this timepiece that the patent for De Bethune’s unique, innovative floating lugs, designed to significantly improve comfort, attracted the attention of the collecting community. Since then, the DB28 – named Best Watch of the Year and awarded the Aiguille d’Or prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in 2011 – has never ceased to represent the best of both traditional and avant-garde mechanical watchmaking.

After introducing numerous variants, De Bethune introduced the DB28 Steel Wheels in 2018, featuring an open dial, revealing the contemporary architecture of its movement within. Recognizable by its delta- shaped bridge – a De Bethune hallmark – and its moon at 6 o’clock, the DB28 Steel Wheels is all about levels of perception, layers and reliefs, light playing with shadows and reflections.

Replete With In-House Innovation 

The DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon features a 43mm (9.8mm thick) polished grade 5 titanium case, mounted on the new floating lugs unveiled this year. Entirely redesigned, harmonized and adapted to the spirit of the watch, they are tipped by the famous ‘bullets,’ more prominent here, reminiscent of the spirit of the first De Bethune collections. Housing the Calibre DB2019V5, a mechanical hand-wound movement with 5 days power reserve, titanium balance wheel with white gold inserts, optimised for temperature differences and air penetration (De Bethune Patent, 2016), “De Bethune” balance-spring with flat terminal curve (De Bethune Patent, 2006), Ultra-light De Bethune 30’’ tourbillon in titanium (De Bethune innovation, 2008) and a silicon escape wheel.

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