The De Bethune DB Kind of Grande Complication, is a dual-sided masterpiece that illustrates the technical and artistic excellence cultivated by Denis Flageollet and the team in L’Auberson. Eight complications in total united in a watch with two different dials and which is fully reversible. This new watch combines a perpetual calendar with month and date in apertures, date in a subdial, a spherical moon phase indication, retrograde age of the moon and leap years, ultra-light tourbillon in blued titanium, jumping seconds, a power reserve indicator, as well as the double display of hours and minutes enhanced by the Manufacture's signature starry sky.
By swiveling the case on its floating lugs, one can go from one signature De Bethune look with its starry sky in blued titanium to another iconic side with the De Bethune Delta bridge and a tourbillon. After many years of design and development at De Bethune, Denis Flageollet has finally brought to life the DB Kind of Grande Complication reference DBK2TV2. The dial with the perpetual calendar is enhanced by a three-dimensional moon phase display as well as by the Manufacture's signature starry sky.
Here in the blued mirror-polished titanium of the dial, the De Bethune Blue with its unique character takes the center stage with the hand decorated sky fitted with small white gold pins depicting the stars and adorned with Milky Way patterns produced by laser beam micro-milling and gilded with 24K gold leaf. Much like our observation of the sky, the moon phases can be read at 3 o'clock by means of a homogeneous sphere spinning on its axis and composed of two perfectly balanced half spheres in flamed-blued steel and mirror-polished palladium.
The leap year indicator is aligned to the left of the moon phase sphere at 3 o'clock and the subtle play of superimposed blues in the counter rings and apertures, along with the gilded juxtaposition of the day, month and date displays, blend seamlessly into the sky and the Milky Way without ever losing their legibility.
The case with its swiveling system —a feature introduced in 2021 by De Bethune— mounted on floating lugs, enables the case to pivot around its central axis in a smooth, accurate swiveling movement. More than 60 components are involved in are involved in positioning the dial on either side.
The rounded design of its classically inspired polished Grade 5 Titanium case —measuring 43.3 mm in diameter by 13.85 mm in thickness— shows the crown at 12 o'clock when the more modern delta bridge dial side is visible and at 6 o'clock when the more classic blued dial side is visible. Integrating each of the 751 components involved in its exterior and movement required much more thought than assembling the various complications separately. Rethinking the calibre as a functional thought than assembling the various complications separately.
Meanwhile, the more modern contemporary side displays the refined structure of Calibre DB2529 with its mirror-polished delta bridge, a 4-day power reserve indicator located between 8 and 9 o’clock, and a retrograde age of the moon indicator with a blued pointer over a silver-toned arch between 1 and 4 o’clock —this indicator helps in accurately setting the moon phase indicator on the other side. Lastly, taking the center stage at 6 o’clock is the ultra-light De Bethune tourbillon —one of the fastest and lightest in the market— composed of 63 components made of titanium and weighing a total of just 0.18 grams. Rounding out the design of this side are the blued hands with deadbeat seconds hand.
Producing such a Grand Complication model is fraught with perilous technical challenges, as each stage is crucial to the great ordeal of final assembly. Above and beyond technical knowledge and solid experience in the realm of Haute Horlogerie, requires values surpassing those of an ordinary workbench.
According to Denis Flageollet, Master Watchmaker and founder of De Bethune:
"My watchmakers are like top level athletes. To ensure that they don't fail in the final stretch and run the risk of compromising the integrity of the timepiece, they demonstrate extraordinary, imperturbable mental strength, along with extreme concentration and almost motionless posture.”
In the manner of a master sculpture or classical music concerto, the DB Kind of Grande Complication is a true composition. It captures the essence of the Maison and conveys through its very presence a universal emotion and energy that stems from the multiple attributes it harbors.
On the Wrist & Price
On the wrist, the DB Kind of Grande Complication wears true to its size and quite impressively. Putting a De Bethune on your wrist feels very special and thanks to its floating lugs system their watches have unparalleled ergonomics regardless of the thickness of this watch.
The smooth curves and ergonomic design of De Bethune watches ensure a snug fit that conforms effortlessly to the wrist, providing a luxurious feel like no other. This is by far one of the most incredible watches ever released by De Bethune and one that feels on the wrist as impressive as it looks in these pictures.
Sticker Price USD 475,000. For more info on De Bethune click here.
