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Encapsulating the memory and culture of De Bethune in an exceptional timepiece that illustrates the technical and artistic expertise and excellence cultivated in its L’Auberson workshops was the challenge taken up by Denis Flageollet and his high-flying team.
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The DB Kind of Grande Complication is the culmination of a young watchmaker's dream, as he gazed in wonder at double-sided grand complication models and already anticipated creating such a timepiece. After many years of design and development at De Bethune, Denis Flageollet has at last brought it to life by drawing on all the resources and philosophy of the Manufacture, which perpetuates the innovative spirit of the great classical watchmaking achievements characterising the Age of Enlightenment.
DB Kind of Grande Complication, a compendium of De Bethune techniques and innovation
The choice of a reversible double-sided case was entirely natural, since it not only unites a large number of complications, but also allows provides scope for free-spirited aesthetic expression through the dual display of the various functions. The case is also interesting in that it incorporates a rotation system (a novel feature introduced in 2021) mounted on floating lugs which – by means of an ingenious micro-mechanism – enable the case to pivot around its central axis in a smooth, accurate swivelling movement. More than 60 components – 50 of which relate to the water-resistant part and are therefore perfectly rustproof – are involved in positioning the dial on either side. A cam-operated indexing system ensures perfect alignment of the case with the floating lugs that follow the curves of the wrist.
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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 whole so that each complication interacts in perfect harmony is a technical feat that would be inconceivable without total technical mastery of all the innovations and patents involved in the Manufacture's 32 calibres.DB Kind of Grande Complication, reaffirming a powerful contemporary aesthetic
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A contemporary side displays the refined structure of Calibre DB2529, the end of the power reserve and the age of the Moon by means of a retrograde silver-toned indicator that facilitates accurate updating of the lunar day. It highlights the contrast between the hectic 36,000 vph pace of the De Bethune 30" tourbillon – one of the fastest and lightest on the market – and the ample, subdued beat of the slender mirror-polished steel hand marking off the seconds.
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An aesthetic symbol of the brand, the mirror-polished deltoid bridge supports the asymmetry of the gear trains featuring subtle decorations pushed to extremes on even the slimmest components. Each one, through its function and finishing, contributes to the calibre’s understated aesthetic and technical silence.
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Another classically restrained side features a dial with a perpetual calendar enhanced by a three dimensional moon-phase display as well as by the Manufacture's signature starry sky.
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Light is resolutely at the heart of the Maison’s creative process and reflected here in the blued mirror polished titanium of the dial, revealing through multiple shimmering effects the different tones endowing the De Bethune Blue with its unique character. The hand-decorated sky is hand-fitted with small white gold pins depicting the stars and adorned with Milky Way patterns produced by laser beam micro-milling and gilded with 24-carat gold leaf.
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Much like our observation of the sky, the moon phases can be read off at 3 o'clock by means of a homogeneous sphere spinning on its axis and composed of two perfectly balanced half-spheres in flame-blued steel and mirror-polished palladium. The reproduction of the different movements of this heavenly body is supported by a high-precision mechanism that takes a full 112 years to accumulate a one-day deviation.
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Faced with the volume required by such a sphere within the limited space of the watch, the technical solution introduced in 2004 was to gently bend the hands downwards to ensure they could glide smoothly over the Moon, a curved shape that would become one of the brand’s typical distinctive features.
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Like the leap-year indicator aligned at 3 o'clock, 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.
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The extremely fine opaline silvering of the hours and minutes ring, the soft lines borrowed from the hunter-type case, the graphic design of the numerals, the style of the hands and the starry sky are all cultural references to 18th century fine watchmaking, the age of the great regulators and marine chronometers.
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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, this exercise 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.”
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Collection CURRENT
Name: DB Kind of Grande Complication
Reference: DBK2TV2
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🔰Limited edition of 10 pieces
Case material: Polished grade 5 titanium
Diameter: 43.3 mm
Thickness: 13.85 mm
Lugs: Polished grade 5 titanium floating lugs, De Bethune Patent (2006)
With case turning mechanism that can be clearly positioned on the front or back side
Crown: at noon on the front side, at 6 o'clock on the reverse side, and integrated into the case
Crystal: Sapphire (1,800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating
Caseback: Screwed case back in blued grade 5 polished titanium that opens on a linear power reserve indicator
Crystal doubles-sides: In sapphire crystal (1800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating
Water-resistant to 30 meters (3 ATM)
Dial and hands
Dial:
Minute sub-dial, 30'' sub-dial and moon day sub-dial silvered and relief
Classic reverse side display
Display: Polished yellow gold hour, minute and date hands
Spherical moon phase and leap year indicator at 3 o'clock
Blue day and month discs with gold relief
Star-studded sky in blued and polished titanium with hand-fitted white gold pins depicting the stars
- Milky Way patterns produced by laser beam micro milling, gilded with 24-carat gold leaf
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Date sub-dial in blued sandblasted titanium with gold relief at 9 o'clock
Blue day and month discs with gold relief
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Caliber DB2529
Mechanical hand-wound movement
Adjustment: Winding and setting the time by means means of the crown (2 positions)
Diameter: 30 mm
Number of parts: 751
Number of jewels: 48
Frequency: 36,000 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 4 days, ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel – De Bethune Innovation (2004)
Adornment: Winding, setting the date and the time by means of the crown (3 positions)
Month, day of the week and spherical moon-phase adjustment via correctors on the case
Function
Dual front and back display of hours and minutes, jumping seconds, Ultra-light De Bethune 30’’ tourbillon in titanium,
Spherical moon-phase indication, leap-year indication, perpetual calendar indicating day,
month and date, end of power reserve indication, age of the moon indication
Specificities
Titanium balance 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)
Silicon escape wheel
Ultra-light De Bethune 30’’ tourbillon in titanium De Bethune Innovation (2008)
Spherical moon-phase indication accurate to a degree of one lunar day every 122 years – De Bethune Patent (2004)
Retrograde age of the moon indication De Bethune Innovation (2013)
Strap and buckle
Strap:Extra-supple alligator leather, alligator lining
Buckle: Pin buckle in polished grade 5 titanium
🔰Limited edition of 10 pieces
🔴Price: CHF 400,000 / US $ 455,500 💰
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Press release -- Geneva 2024
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De Bethune Geneva Office
25 Grand-Rue 1204 Geneva
Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 310 22 71
Fax: +41 22 310 33 40
Contact: mailto:press@debethune.com
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