De Bethune – CURRENT DB28XP ‘Kind Of Blue’ Tourbillon Titanium Edition

De Bethune – CURRENT DB28XP ‘Kind Of Blue’ Tourbillon Titanium Limited Edition 2024

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

De Bethune is introducing the latest DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon. A limited edition of 20 pieces, born from the union of the elegant DB28XP and the captivating DB28 Kind of Blue Tourbillon. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

In his quest for an ultra-thin watch, Denis Flageollet envisioned the DB28XP as a fusion of technical and aesthetic challenges. It represents a delicate balance between intricacy and simplicity, requiring precise execution and a harmonious blend of design and limitations.

A natural evolution of excellence

The DB28XP Kind of Blue is the natural evolution of two iconic models from De Bethune: the DB28XP and the DB28 Kind of Blue. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

It embodies the best of both worlds by combining the sleek design and refinement of the DB28XP with a completely blue look, inspired by the DB28 Kind of Blue and bearing the Manufacture’s signature.

A captivating dial

Here, it’s all about levels of interpretation, reliefs, and the interplay of light with shadows and reflections. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO

Crafted from blued titanium, the watch reveals an architectural fusion of space, time, and light at first glance. Its deep and luminous blue is achieved through the natural oxidation of the material, making each watch a unique work of art.

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO  

The dial, entirely made of Microlight, reimagines and modernizes traditional guilloché technique. On its expansive flat surface, this technique gains new meaning and enhances the structure. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO

By playing with shadow and light, it adds depth and delivers a more architectural and dynamic result. The overall effect becomes more contemporary.

Ultra-thin according to De Bethune

De Bethune opened a chapter in the world of ultra-thin watches in 2020 with the launch of the DB28XP, celebrating ten years of mechanical and aesthetic research and work. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

In his pursuit of an ultra-thin timepiece, Denis Flageollet envisioned it as both a technical and aesthetic challenge—the complexity of slimness, an adventure that demands precision and harmony between design and constraints.

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

As if by fate, the De Bethune DB28XP has now become an embodiment of beauty, an elegance that epitomizes purity in its most absolute form.

De Bethune Tourbillon: Why So Small, So Light, So Fast?

In the expansive array of complications and functions that De Bethune has mastered, the tourbillon has often taken a leading role. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

A tourbillon equipped with an extraordinarily lightweight cage (0.18 gr., the lightest ever created) rotating every thirty seconds, comprising a total of 63 components (the lightest of which weighs less than 0.0001 gram!). Today, a wrist-worn watch experiences significantly more “torture” than a pocket watch. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO

Rapid and erratic wrist movements impose kinetic brutality on watch mechanics, warranting careful consideration. Just as Breguet invented the tourbillon to counteract the effects of Earth’s gravity and enhance the precision of marine watches, De Bethune sought ways to optimize it for today’s wristwatches.

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO  

The equation? To be more effective on a wrist subjected to quick and erratic movements, the tourbillon must have a higher frequency and a faster rotation speed. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO

By creating a tourbillon in titanium and silicon with a frequency of 36,000 vibrations/hour and an extraordinarily lightweight cage rotating every thirty seconds, describing the feat is easier than achieving it. Much like an airborne insect, a true exoskeleton maintains the entire structure. 

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

Thus, the De Bethune tourbillon, so small, so light, so fast, simply fulfills its function better for contemporary watches. The futuristic shape of the tourbillon bridge symmetrically and perfectly supports the tourbillon on both sides, keeping it in its position.

----------------------------------------------
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Collection  CURRENT

Name:  DB28 XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon  

Function: Hours, Minutes, 30’’ indicator via the ultra-light De Bethune tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock, power reserve on the back
Movement: DB2009v5
Type: Mechanical hand-wound movement
Adjustment: Winding and setting the time by means of the crown (2 positions)

 Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO  

 Reference: DB28XPTB

🔰Limited edition of 20 pieces

Case
     Case material: Blued polished grade 5 titanium with “microlight” case middle set with baguette sapphire
    Diameter: 43 mm
    Thickness: 9.1 mm
    Lugs: Blued polished grade 5 titanium floating lugs – De Bethune Patent (2006)
    Crystal: Sapphire (1,800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating
    Caseback: Screwed case back in blued polished titanium and open on a linear
power reserve indicator
    Sapphire (1,800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating
    Water-resistant to 30 meters (3 ATM)
Dial and hands
Display: Polished titanium hands
Dial: Titanium hour ring with blued microlight decoration and polished hour
markers.
Blued grade 5 circular satin titanium minutes and seconds ring
Bridge cover on the barrel and triangular central bridge in grade 5
blued polished titanium with blued drawn chamfered contour.
Milky Way patterns produced by laser beam micro milling, gilded with 24-carat gold leaf
Movement
    Caliber DB2009v5
    Mechanical hand-wound movement
    Adjustment: Winding and setting the time by means means of the crown (2 positions)
    Diameter: 30 mm
    Number of parts: 380
    Number of jewels: 40
    Frequency: 36,000 vibrations per hour
    Power reserve: 5 days, ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel – De Bethune Innovation (2004)
    Adornment: Hand-crafted finishing and decoration 
 Function
Hours, Minutes, 30’’ indicator via the ultra-light De Bethune tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock, power reserve on the back
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)
Strap and buckle
 Strap: Extra-supple alligator leather with alligator lining
Buckle: Blued grade 5 titanium buckle and pin

🔰Limited edition of 20 pieces

🔴Price: 296,830 EUR / US $ 297,750 💰

--------------------------------------
Press release -- Geneva 2024
--------------------------------------
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

-----------------------------------------------------
www.facebook.com - DeBethune
-------------------------------------------------------------
www.DeBethune.ch

Concepto Watch Factory – BUGATTI Tourbillon Edition

Concepto Watch Factory – BUGATTI Tourbillon 2024 - 2026

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

  CONCEPTO WATCH FACTORY,
PARTNER OF BUGATTI

Concepto Watch Factory, a Swiss watch company based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, announces a partnership with the prestigious French brand, as an exclusive supplier, developer, and producer of an extraordinary mechatronic instrument cluster, which will be equipped in Bugatti’s latest hyper sports car model, named “Tourbillon”.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO  

The Tourbillon that will be limited to 250 units. Image – Bugatti

This latest creation from the iconic French brand was presented at a world premiere on June 20th, 2024, to guests from all over the world at Château Saint-Jean in Molsheim.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO  

Based in Neuchâtel, Concepto has been recognized in the world of watchmaking for almost 20 years as a discreet “engine” manufacturer for several leading brands. Now the company is expanding to new outlets of expression by sharing its experience with the designers and engineers of the hyper sports car brand.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO     

“The team and I are proud of to have been able to interpret Mate Rimac and his team’s vision and make it a reality. We have been working together on the R&D for nearly 4 years and the fruits of our labor are now finally visible”  

Valérien Jaquet, CEO of Concepto Watch Factory.

Incomparable. BUGATTI

“Bugatti has been a pioneer of extraordinary mechanical and technological prowess since 1909. Each new hyper sports car model is developed with the approach that every single component must be incomparable, because it’s this attention to detail in every part that makes for an extraordinary whole. 

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

This leading motif obviously applies to our new Tourbillon model, both in terms of its engine and its aesthetics. The customer experience must always be unique, incomparable, and considered, down to the smallest details.” Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti-Rimac.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

  It’s here that the teams from Concepto Watch Factory could distinguish themselves by materializing a concept that seems contrary to current trends: designing and producing a mechatronic dashboard (combining mechanical and electronic parts) and uniting prestigious Swiss watchmaking mechanisms with the manufacturer’s superlative requirements.

Watchmaking and automobiles, the best of two worlds united again

The symbiotic relationship between watchmakers and automobile manufacturers has existed from the beginning of the 20th century. It started with collaborations on the development of instrument clusters and electromechanical instruments, followed by countless partnerships mainly relating to communication and marketing.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO

  The shared vision of Mate Rimac and Valérien Jaquet sparks an innovative reunification and marks a return to the fundamentals of excellence and pure mechanics.  

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO

The Tourbillon that will be limited to 250 units. Image – Bugatti 

 “When Mate Rimac contacted us, we immediately thought that we would be designing a simple timepiece in connection with the next model from Bugatti. However, we quickly realized that he wanted us to deliver an integral component of the hyper sports car model, with a creative approach combining the best of our two worlds, our two teams. A component with real, precise mechanical functions and that would not only have a purely decorative function.” Valérien Jaquet

Back to basics: Retrofuturistic and uncompromising specifications

Digital dashboards with high-definition displays are now found in every car. This equipment is now commonplace, with fully customizable displays that can connect to the driver’s mobile devices.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

An incomparable approach was proposed instead, with reference to the history of Bugatti and its close relation to exceptional mechanics.  

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO

The Tourbillon that will be limited to 250 units. Image – Bugatti 

 The assembly has three meters, nested in a “monobloc” aluminum casing which sits in the center of the steering wheel, giving the impression of being suspended above the steering column.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

Each meter has a spectacular look, made up of hand-decorated gears, visible below open-worked components, backlit numbers in 3D and dials made from various metals, comparable to the aesthetics of luxury Grandes Complications timepieces.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO

The driver can easily read all the important information from the hands, made with the same finishing as in high-end watchmaking and clearly visible thanks to ingenious lighting systems.

One vision, four years of development, eight engineers and project managers

Bugatti’s and Concepto’s engineering teams worked together to overcome all the constraints and demands of the sports car world, while still offering unlimited possibilities for personalization. The materials, finishes and decorations are presented and sealed under three sapphire-glasses.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

The center dial shows the speedometer with large numbers. The RPM counter is suspended in the middle and partially covers the rack for the coaxial hands, connected to micromotors and then to the electronic components, hidden under the main plate. 

A discreet digital display confirms the analog information from the hands in real-time.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO   

 The left dial is made up of three smaller subdials and shows the different gauges for the hybrid engine (battery charge and fuel status) as well as the temperature. Lastly, the right dial displays the electrical and thermal power.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 

--------------------------------------
Technical data summary

• Mechatronic dashboard with hybrid gauges – analog and digital – patented and developed by the Concepto Watch Factory teams in La Chaux-de-Fonds, with the support of local companies, all within a 30km radius.
• 100% of the mechanical components, micromotors and displays (except for the digital display) are produced in Switzerland.
• International automotive certification according to the highest standards and requirements.
• 4 years of development

====================================================

Concepto Watch Factory SA, “The silent partner”

Located in the heart of the Swiss Jura in La Chaux-de-Fonds, with over 20 years in its own 7,500m2 industrial building, Concepto is one of the rare independent manufacturers of watch movements, with verticalized manufacturing and specialized knowledge of Grandes Complications.

With a team of 160 highly qualified employees, the company’s workshops deliver on average 30,000 mechanical movements and timepieces each year, made for clients mainly composed of prestigious watch brands.

Concepto is now starting a new chapter in its history as a “silent partner”, by creating a service dedicated exclusively to the automotive sector.

“We had to consider all the necessary parameters to handle and meet the demands of the automotive sector. This required some adaptations to our procedures, which are now in the validation phase for an ISO 9001 certificate. As for our organizational changes, our expansion and renovation work that started in 2020 will soon be complete. This will allow us to allocate a nearly 500m2 area to workshops dedicated to our collaboration with Bugatti.”  Valérien Jaquet

===============   About Bugatti   ==================

Bugatti has been at the pinnacle of the automotive industry for 115 years, creating the world’s most groundbreaking automobiles from its home in Molsheim, France. Every vehicle created since the company was founded by Ettore Bugatti in 1909 is praised for its comfort, drivability, design and technology desired by automotive collectors from around the world. A Bugatti is more than a car, it is a timeless piece of automotive art.

With a reputation built in motorsport, and a history of the most innovative, beautiful and luxurious cars ever created, Bugatti continues to follow the vision of its founder: ‘If comparable, it is no longer Bugatti.’
Today, Bugatti is part of the Bugatti Rimac Group, led by CEO Mate Rimac, who is renowned for excellence in high-performance automotive electrification. With the same visionary genius as Ettore Bugatti, Rimac and the Bugatti team are developing the next generation of incomparable hyper sports cars, true to the founder’s vision, while simultaneously expanding Bugatti’s excellence beyond the automotive industry with luxury lifestyle collaborations and products.

=================================
Concepto Watch Factory SA
Rue du Collège 85
2301 La Chaux-de-Fonds
+41 32 911 19 19
info@conceptowatch.ch
----------------------------------------------------------- 

www.facebook.com - ConceptoWatchFactorySA
 ================================
www.ConceptoWatch.ch