Make no mistake about it : the most affordable De Bethune in the collection has all the qualities to which the brand has accustomed the most demanding collectors, starting with a breathtaking aesthetic appeal and patented technical features. The most immediately visible are the short floating lugs in titanium framing the case in mirror-polished grade 5 titanium and which are immediately identifiable and greatly appreciated by devotees of Fine Watchmaking*. Their springs enable them to softly mould the wrist shape and its movements. Three other patents registered by the Manufacture De Bethune accentuate the extremely rich horological content of the DB27 : a self-regulating twin barrel ensuring a six-day power reserve ; an ultra-light silicon and white gold balance wheel with a flat terminal curve delivering an ideal inertia/mass ratio ; and a triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system serving to reduce potential disturbances due to impacts to a minimum and to protect the balance-spring pivots.

The only manufacturer to have acquired such supreme mastery of mirror polishing on a grade 5 titanium case, De Bethune confronts wearers of this mechanical gem with a very real dilemma, since this subtle aesthetic feature is also applied to the solid back of the DB27, bearing a sculpted almond shape opening onto the balance wheel of the self-winding Calibre S233. This elegant and original overall effect evokes a work of modern art and vies with the fascination of the front of the timepiece. The play of superimposed geometrical shapes on the concentric silver-toned Microlight dial cannot fail to appeal, while the distinctive shapes of the blued steel hands draw the gaze as they sweep over the series of numerals : Roman for the chapter ring, and Arabic for the minute circle and the central calendar display. The crown at 12 o’clock sets the finishing touch to the inimitable and truly remarkable DB27, a sporty, high-tech model designed both for demanding connoisseurs and for a young generation of wearers eager to adopt the De Bethune genetic imprint. It also reflects the influence of Pierre Jaques, who was appointed as CEO last year by the brand founders, David Zanetta and Denis Flageollet. From now on, we’d better be prepared for De Bethune to the power of three.