De Bethune DB28 Dark Shadows Limited Edition
Geneva based luxury watch manufacture De Bethune unveils a matt black interpretation of its iconic DB28 timepiece which won the 2011 “Aiguille d’Or”, the highest distinction awarded by the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix.
The new version is available in a limited edition of 50 pieces.
Adorned with its famous crown at 12 o’clock, the DB28 which is known for the surprising lightness of its case and the comfort of its floating lugs – a patented system that adapts to the size of the wrist and its various movements – is as supple as ever, since the lightness of titanium is replaced by that of zirconium.
In its research on materials and new processes, De Bethune saw the choice to machine zirconium as a natural and sustainable alternative, both for its properties and its colour. The hardness of the metal, together with stable oxidation that is unaffected by daily changes in temperature, are twin assets that guarantee the resistance and durability of the exterior of a timepiece.
Despite the mirror-polished shiny look of its dial, the DB28 Dark Shadows nonetheless opts for a satin-brushed zirconium case creating an all-matt effect.
Its dial opens a window onto the movement, displaying a wealth of nuances including multiple ways in which the light plays across the material and its different finishes to reveal a variety of shades ranging from anthracite grey to intense black. A touch of ruthenium and hand-polished blackened steel accompany the sandblasted bridges and the refined elegance of Côtes de Genève reinterpreted by De Bethune.
The De Bethune DB28 watch is equipped with Calibre DB2115 which is endowed with the numerous technological innovations developed and produced within the Manufacture. Its precision is further consolidated by the self-regulating twin barrel and by the presence within the regulating organ of a silicon/palladium balance wheel and a balance-spring with a flat terminal curve, protected by the triple pare-chute system.
As one can see from careful observation of the sky, moon phases are read off on an exclusive display by means of a palladium and anthracite zirconium hand-polished steel sphere spinning on its axis and boasting a degree of precision equivalent to a mere one-day difference every 122 years.
Technical details
Model: De Bethune DB28 Dark Shadows Limited Edition, Ref. DB28ZC8
Edition
50-piece limited edition
Functions
Hours and minutes
Spherical moon-phase indication
Performance indication
Power-reserve indication
Movement
DB2115 calibre
Mechanical hand-wound movement
Diameter 30 mm
299 parts
Hand-crafted finishing and decoration
Black mirror-polished steel parts
Côtes De Bethune
Self-regulating twin barrel
Silicon/palladium balance wheel – balance-spring with flat terminal curve
Triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system
Spherical moon-phase indication accurate to a degree of one lunar day every 122 years
Silicon escape-wheel
Jewelling: 38 jewels
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 6 days
Case
Sandblasted anthracite zirconium, round shaped
Diameter: 42.60 mm
Thickness: 9.20 mm
Attachments: Short or long floating lugs in sandblasted anthracite zirconium
Glass: Sapphire crystal, 1800 Vickers hardness with double anti-reflective treatment
Crown: Screw-down at 12 o’clock – setting in 2 positions
Back: open – 6-day power-reserve indication – rose gold rack
Dial
Black, anthracite zirconium mirror-polished hours ring
Spherical hour-markers in black mirror-polished steel
Black steel parts
Black matt ruthenium
Côtes De Bethune
Performance-zone read-off between 2 and 3 o’clock
De Bethune spherical moon-phase indication in palladium and anthracite zirconium polished at 6 o’clock
Hands: Black polished steel
Strap
Extra-supple alligator leather strap with pin buckle
