De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas

De Bethune presents DB28xs Starry Seas, a brand new wristwatch inspired by Wabi-Sabi, the Japanese aesthetic concept.

This 38.7 mm diameter titanium watch has a beautiful blue dial enhanced with random guilloché: a world’s first. Featuring a significantly smaller diameter than previous DB28 models, it retains De Bethune’s unique and characteristic design.

With its random guilloche pattern creating a dial featuring a blued titanium wave reflecting a starry sky, the DB28xs Starry Seas offers us one of the three principles of Wabi-Sabi: the beauty of imperfect things that are impermanent and incomplete.

The blue color is a symbolic reference to skies and seas as well as to its entire universe of wisdom and serenity. It is also an emblematic shade of De Bethune mechanisms.

Through its small size and the sobriety of its silver-toned chapter-ring and movement, the second principle of Wabi-Sabi pervading it is the beauty of modest and simple things. Or at least apparently simple, for in the ultra-technical world of miniaturisation, this watch is a technical feat notably involving the extreme miniaturisation of the DB28’s patented ‘floating lugs’ system.

Finally, the result is a different, singular watch embodying the third definition of Wabi-Sabi: the beauty of atypical things.

Inside the DB28xs Starry Seas beats the De Bethune Calibre DB2005. This hand-wound mechanical movement has been miniaturised without losing its chronometric quality. Equipped with a self-regulating twin barrel, it offers a power reserve of six days. The increased lightness of the watch endows it with better efficiency in case of impacts and acceleration.

Technical details

Model: De Bethune DB28xs Starry Seas
Reference: DB28XsTIS3

Movement
De Bethune Calibre DB2005
Mechanical hand-wound movement
Adjustment: Winding and setting the time by means of the crown (2 positions)
Number of parts: 160
Jewelling: 27 jewels
Diameter: 30 mm
Power reserve: 6 days, ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel – De Bethune Innovation (2004)
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
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations/hour
Adornment: Hand-crafted finishing and decoration

Functions
Hours, Minutes

Dial
Silver-plated hours and minutes ring with transferred Arabic numerals
Random guilloché blued titanium dial (world’s first)
Starry sky with white gold stars
Polished titanium hands

Case
Polished grade 5 titanium case
Diameter: 38.7 mm
Thickness: 7.4 mm
Lugs: Polished grade 5 titanium floating lugs – De Bethune Patent (2006)
Crystal: Sapphire with double anti-reflective coating
Caseback: Sapphire with double anti-reflective coating
Engraved ring in blued circular satin-finish titanium
Titanium plate with “microlight” decoration
Water resistance: 3 ATM

Strap
Extra-supple alligator leather with alligator lining
Buckle: Grade 5 titanium buckle and pin