Historically, the first watchmakers naturally represented the moon as it appears in the sky – meaning like a sphere. As time went by, the principle of these moons was abandoned in favour of an option that takes up less space in a watch movement: namely flat depictions.

Based on the observation that the latter are visually inaccurate, De Bethune was the first watchmaker who nurtured a desire to create the first ever wristwatch movement incorporating a spherical moon. Breaking free of all constraints, Denis Flageollet, Master Watchmaker and founder of De Bethune, managed to design a calibre capable of accommodating a three-dimensional moon that appears to be literally levitating above its star-studded sky. So as to reproduce its dark side, he came up with the idea of making it from two steel and palladium hemispheres, cut, assembled and polished before being placed on a bed of brass filings and exposed to the flame of a spirit lamp.

Heat then works its magic spell, as steel turns into a blue oxide, while the palladium remains intact. The assembled sphere can then spin on its axis so as to accurately reproduce the different movements of the heavenly body as observed in the sky. Its driving mechanism is calculated with such accuracy that a full 122 years will elapse before it accumulates a one-day discrepancy.

It all began with a simple question: was it possible to further improve the comfort and the ergonomics of a wristwatch? In replacing traditional lugs by a patented principle of floating lugs pivoting from the central axis of the watch, De Bethune invented a simple and effective solution that frees the timepiece from fixed lugs. It thereby sits naturally on the wrist; the strap flows more smoothly; the crown thus positioned at 12 o’clock avoids the crease of the wrist; and the flat caseback is no longer an issue – all of which ensures incomparable comfort.

The heavenly vault has become a recurrent theme in creations by the Maison, and particularly in the DB25 collection. It embodies an obsessive quest to depict the most beautiful sky in the finest possible way; to capture and preserve this emotion by miniaturising it to wristworn size; as well as to know that it is unique because one never performs the same manual operation twice. 

To ensure that each sky is different, De Bethune clients can choose the constellation they prefer to have appear on a mirror-polished blued titanium dial that will be studded with a whole host of tiny gold pins individually driven in to recreate the magic of the stars. Hand-guided laser engraved then enriches the sky with a multitude of smaller stars. To complete the process and further accentuate the visual effect, 24K gold brings an added glow resembling that of a nebula. The result is truly enchanting.

While watchmakers tended to use oxidation to avoid corrosion (blued steel avoids rust), the technique is now often used to lend a colourful touch to materials. Such is the case with black oxidation of zirconium, which is one of the “natural” oxidation processes favoured by De Bethune. This choice ensures more beautiful shades more like pigments. The black is deeper with subtle shades. Natural oxidation provides a heightened sense of the materials, its state and its nature. It also durably guarantees the resistance and durability of the watch exterior. 

It takes desire and momentum to drive excellence forward in every area. Mirror polishing is about playing with light. The surface of the part is patiently polished until it does indeed resemble a mirror, with the metal perfectly reflecting the light. It can take up to three hours of polishing to achieve this result. Matter settles, atoms fall into place in a magical moment. In working deftly with diamond paste on a boxwood grinding wheel, a certain feeling, a subtle perception or a moment of absolute precision is enough to understand if one has gone too far. All this stems from the smooth interaction between brain, eye and hand. It’s a question of expertise.