De Bethune X Louis Vuitton

An exceptional project

As part of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives — supporting a dedicated mentorship program that nurtures the next generation of watchmaking talent — De Bethune and Louis Vuitton unveil the LVDB-03 Louis Varius project: a contemporary reinterpretation of the 18th‑century Sympathique clock, paired with a travel‑inspired wristwatch derived from the iconic DB25 GMT Starry Varius.

A unique encounter between two men

“The first time I heard about Denis Flageollet I must admit, it left me very perplexed… It’s only after visiting De Bethune and seeing the extraordinary discipline and imagination behind every decision that I began to understand who he truly is: a modern-day Leonardo da Vinci.’’
Jean Arnault
Director of Louis Vuitton’s Watchmaking Division

Twelve Limited-Edition Timepieces for the Art of Travel

Crafted and assembled at the De Bethune Manufacture, the LVDB-03 GMT Louis Varius offers instant indication of local and home time via a multi-disc display and a rotating GMT day/night sphere. Its sophisticated DB2507LV calibre features the Sympathique function: placed in its cradle, the watch is automatically rewound and synchronized with the LVDB-03 Sympathique clock for optimal winding and timekeeping. Twin self-regulating barrels deliver a five-day power reserve.

A tasteful nod to the collaboration: “Louis cruises with Denis” is engraved on the caseback — a calligraphic dedication to this singular encounter.

A fusion of the two Maisons’ savoir-faire

A collaboration where technical precision and creative artistry meet at the heart of both Maisons. The LVDB-03 Louis Varius project unites De Bethune’s mastery of horological complications and aesthetic refinement with Louis Vuitton’s travel heritage.

The DB2507LV calibre with 6 De Bethune patents and innovations

Regulation is ensured by a blued-titanium balance wheel, manually poised with white-gold inserts and paired with a balance spring featuring a flat terminal curve for enhanced stability and precision. A silicon escape wheel, combined with De Bethune’s proprietary triple pare-chute shock-absorption system, further reinforces chronometric performance.

Manual poising of the blued‑titanium balance wheel with white‑gold inserts (De Bethune patent, 2016), performed by Ith within De Bethune’s Chronometry Atelier.

Embraced by De Bethune Blue

The LVDB-03 GMT Louis Varius brings together Louis Vuitton’s signature case-making — seen in the Tambour Taiko’s satin-brushed, sandblasted and polished finishes and its double-finished lugs — with De Bethune’s mastery of heat-blued titanium and star-studded dials.

The celestial surface is produced using an exclusive artisanal process developed at the De Bethune Manufacture. White-gold pins are individually set by hand into micro-perforations of varying sizes, creating depth and luminosity across the dial. The composition is further enriched by fine 24K gold leaves hand-applied by Élisabeth, a decorative artisan at the De Bethune ateliers.

Surrounding the dial, a spherical day-and-night indicator completes two full rotations every 24 hours, offering a continuous and intuitive reading of time across zones. Based on De Bethune’s patented spherical moon-phase construction, the indicator is crafted in 5N rose gold and flame-blued steel, its deep blue hue achieved using a traditional alcohol lamp.

Microsphere Day/night indicator in rose gold and blued steel using a decorative technique similar to that on the spherical moon phase – De Bethune Patent (2004)

The art of travel in titanium

Created for the LVDB-03 Louis Varius Project, two exceptional bespoke Louis Vuitton trunks were crafted by the Maison’s master artisans in Asnières. One is a monumental titanium Trophy Trunk designed to house the LVDB-03 Sympathique Louis Varius clock; the other is a dedicated titanium High Watchmaking trunk for the LVDB-03 GMT Louis Varius wristwatches — finished to the same exacting standards.

De Bethune signs the design with heat-blued titanium corner protectors, developed exclusively for this project, while palladium lozines, echoed in the lock, add a discreet, refined finish.