Founded in 2002 by Denis Flageollet and David Zanetta, De Bethune reinvents watchmaking for the 21st century. Combining centuries-old horological craftsmanship with modern techniques and materials, the brand set out to renew a discipline long bound by tradition.
A tribute to the ChevalierDe Bethune
A French nobleman, naval officer and a leading figure in early watchmaking, he worked on precision – vital to navigation – and marked a turning point at the dawn of the Enlightenment. Curious and inventive, he helped develop mechanical processes and designed the escapement that bears his name, later adopted by master watchmakers such as Antoine Thiout and Julien Le Roy.
The heart of the mechanical arts
At an altitude of 1,120 metres, our manufacture is nestled on the rugged Jura plateau in L’Auberson, near Sainte‑Croix, in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Set amid forests and fields, it draws on centuries‑old craftsmanship: a tradition that reaches back to metal mining around 1450 and that, from the mid‑18th century, developed through art mechanics — music boxes, automata, gramophones and watchmaking. Names such as Hermes typewriters, Thorens phonographs and Bolex cameras testify to a local ecosystem where innovation, creativity and the skill of craftsmen continue to thrive.
A heritage of innovation
De Bethune draws on an exceptional watchmaking culture spanning several centuries and exploits today’s technical and scientific advances to explore new avenues in fields as varied as chronometry, materials and decoration, while adopting an innovative and free-spirited approach.
“The watchmaking tradition is innovation. Imagine what the great masters of the Enlightenment would do with today’s scientific and technical resources.”Denis FlageolletDe Bethune Founder and Master Watchmaker
“The watchmaking tradition is innovation. Imagine what the great masters of the Enlightenment would do with today’s scientific and technical resources.”
A Lasting Contribution
To create timepieces that bear deep significance and secure a distinguished place in the heritage of watchmaking, while making a direct contribution to chronometry.
De Bethune rethinks watchmaking to contribute to this long‑standing tradition by crafting timepieces that reflect contemporary life and embody a universal culture.
“It is by drawing inspiration from the masterpieces of the past without ever seeking to reproduce them that we push back the limits of technical and aesthetic creativity.”Denis Flageollet De Bethune Founder and Master Watchmaker
“It is by drawing inspiration from the masterpieces of the past without ever seeking to reproduce them that we push back the limits of technical and aesthetic creativity.”
31
Calibres
8
Patents
90
Collaborators
350
Pieces a year
21
World firsts
250
Unique pieces
For our company, independence is the ability to create without compromise.
With vertically integrated production, we combine expertise and craftsmanship to innovate while
staying true to our vision. This freedom, both material and spiritual, alloys us to develop unique designs and pioneering techniques, unbound by market trends.
90 employees, including watchmakers who joined us over 20 years ago, all bound by a working relationship that has become family.
“We all grow together and cultivate a true De Bethune expertise. The manufacture has become a veritable temple of knowledge, an ideal place for our work, where energies are in harmony.” DENIS FLAGEOLLET – De Bethune Founder and Master Watchmaker
“We all grow together and cultivate a true De Bethune expertise. The manufacture has become a veritable temple of knowledge, an ideal place for our work, where energies are in harmony.”
The watchmaking tradition of innovation is at the heart of the creative process at the Manufacture; it defines the state of mind of the craftsmen and the dynamics of the workshops. In addition to its production unit in L’Auberson, De Bethune has its own chronometry centre where its balance springs and balance wheels are developed, a Research and Development department, a laboratory, and a workshop dedicated to clocks and prototypes. To date, the brand has developed 8 patents and 31 calibres, 21 world firsts and more than 250 unique pieces.
With a production of just 350 timepieces per year. Exclusivity and custom craftsmanship are expressed at the highest level, with unique customization options like the starry sky.
“We put our heart and soul into every piece. It comes from our hands, crafted entirely by us from start to finish. It’s like creating our own child.” ALLAN, Grande Complication Watchmaker
“We put our heart and soul into every piece. It comes from our hands, crafted entirely by us from start to finish. It’s like creating our own child.”
Reliability is at the heart of our work. Each watchmaker is responsible for their movement, assembling it from start to finish. They carry both the responsibility and the pride of delivering a perfect timepiece.
“Whether they are builders, engineers, watchmakers or mechanics, they all give the best of themselves. They are top-level athletes” DENIS FLAGEOLLET – De Bethune Founder and Master Watchmaker
“Whether they are builders, engineers, watchmakers or mechanics, they all give the best of themselves. They are top-level athletes”
Aesthetic purity and technical precision are at the core of all our creations. Each De Bethune watch is born from a delicate balance between form and function—where neither exists without the other, and nothing is left to chance. Beyond mechanics, our timepieces are designed to evoke emotion.
De Bethune has received the highest distinctions awarded by the watch industry all over the world, including the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève “Aiguille d’Or” for the DB28.
GPHG
Men’s complication Watch Prize
2024
TEMPORIS
Watch of the Year Prize
LIFETIME
Collectible Brand Award
REVOLUTION
Calendar and Moon Phase Award
2022
“Best Complication” Prize
2021
Tourbillon Watch Prize
ROBB REPORT
“Best of the best” Award
CHRONOSCOPE TV
Best Custom Watch Award
THE SIAR
“Best Sport Watch” Prize
2019
“Chronometry” Prize
2018
“Best Design” Prize
2016
MPP
“Best Tourbillon Watch” Award
“Best Chronograph” Prize
2015
“Best Chronograph Watch” Prize
2014
SPIRAL MAGAZINE
“Best Design & Concept Watch” Prize
“Chronograph Prize”
“Reloj Cronografo” Prize
SALÓN INTERNACIONAL ALTA RELOJERÍA
“Marca en Ascensco” Prize
2013
“Best of the Best” Award
“Aiguille d’Or” and “Best Timepiece of the Year”
2011
“Best of the Best” Prize
2009
“Best Men’s Watch” Prize
2006
2005
Defining moments in our history
David Zanetta and Denis Flageollet found De Bethune in L’Auberson, a village near Sainte-Croix in the Swiss Jura. They create an R&D department which will become one of the most innovative in the entire Swiss watch industry.
Stemming from research undertaken on the balance-and-spring assembly, the balance is composed of three arms made of light metal (titanium) in the centre, complemented by four inertia weights made of a heavy metal (platinum). The balance-spring with its flat terminal curve serves to maintain a perfect centre of gravity – a major innovation in watchmaking since the invention of the Breguet hairspring.
De Bethune is the first manufacture to integrate a spherical moon phase into a wristwatch, a patented achievement.
A new innovation for De Bethune, which becomes the first to use the natural oxidation of titanium, on a star-studded sky dial that is a signature of the Maison.
De Bethune is not only the first to create a bridge symmetrically held on both sides, serving to maintain the balance-wheel perfectly in place, but also adds two shock-absorbers on either end, along with that of the balance-wheel itself. Hence the name triple pare-chute which, with its springs (instead of screws) mounted on perfectly polished arbors, effectively absorb and dampen violent impacts.
A De Bethune signature. Rarely copied and a by word for quality because they require a very special touch, Côtes De Bethune ensure an original vision of the movement, drawing the gaze towards the centre. Although the work is more meticulous, the result is a visual miracle, since Côtes De Bethune are symetrically arranged from the centre and serve to concentrate the light at the heart of the watch.
A new shape design for this titanium-platinum balance-wheel. Shaped like an X, it introduces new subtle adjustment features thanks to two dedicated screws connecting its two closest tips. The platinum inertia blocks are also improved by adopting a conical shape.
Creation of the DBS No 1 for the first edition of Only Watch, the charity auction organised under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco on behalf of research into muscular dystrophy.
De Bethune is the first watch Maison to equip its timepieces with a silicon balance-spring. Using a structure similar to the titanium-platinum thermocompensated balance-wheel created in 2005, the latter is replaced by silicon and coupled with a bimetallic brass and invar blade compensating for this innovative material’s sensitivity to temperature variations.
First use of a silicon balance-spring with an integrated flat terminal curve.
A patent is filed for the floating lugs that pivot from the case enabling them to adapt perfectly to all wrists and their various gestures.
De Bethune has reimagined the oscillating weight, traditionally heavy and prone to shocks that could weaken the ball bearings. With a pragmatic physical and mechanical approach, the brand has developed an innovative system of small springs arranged in a four-branch rosette around the bearings, absorbing shocks and preserving their integrity.
A system unique in the watch industry, enabling the wearer of the watch to adjust the winding to the quantity and the speed of his own movements.
The Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy organises its second auction in Monaco. To continue showing its support for this cause, De Bethune creates the DB24 equipped with a platinum bezel.
This new titanium-platinum balance-wheel features the same X-shaped arms, but the two screws are replaced by two gold inertia weights further enhancing the thermodynamic properties without impairing adjustment.
This world-first invention enables each owner to adjust the rate of his watch by simply pressing one of the two pushers on the back of the watch.
By introducing sapphire hands rimmed with flame-blued steel, De Bethune offers – for the very first time – a daring date read-off solution.
The new annular balance in silicon and platinum by De Bethune combines lightness and optimized inertia for enhanced precision. Its innovative design reduces friction and stabilizes oscillation, improving chronometric performance while embodying the Maison’s watchmaking excellence.
On this balance-wheel, platinum is replaced by palladium to optimise its operation, notably in terms of thermocompensation.
A new updated interpretation of the traditional guilloché technique: Microlight engraving. Applied to the dial, on a movement, to flat surfaces or raised edges, this technique effectively accentuates or reinforces a given structure or motif. By playing with light and shade effects, it adds a sense of depth and creates a more dynamic, architectural result, thereby ensuring a more contemporary effect.
To be more effective on the wrist with its fast, random movements, the tourbillon needs the highest frequency and rotation speed. After 2,5 years of research, De Bethune unveils the first tourbillon designed for wristwatches. Made up of 63 components and weighing just 0.18 grams, it is the lightest and fastest on the market, completing a full rotation every 30 seconds and beating at 36,000 vibrations/hour.
On the occasion of the third auction organized by Monaco, De Bethune presents the DBS, a unique watch convertible into a pocket watch or a wristwatch.
The balance-wheel is the object of continuous research at De Bethune and this new iteration has been successfully tested. Openworking the disc makes it lighter than ever and its palladium rim is replaced by white rim which is even simpler to machine and thus further enhances its aerodynamics.
Jumping seconds traditionally operate with their own gear train which implies more components and concerns for adjusting the parts to each other. De Bethune simplifies this mechanism by starting directly with the fourth wheel, and by adding an additional wheel driven by a balance-spring. Thanks to a twin lever, the hand of this jumping small seconds is “released” every second and can “jump” thanks to the stored energy.
A DB25L depicting the star-studded sky commemorating the founding of Monaco by François Grimaldi on January 8th 1297 is De Bethune contribution to this new edition of the famous charity auction organised under the patronage of the HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco on behalf of research on muscular dystrophy.
Breaking away from the balance and hairspring principle of 1675, Denis Flageollet began exploring new paths in horological résonique from 2011. This principle uses oscillators with mechanically driven high frequencies—up to 100 times faster than current frequencies—through vibrations without friction or wear. The research is so vast and unexplored that it is unpatentable.
De Bethune opens its first boutique at the heart of Geneva, on the Place de Longemalle.
In order to free up the dial centre and leave plenty of place for the décor, a new calibre has been developed to enable a peripheral display of the hours and minutes. The latter, thanks to the technical mastery and precision of the machining, sends the hands sweeping through the various decors as if by magic.
De Bethune unveils the first versions of the DB28 with cases and floating lugs in black zirconium. It’s the only metal that has natural black oxidation colour, a distinctive property that enhances the watch’s resistance and durability.
The DB28 Skybridge MC, depicting the night sky as seen from Monaco on November 19th 1857, the Monaco National Day, is sold at auction on behalf of the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy.
After seven years of research, the Maxichrono introduces De Bethune’s patented absolute clutch system, marking a technological breakthrough in chronographs. The system addresses issues of excessive friction, which disrupts movement precision and reliability in both chronograph and normal modes. De Bethune’s solution is an efficient, low-energy clutch mounted on a single arbor, simple to assemble and operate.
On the occasion of the De Bethune Princely Polo Cup held in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, De Bethune unveils the DB27 Polo and its exclusive use of blackened polished hardened steel as well as its dial protection ensuring optimal user-friendliness for polo players.
De Bethune celebrates ten years of commitment and support for the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy, by revisiting the DBS model of which the first version had been created in 2005 for the first edition of Only Watch.
The balance-wheel remains the object of ongoing research for De Bethune, which unveils a new titanium balance-wheel with white gold inlays. This construction serves to counteract the effects of temperature variations and ensures optimised aerodynamics to reduce air friction, a significant source of disturbance.
The star-studded sky is one of the iconic De Bethune signatures. By enriching it with the fascinating Milky Way, the Maison offers an enchanting vision of the latter’s nebulae, hand-crafted with meticulous patience exemplified in applying the 24K gold leaf.
For Only Watch 2017, De Bethune has taken aesthetic cues from the iconic architecture of the new Monaco Yacht Club designed by Foster & Partners in creating a titanium table clock combining mechanics, architecture and technology.
De Bethune releases its 26th self-winding calibre, equipping the new DB27 Titan Hawk V2 model.
De Bethune has developed an innovative mechanical lighting system that operates without electronics or batteries. Inspired by the dynamo principle, it is activated by a pusher that drives a gear powered by the double barrel, generating a slightly bluish-white light. Ensuring optimal readability even in complete darkness.
A master of thermal oxidation, De Bethune explores a warm hue for the first time, contrasting with its iconic blue. True to the colors of the four elements, the Maison unveils DB28 Yellow Tones, capturing the hypnotic magnificence of fire and opening a new chromatic dimension to its horological universe.
In support of the prestigious biennial Only Watch charity auction of unique timekeepers, two great independent names – De Bethune x Urwerk – join their creative energies in bringing forth a timepiece that arouses curiosity, focuses attention and touches the senses.
The Sky: De Bethune sees it bigger, deeper, wider, more experienceable… transcended. De Bethune presents the Dream Watch 6, a unique table clock designed in close collaboration with the Swiss artist Jörg Hysek who reinterprets De Bethune’s DNA with this creation whilst aspiring to a different vision of the world.
2020 : De Bethune Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the DB28. Drawing on the quintessence of the DB28’s DNA, De Bethune gives birth to three watches, all linked by an enduring bond. At once completely different and naturally complementary, together they tell the story of 10 years of intense work and research, of a mechanical and aesthetic quest. Opening a New Chapter in Substance: Ultra-Thin by De Bethune.
De Bethune presents a watch endowed with two faces. Two dials, two identities. A technical and aesthetic exercise that opens up a whole new field of research.
With the release of its 29th in-house calibre, De Bethune integrates the first-ever complication into the heart of an emblematic timepiece: the DB25 Starry Varius. The Manufacture is offering a travel watch at the very moment when life resumes its course.The little sister of the DB25 World Traveller introduced in 2016, this new GMT model accentuates the aesthetic appeal and undeniable character of this model.
De Bethune presents the Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon ‘Season 1,’ born from a challenge by American star Swizz Beatz. Crafted with sapphire crystal, titanium, and horological expertise, this exceptional timepiece combines technical sophistication and understated aesthetics. Only 10 pieces will be produced.
In support of the Only Watch biennial charity auction of unique timekeepers, De Bethune and Voutilainen, two beautiful independent manufactures have decided to join their strength and know-how while respecting this tradition of independence and keeping a common vision of watchmaking.
De Bethune and HG Timepiece are proud to announce their unique collaboration around the iconic hourglass by Marc Newson. It is a magical moment when two creative minds and art enthusiasts meet around their passion: Marc Newson, one of the most influential designers of his generation, and Denis Flageollet, one of the greatest living master watchmakers.
A first in the watch industry, De Bethune offers select customers the chance to wear a test watch equipped with sensors to track movements, positions, shocks, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. Two weeks of wear will provide the data needed for the De Bethune Chronometry Workshop in Switzerland to tailor the DB28GS Grand Bleu to the owner’s specific needs.
De Bethune takes great pride in announcing a majority investment in REUGE, the renowned producer of music automaton. Together, the two Sainte-Croix-based companies will expand their technical vocabulary, developing synergies to accelerate the renewal of art mechanics.
The DBD “Season 2” in collaboration with Swizz Beatz, blending beauty and virtuosity. With only 13 pieces made, its burgundy dial with a Côtes de Genève motif creates subtle light effects that harmonize with the wearer’s movements. The light anthracite zirconium case adds a modern, futuristic touch. Like the first DBD, it features an in-line triple calendar and digital time display with a hand-wound movement.
De Bethune unveils the DB28XS, a new interpretation of its iconic model, now in a smaller 38.7mm format. This new proportion preserves the collection’s DNA while introducing a reimagined elegance. A true artisanal signature, its dial features a random guilloché, a world first that makes each piece absolutely unique.
This creation embodies the quintessence of De Bethune’s watchmaking art, the fruit of twenty-two years of innovation and expertise. A veritable capsule of the House’s culture, it illustrates the technical and artistic excellence of the L’Auberson workshops. Denis Flageollet has realized his dream of a grand complication, double-sided watch that perpetuates the innovative spirit of classic watchmaking.
The Heritage Collection is making its grand debut with a world tour, showcasing 13 iconic pieces selected by Denis Flageollet. Illustrating the evolution of the brand since 2002, this rare collection embodies the fusion of tradition and innovation, reflecting De Bethune’s horological excellence.
The fourth monopusher in De Bethune’s history, continuing a lineage begun with the DB1 in 2002. Powered by the DB3000, the manufacture’s 31st calibre, it comes in a compact mirror polished grade 5 titanium case with a slim bezel, tapered open worked lugs and a coaxial chronograph pusher integrated into the crown. The silvered dial favours clarity and a refined, vintage inspired aesthetic.
25 exclusivelocations
De Bethune showcases its timepieces worldwide through 25 exclusive points of sale and dedicated lounges in Geneva, Hong Kong, and New York. These refined spaces offer clients immersive experiences to explore the brand’s horological masterpieces.
