De Bethune has always been preoccupied with a vaguely spacey, celestially inspired aesthetic, so it’s no surprise that their latest DB28 watches pay tribute to that most cosmic color, blue. The De Bethune DB28 Kind of Blue and DB28T Kind of Blue are the latest additions to the line, citing the color’s association with infinity and harmony as well as “plenitude” – the concept of being within and beyond itself. Anyway, it’s a beautiful and rich-looking color that is developed through heating and oxidation to get that De Bethune look.
The De Bethune DB28 Kind of Blue watch is made with a familiar grade 5 titanium case that is mounted on the familiar floating lugs seen in pieces like the DB28 GS. At 6 o’clock, you can see the moon phase made of steel and palladium which requires adjusting once every 122 years. On the case back, between 2 and 3o’clock, you’ll see the power reserve. Sized a little bit smaller than the previous DB28 watches, the case is 43mm wide and 9.3mm thick. It’s also got 30m of water resistance, so please refrain from any water sports with this thing.
The DB28 has the caliber DB2115 which features De Bethune’s pare-chute shock absorption system which has the heart of the movement in a separate bridge supported by springs. Other De Bethune patented features are the silicon annular balance that’s encircled by a white gold ring, and a balance spring with flat terminal curve. It operates at a frequency of 28,800 vph and gets 6 days of power reserve. The plate and bridge cover look great as they are adorned with the “Côtes De Bethune.”
The De Bethune DB28T Kind of Blue watch features the same case as the DB28 but features their 0.2-gram tourbillon that De Bethune says is the lightest in the world. It beats at 1/10th of a second and does a complete rotation in 30 seconds.. Like the BD28 it has a silicon balance wheel, but this one is encircled with a white gold ring. The visible DB2019 movement operates at 36,000 vph for a 5-day power reserve that’s ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel.
Like with most De Bethune watches, these “Kind of Blue” pieces will need to be seen in person to be fully understood or appreciated. Both come on a blue alligator strap, which is both obvious and appropriate. The De Bethune DB28 Kind Of Blue watch will have a run of 10 watches this year, each of which are priced at $150,000. There will be even fewer De Bethune DB28T Tourbillon Kind Of Blue watches, with 5 being made at a price of $250,000 each. debethune.ch