Our Take

Part of the brand’s commemoration for the DB28’s ten-year anniversary, we’ve witnessed the arrival of the “XP” (stands for extra-plat, “extra-thin” in French) – editions from the DB28XP Kind of Blue to the DB28XP Starry Sky as well as the DB28XP Steel Wheels. Part of the brand’s effort to bring historical De Bethune timepieces to the next level, another stunning example arrives with the all-new DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon.

Limited to 20 pieces, this watch represents the union of two legendary timepieces – the avant-garde DB28 Kind of Blue Tourbillon and the elegant profile of the DB28XP. The best of both worlds, the DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon is ultra-sleek in profile and design. With its Milky Way pattern, the dial is rich and textured with abundant heat-treated blue components. That said, the ultra-fast 30-second tourbillon at 6 o’clock takes center stage.

While De Bethune can be lauded for its futuristic design and superb finishing, it often flies below the radar for its excellence in creating tourbillon complications. In this timepiece, the tourbillon is equipped with an extraordinarily lightweight cage (0.18g, the lightest ever created), comprising a total of 63 components with the lightest weighing less than 0.0001g. In line with the brand’s efforts to bring horological creations into the 21st century, master watchmaker Denis Flageollet designed this complication to be more effective at combating the erratic movements of the wrist in everyday life. The ultra-fast, ultra-light, high frequency (36,000VPH) tourbillon is all in service of maintaining chronometric performance in the wristwatch.

Alongside the tourbillon, the DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon features many of the brand’s patented innovations to heighten overall chronometry – a balance spring with flat terminal curve as well as a titanium balance with white gold inserts to optimize for temperature differences. The manual-wind movement also sacrifices none of its 5-day power reserve, even with it’s “extra thin” status – a non-trivial feat in designing a caliber.

For the avid admirer of De Bethune creations, the DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon ticks many of the brand’s signature boxes – blued to the max, ultra-modern tourbillon, and sports the iconic floating lug system. This is another excellent addition to the catalog of one of the greats in modern independent watchmaking.

The Details

DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon

• Function: Hours, Minutes, 30’’ indicator via the ultra-light De Bethune tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock, power reserve on the back
• Movement: DB2009v5
• Type: Mechanical hand-wound movement
• Adjustment: Winding and setting the time by means of the crown (2 positions)

Technical features of calibre DB2009v5

• Number of parts: 380
• Jewelling: 40 jewels
• Diameter: 30 mm
• Power reserve: 5 days, ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel, De Bethune Innovation (2004)
• Specificities: 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
• Ultra-light De Bethune 30’’ tourbillon in titanium- De Bethune Innovation (2008)
• Frequency: 36,000 vibrations per hour
• Adornment: Hand-crafted finishing and decoration
• Display: Polished titanium hands
• Dial: Titanium hour ring with blued microlight decoration and polished hour markers.
• Blued grade 5 circular satin titanium minutes and seconds ring
• Bridge cover on the barrel and triangular central bridge in grade 5 blued polished titanium with blued drawn chamfered contour.
• Milky Way patterns produced by laser beam micro milling, gilded with 24-carat gold leaf

Case and strap

• Case material: Blued polished grade 5 titanium with “microlight” case middle
• Case diameter: 43 mm
• Case thickness: 9.1 mm
• Lugs: Blued polished grade 5 titanium floating lugs – De Bethune Patent (2006)
• Crystal: Sapphire (1,800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating
• Caseback: Screwed case back in blued polished titanium and open on a linear power reserve indicator
• Water resistance: 3 ATM
• Strap: Extra-supple alligator leather with alligator lining
• Buckle: Blued grade 5 titanium buckle and pin