An Extra-Flat Masterpiece: The New De Bethune Steel Wheel DB28XP

2022 Novelties

Fabrizio Bonvicino

DATE

15 May 2022

De Bethune’s ultra-flat watches

Since its foundation in the early 2000s, De Bethune’s motto has always been “not do more, but to do better”. This can be seen in all their creations, even in the most contemporary pieces, which have a lot to tell about pure watchmaking.

Creating an ultra-flat watch (hence the acronym XP for the reference, extra-plat), has always been a challenge, and it is even more so when you want to create such a complex architecture as the one you see in the photo above. . Several of the brand’s watches, such as the DB25, instead feature a thicker case, to house complications such as the GMT.

In 2010, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the famous DB28, 3 extra-plat watches were created: the “normal” DB28XP, the Starry Sky and the Tourbillon (with a guilloché dial to die for).

the three de bethune db28xp presented for the 10th anniversary

The first Steel Wheel models

The idea of this watch series is to create a skeletonized watch in its own way, without falling into deception in shapes and designs seen and revised in watchmaking. This squelette is so different from the others that we may hardly notice the movement behind the triangle that runs from 12 to 5 and 7 o’clock.

a macro of the dial of the first de bethune steel wheel of 2018

The style of the first Steel Wheel of 2018 is particularly reminiscent of the one made this year, with a similar guilloché decoration on the triangle placed on the dial. Unlike the new ultra-thin, it features a moon phase indication at 6 o’clock and a sapphire hand.

Also in 2020, with the advent of the 3 DB28XP models, a series of 10 pieces Steel Wheel Saphir Tourbillon also arrived, which we had the pleasure of seeing firsthand in Geneva. In this case we have a blue sapphire bow, which replaced the guilloché.

de bethune db28 steel wheel with a red linen background

The new De Bethune Steel Wheel DB28XP

With the newcomer we go back to basics again. The watch sports a case in pure De Bethune style, or rather, in pure DB28 style. A diameter of 43mm for the titanium case, with a thickness of just 7.2mm. If you need a yardstick, it’s thinner than a 5711 and 0.9mm thicker than a 15202.

In this case we have more of a “party in the front, business in the back” than the original saying. The guilloché finish that we mentioned in the first Steel Wheel is recreated with a more linear style. The moon phase is abandoned to make the escapement the real highlight on the dial.

a macro of the escapement on the de bethune db28xp steel wheel

The caliber of the watch

From the back, the caliber appears rather simple, with the power reserve indicator developing in an arc thanks to a gold arm and marking the charge remaining on blue notches (the last notch in a different color indicates that the watch needs to be charged).

the caliber of the de bethune db28xp steel wheel

The decision is always of a functional type for De Bethune, who despite having placed the spotlight on the dial, still gives us a particularly scenic architecture even in the back.

The mechanism is hand-wound with a 6-day power reserve, obtained thanks to the self-regulating double barrel, developed internally by the brand. When we talk about companies in making ultra-flat watches, we also talk about precision: the less space you have available and the more attention you have to pay in designing the mechanism. Thanks to the technologies developed by the brand, from the triple parachute to the flat end escapement, you can be sure that the watch will not disappoint you.