De Bethune is proud to announce the beginning of the Heritage Collection Tour, a unique exhibition showcasing 13 exceptional historical timepieces curated by the De Bethune‘s founder and master watchmaker, Denis Flageollet. After a successful inauguration in Geneva in August 2024, this prestigious collection will now embark on a global tour, making its first stop in Shanghai from September 30th to October 2nd, followed by Hong Kong from October 22nd to 25th, before heading to the United States in November 2024.
This exhibition offers visitors for the very first time, a rare opportunity to witness De Bethune’s most important achievements and technical advancements, representing over two decades of pioneering work in the 21st-century horology. The Heritage Collection showcases a remarkable blend of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge innovation, emphasizing De Bethune’s relentless pursuit of chronometric precision and aesthetic perfection. A rare opportunity to discover De Bethune’s most iconic achievements, such as the DB1, the brand’s very first timepiece, launched in 2002. This monopusher chronograph reflects a classical design inspired by the 1920s, with elegant blue accents and hand-decorated guilloché, setting De Bethune’s aesthetic direction.
Another significant piece is the DB15 Perpetual Calendar introducing Denis Flageollet’s first De Bethune calibre. This watch featured a perpetual calendar and a large spherical moon-phase indicator at 12 o’clock, inspired by astronomical clocks. The moon phase, displayed by a platinum and blued steel sphere against a starry sky, boasts remarkable accuracy, deviating only one day in 122 years. The curved blued steel hands glide over the sphere, a signature De Bethune design. The DB15 marked a major technical milestone for De Bethune, blending tradition with innovation.
Also among the standout innovations is the DB28, winner of the prestigious “Aiguille d’Or” at the 2011 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. This model combines contemporary design featuring a lightweight titanium case. Equipped with De Bethune Calibre 2115, it incorporates a silicon/palladium balance-wheel and the triple pare-chute system. Its moon phase display, accurate to within one day every 122 years, highlights the watch’s precision and technical prowess. The DB28 characterizes De Bethune’s blend of style, innovation, and watchmaking heritage.
The Heritage Collection Exhibition invites watch enthusiasts, collectors, and lovers of fine craftsmanship to delve into De Bethune‘s history and its groundbreaking contributions to the world of Haute Horlogerie. The models on display reflect the brand’s deep-rooted legacy and influence within the Swiss watchmaking landscape. Reflecting on the significance of this collection, Denis Flageollet shares:
“The Heritage Collection holds a special place within the De Bethune manufacture, representing significant milestones in our journey of horological innovation. Each timepiece in this collection is a testament to our dedication to the art of watchmaking, showcasing the advanced techniques and craftsmanship that define the manufacture.”
About De Bethune
Located in L’Auberson, in the Canton of Vaud, the De Bethune watch Manufacture is above all a research and development facility, an atelier working with cutting-edge technologies, albeit in the spirit of the great 18th century master-watchmakers. This naturally involves designing and crafting all components individually, while paying meticulous attention to even the slightest details. Not doing more, but instead doing better; drawing inspiration from the past and perpetually reinventing it; building bridges with all fields of knowledge: such are the principles driving the elaboration of De Bethune’s mechanisms and artistic criteria. The quest for perfection and beauty guides the work of the master-watchmakers as they patiently craft exceptional timepieces. The pure style, taut lines and slenderness of the cases represent the inimitable hallmark of De Bethune creations.