The De Bethune DB28xs Yellow Tones ref. DB28XSY revisits its emblematic DB28 in a newly balanced format, reworking lines and volumes around the slimmer 3939 mm concept while delivering this reference a 38.7 mm to preserve proportion, legibility and comfort. The Manufacture’s yellow “fire” treatment is achieved by individually thermally oxidising titanium and steels by material, shape and mass. This creates a cohesive, warm palette without sacrificing the clarity of the time display. Denis Flageollet’s pursuit of light as a construct is explicit here, with “lines, volumes and surface finishes” chosen to control reflections across mirror‑polished and microlight‑engraved planes.
The dial is conceived as an openworked composition that privileges function, with a circular satin‑finished titanium hours and minutes ring framing yellow polished titanium hour markers and hands for a unified, legible read‑off. A yellow titanium barrel bridge with De Bethune’s signature microlight decoration anchors the centre, its sandblasted surfaces and polished, chamfered contours playing against the mirror‑polished elements to manage contrast within the single hue. The base is executed in yellow polished titanium, allowing the layered architecture to reflect light in controlled gradients so the tone‑on‑tone aesthetic remains precise on the wrist.
Calibre DB2115V14 is a hand‑wound engine comprising 244 components and36 jewels, with a 30 mm diameter and a frequency of 4Hz, finishing detailed as hand‑crafted throughout. Power is stored in a self‑regulating twin barrel for 6 days of autonomy, with low‑energy optimisation raising reserve by a figure exceeding 20% and a linear indication presented on the back. Regulation is underwritten by De Bethune’s titanium balance with white gold inserts is optimised for temperature variation and air penetration, and the proprietary balance spring with flat terminal curve, working with a silicon escape wheel for efficient impulse. Shock management relies on the triple pare‑chute system protecting the regulating organ, rounding off a suite of patented and in‑house innovations that define the calibre’s technical character.
The case is executed in yellow polished grade 5 titanium, measuring 38.7 mm across and 8 mm in thickness, with the brand’s patented floating lugs in matching titanium for natural articulation on the wrist. A sapphire crystal rated at 1,800 Vickers with double anti‑reflective coating fronts the display, while a screwed titanium back with a sapphire aperture reveals the linear power reserve, with water resistance rated to 3 ATM. The assembly emphasises lightness and wearability, complemented by an extra‑supple, double‑lined alligator strap secured by a yellow polished grade 5 titanium pin buckle.
DB28xs Yellow Tones presents a cohesive study in controlled light and colour, where thermal oxidation crafts a fiery yellow identity across case and dial while preserving the DB28’s architectural clarity. The calibre DB2115V14 consolidates De Bethune’s core technical codes: twin barrel autonomy, titanium balance with white gold inserts, flat‑curve hairspring, silicon escape and triple pare‑chute, executed with hand‑finished detail and practical indications. The compact case with floating lugs and high‑specification sapphire underscores daily comfort, rounding out a reference that evolves the DB28 language without dilution.
