Baselworld 2014: De Bethune DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon
After seven years of development, De Bethune is unveiling its DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon at Baselworld.
With legibility and aesthetics in mind, De Bethune chose to display the chronograph’s various functions using five hands grouped at the centre of the dial, rather than the usual sub-dials scattered here and there.
The hands therefore adopt different designs depending on their function, and sweep across the curved levels of the silvered dial. With the exception of the minute indicator, all the hands are hand-polished steel and flame-blued.
At the centre, the hour counter (24 then 12 hours), then the minute counter, and, around the periphery, the seconds.
The 5N rose-gold case measures 46 mm in diameter and 11.7 mm thick. The lugs are ogive-shaped.
The crown at 3 o’clock is a monopusher button with two setting positions.
A discreet pusher at 4 o’clock allows the double caseback to be opened and the tourbillon admired—one with the modesty and class of being visible only to the watch’s owner.
The DB2039 calibre, a hand-wound mechanical movement, offers a 5-day power reserve. It delivers excellent precision, notably thanks to its 30-second silicon/titanium tourbillon, which weighs just 0.18 grams for 63 components.
Finally, this watch was also an opportunity to file a new patent for the De Bethune absolute clutch. Put simply, it corrects the usual shortcomings of such mechanisms, reducing the friction that disrupts proper running thanks to three types of clutch.
