riginally launched in 2011, the perpetual calendar by De Bethune is tinged with poetry and combines the finesse of watchmaking with the precision mechanics of the Manufacture by associating the most romantic complication - the moon phase and its starry sky - with the most technical complication - the perpetual calendar - within an exceptional timepiece.

Inspired by the shape of drums, the 40 mm-diameter round case with its slender and resolutely classic lines, is subtly enhanced by the openworked lugs characteristic of the DB25 collection.

The finesse of the decorations, along with the purity of the two-tone hand-guilloché dial featuring a pattern radiating across 12 sectors, accentuate the legibility notably achieved by the assembly of annular blue appliques, with silver-toned raised transfers and Romannumerals, marking off the subdials and the chapter ring. At 12 o’clock, a palladium and blued steel sphere is set against a sky dotted with pink gold stars, also incorporating a leap-year indicator in a gold disc. The date can be read on a dial at 6 o’clock, while the apertures displaying the day of the week and the month are respectively located at 9 and 3 o’clock.

The round case of the new DB25sQP retains the harmonious lines that contributed to the success of the original DB25QP but comes in titanium, a material that the Manufacture has increasingly favoured in recent years. Its integrated, openworked and curved lugs further accentuate the practical and pleasant wearing of this classically inspired watch.

As an improved version of the latest calibre DB2324, it has been technically adapted to fit inside a 40 mm case, representing a new feat for the Manufacture.

Entirely designed and developed by Denis Flageollet’s team in the Manufacture’s Haute Horlogerie workshops in Sainte Croix (Swiss Jura), self-winding Calibre DB2324V2 with its 5-day power reserve benefits from De Bethune’s research and latest technology, including a perpetual calendar, a spherical moon indicating the moon phases with a precision corresponding to 1 day/122 years, a self-regulating double barrel, a triple pare-chute system and a titanium/white gold balance.

The state-of-the-art balance visible on the back of the watch results from De Bethune’s consistently physics and mathematically-driven approach to improving its operation. It is made of titanium and features the latest advances including an adjusted diameter and small white gold weights placed around the rims endowing it with a remarkable quality of inertia, reliability and regulation.

This model is equipped with the famous De Bethune balance spring – the small, extremely fine hairspring considered to be the soul of the mechanical watch – for which Manufacture De Bethune has opted to maintain its centre of gravity exactly in the centre by using a flat curve affixed to the outside of the balance spring. Differences in the thickness of the blade add to the almost perfect precision of its concentric development. Its many advantages notably include reduced thickness, improved concentricity quality, finer adjustment of the indexassembly system as well as no need for its pins, as the shape of the curve even acts as a shock absorber in case of impacts. The escape-wheel is made of silicon for the lightness of the material and also to increase the power of the calibre.

A sapphire caseback enables one to admire the full complexity of the movement, which is powered by a titanium and platinum oscillating weight stemming from research by the R&D team, as well as the refinement of its finishes: a three-quarter platinum bridge with sandblasted and hand-coloured starry sky decoration; a blued titanium balance bridge and oscillating weight arm; a hand-coloured white gold oscillating weight; as well as hand-bevelled and hand-polished steel parts.

This new perpetual calendar is fitted with a leather strap secured by a polished titanium buckle and accompanied by a second grey fabric strap.

Vividly illustrating the technical and aesthetic expertise of the Manufacture, this new Reference DB25sQP marks its entry into the perpetual calendar collection and will be limited to a single production run of 15 units per year.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Name: DB25 Perpetual Calendar

Reference: DB25sQPATIS13

Functions: Hours, Minutes, Spherical moon phase indication and leap-year indication at 12 o’clock, Perpetual calendar indicating the month at 3 o’clock, the date at 6 o’clock and the day of the week at 9 o’clock

Movement: DB2324V2 Type: Mechanical self-winding movement Adjustment: Winding, setting the date and the time by means of the crown (3 positions) Month, day of the week and spherical moon phase adjustment via correctors

Technical features of calibre DB2324V2 Number of parts: 423 Jewelling: 48 jewels Diameter: 30 mm Power reserve: 5 days, ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel De Bethune Innovation (2004)

Specificities: Titanium and white gold balance wheel De Bethune Innovation (2016)

“De Bethune” balance-spring with flat terminal curve De Bethune Patent (2006)

Silicon escape wheel

Spherical moon phase indication accurate to a degree of one lunar day every 122 years – De Bethune Patent (2004)

Triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system De Bethune Innovation (2005)

Optimized oscillating weight in titanium and platinum

Oscillating weight shock-absorbing system De Bethune Innovation (2006)

Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour

Adornment: ¾ plate with starry decor, sandblasted and snailed by hand Balance bridge and oscillating weight arms in blued titanium White gold oscillating weight hand snailed Hand-polished, chamfered steel parts

Display Display: Hands curved, in hand mirror-polished steel Perpetual calendar apertures indicating the day of the week at 9 o’clock and the month at 3 o’clock on anthracite discs with silver decal – sub dial at 6 o’clock indicating the day of the month – leap year indicated by a gold pastille appearing in the starry sky at 12 o’clock Spherical moon phase indication in palladium and blued steel with an accuracy of one lunar day every 122 years at 12 o’clock – De Bethune Patent (2004)

Dial: Bicolor silver and blue hand-guilloché, with 12 radiating sectors De Bethune star-studded sky in blued titanium, inlaid with rose gold stars Curved hour, date and moon phase rings with silver relief Roman numerals

Case and strap Case material: Grade 5 titanium Case diameter: 40 mm Case thickness: 11,3 mm Lugs: Integrated, hollowed lugs Crystal: In sapphire crystal (1800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating Case back: Open back in polished titanium and sapphire crystal (1800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating Water-resistance: 3 ATM Strap: Extra-supple alligator leather, alligator lining Buckle: Pin buckle in polished titanium