De Bethune DB21

DE BETHUNE
SINGLE-BUTTON MAXICHRONO (DB21)

This new watch represents the excellence in refinement and design, reserved until now to pocket watch masterpieces. The unique intuitions of De Bethune drove its highly qualified technical team to create a contemporary timepiece with unparalleled chronographic information, never seen before on a wristwatch, offering the best legibility of all the functions. A wonder of technical innovations studied to be applied on all of De Bethune’s calibers.

In other words, presented is the “triple parachute system” created by De Bethune to protect its exclusive balance-spring system constituted of a balance bridge in titanium and a titanium/platinum balance wheel, of third generation, with double spring which fixes the two “contre pivots” of rubies.

With this unique and exceptional chronograph, De Bethune has created a new watch as important in technical content as in quality.

The five coaxial superposed hands, an exclusive De Bethune design, especially created for this watch, are one of the many examples of technical ability which, in this case, allow a perfect legibility of the chronographic time in any instant, not depending on the position of the hands of the hours and minutes (which interferes with the legibility of the traditional chronographic counters). The chronographic hands and the hand of the minute counter run in the external side of the dial, each one with its own scale, with something in addition: the double rotation speed of chronographic hands (one complete tour in 30 seconds) in order to double the space dedicated to the legibility of the functions.

The minute counter scale is fitted with indication of minutes and half-minutes spent from the starting of the chronographic time.

To obtain what we took in our mind when we decided to create and produce the chronographic calibre, the unprecedented concept had to be devised. Our Reesearch & Development department had to separate the functions of the 3 counters and this led us to use 3 column wheels, the couple of the chronograph couldn’t be made in the traditional way cause of the 5 central axes which requested non-centered vertical clutch.

The design of this watch is the natural consequence of technical choices. The unique and exclusive minute and hour hands (which are very complex and costly to produce) are entirely manufactured in-house and made with meticulous care as only De Bethune would want and is able to do.

The center of the dial (a very large one on different levels, one for each function) shows the big “hour-counter” displaying 24 chronographic hours and half hours scale.

The silvered dial, alternate with titanium circles, is mat in order to avoid luminous reflections and is completed by an anti-reflection sapphire crystal with a special double treatment which allows a perfect legibility in every condition of light.

The basic principles are, as usual in De Bethune, the ability and the capacity to create up-to-date horological masterpieces and the new MaxiChrono is an example. The important and strong shapes of this watch case are the result of the an in-depth study of the lower part of the case coming in contact with the wrist in order to obtain the best and the most pleasant comfort while wearing it.

The case is composed of 27 parts to obtain the highest quality of each functional and aesthetic element and is produced in the new building, recently bought by De Bethune which joined the main headquarters of the Company. This watch has a new revolutionary system of “floating lugs” in titanium which allows a better comfort of the case on the wrist.

TECNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Movement:   The base movement of the watch is entirely designed and in-house manufactured at De Bethune. It consists of a 30 mm caliber DB2034 fitted with a self-adjusting double barrel and power reserve of 100 hours, 28,800 vibrations per hour, 39 jewels, height of movement mm. 6,95
The chronographic system of column wheel with non-centered vertical clutch is totally new and innovative.
The hour-and minute-counter with constant progression (after the start until the stop) improves the reading of the chronographic time.
The patented titanium/platinum balance-wheel of third generation has the exclusive De Bethune “triple parachute system”.
Mechanism is hand-decorated, all steel parts hand-decorated and polished
Function:   Hours, minutes, single-button chronograph, 60 minute-counter and 24 hour-counter, chronograph hand: 1 tour in 30 seconds
Case:   45 mm diameter and 11 mm. in thickness, in platinum with “floating lugs” composed of 27 pieces, crown at 6o’clock, antireflection sapphire crystal with a special double treatment for the bezel and the back, crocodile strap with gold ardillon or deployant buckle
Dial:   in silvered mat gold on different levels and circles in titanium, blue steel screws by flame for the hours, five coaxial superposed hands, exclusive De Bethune shape, blue steel hands by flame for the chronografic functions