The DB25 Perpetual Calendar first made an appearance in the year 2011, in a 44mm rose gold and white gold case. Beautiful designed with a guilloche dial and ‘12 sectors’ that shone bright, its moonphase, leap year indicator, and raised hour track, all immediately caught attention. Since then, the brand has made a very small quantity of these watches (the website states 23 rose gold, and 11 white gold) and its different iterations (salmon dial, green dial, black dial). Now there is a new version, the DB25 Perpetual Calendar Ref. DB25sQPATIS13, launched at Geneva Watch Days 2022.
The highlight of the new watch is the case size and material – the watch is 40mm, as opposed to the usual 44mm, created in Grade 5 titanium. The movement inside is the Calibre DB2324V2, a version of the Calibre DB2324 that has been adapted to fit inside the 40mm case.
The aesthetics
DB25 Perpetual Calendar Ref. DB25sQPATIS13 is a two-tone silver and blue dial watch that retains the signature design of the DB25 Perpetual Calendar. The new model features a guilloché pattern, with a radiating effect across 12 sectors. The Roman numeral markers are set on a raised hour track, along with a chemin de fer minutes track and leaf-shaped hands. At 3 o’clock is the month window, and at 9, the day window, with indicators on anthracite discs. At 6 o’clock, rests the date ring.
At 12 o’clock is the highlight of the watch – a spherical moon, surrounded by a starry blue sky and a gold disc leap year indicator. The stars are in pink gold, and the moon, crafted from palladium and blued steel, indicates the moophases with precision - needs to be set only once in 122 years.
The mechanics
The watch is powered by the automatic Calibre DB2324V2, designed and developed by De Bethune’s co-founder and master watchmaker Denis Flageollet's team. The calibre boasts a self-regulating double barrel, a triple pare-chute system and a white gold and titanium balance, the last of which is visible from the caseback. The balance in particular is state-of-the-art and features an adjusted diameter and small white gold weights placed around the rims that provide better inertia, reliability, and regulation. The watch also has De Bethune’s patented balance-spring with flat terminal curve, and an oscillating weight shock-absorbing system. The calibre has a 5-day power reserve.
An exhibition caseback provides a view of the movement. Also, the titanium and platinum oscillating weight features a three-quarter platinum bridge with sandblasted and hand-coloured starry sky decoration; a blued titanium balance bridge and oscillating weight arm; and hand-bevelled and hand-polished steel parts.
The lugs are integrated and hollow, and the watch comes with a leather strap and the option of a grey fabric strap. It has a limited, single production of 15 pieces per year.
Images: Courtesy De Bethune
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