Geneva Watch Days 2022: De Bethune’s DB25 Perpetual Calendar Ref. DB25sQPATIS13 in a new size

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.

De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Calendar has a new case size of 40mm

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

The shining 12 sectors on the dial of the watch

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.

Also Read | Top six moonphase watches we loved at Watches & Wonders 2002

The new DB25 Perpetual Calendar's moonphase display featuring a spherical moon

Also Read | Introducing the De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Aerolite

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.

A glimpse of the movement

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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