De Bethune is making an early play for the title of ‘Most Impressive Watches & Wonders 2024 Release’ with their DB KInd of Grande Complication. This show-stopping, double-sided affair is the sum of 22 years of watchmaking excellence and inventiveness, all encapsulated in an exquisitely finished 43.3mm titanium case.

The DB KInd of Grande Complication is a powerful statement of who De Bethune are, and whay they stand for. It’s also the realisation of a dream for Denis Flageollet. The case uses the patented rotation system introduced in 2021, allowing for a smooth transition from the contemporary dial to the classical. This case mechanism alone require more than 60 components.

This count, impressive as it is, pales in comparison to the DB2529 calibre itself, comprised of 751 pieces and housing a veritable encyclopaedia of functionality, including dual front and back display of hours and minutes, jumping seconds, Ultra-light De Bethune 30″ tourbillon in titanium, Spherical moon- phase indication, leap-year indication, perpetual calendar indicating day, month and date, end of power reserve indication, age of the moon indication. This array of functions is spread across two dials, a contemporary display, airy and open in De Bethune’s instantly recognisable style in silver and blue. The reverse is a more classical style, with a star-studded sky in blued and polished titanium with hand-fitted white gold pins and a micro-milled Milky Way.

The sum of all these parts is an aesthetically pleasing creation, but it’s also a technical feat, with each aspect requiring a degree of skill and competency rarely found in watchmaking. Denis Flageollet is quick to praise the skill of his watchmaking team saying; “My watchmakers are like top-level athletes. To ensure that they don’t fail in the final stretch and run the risk of compromising the integrity of the timepiece, they demonstrate extraordinary, imperturbable mental strength, along with extreme concentration and almost motionless posture.”

While watches like the DB Kind of Grande Complication are often positioned as capstone pieces — the crowning achievements in long careers, we can’t help but wonder if this new level of mastery that De Bethune has achieved is the start of a new evolution for the brand, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Calibre: DB2529, manually wound with 4 days power reserve
Functions: Dual front and back display of hours and minutes, jumping seconds, Ultra-light De Bethune 30″ tourbillon in titanium, Spherical moon- phase indication, leap-year indication, perpetual calendar indicating day, month and date, end of power reserve indication, age of the moon indication
Case: Polished grade 5 titanium, 43.3 x 13.85mm, reversible case
Dials: Contemporary titanium dial and classic dial in titanium with depiction of night sky
Strap: Extra-supple alligator, titanium pin buckle