Welcome to our series highlighting the exceptional watches available through Perpetual, Phillips’ boutique service offering immediate access to the world’s rarest and most desirable timepieces. You can view all currently available watches by stopping in at our London headquarters at 30 Berkeley Square, or by visiting Phillips Perpetual online. Our new "Buy Now" button makes acquiring the watch of your dreams easier than ever.
– ˜By Logan Baker
Few modern brands have redefined contemporary watchmaking quite like De Bethune.
Founded in 2002 by David Zanetta and Denis Flageollet, the independent manufacture has built its reputation on relentless innovation – both technical and aesthetic. From blue titanium cases to spherical moon-phases, De Bethune’s creations often feel more like works of kinetic art than traditional timepieces. Yet at the heart of the collection lies the DB25, a model that distills the brand’s futuristic DNA into a more classical shape.
The DB25 is De Bethune’s idea of a “flagship” dress watch – if such a restrained description can apply to a company so forward-thinking. It channels the spirit of 18th- and 19th-century precision horology through a distinctly modern lens, striking a balance between symmetry, proportion, and visual lightness. The result is a watch that looks timeless from afar but reveals its technical and aesthetic audacity the closer you get.
Take the DB25WS1 Power Reserve in 18k white gold, for instance. Though it measures a full 44mm, the razor-thin bezel and openworked, skeletonized lugs make it feel almost weightless on the wrist. De Bethune’s sculptural case design ensures that the watch sits comfortably, while the polished white gold adds understated refinement.
Inside beats the automatic calibre 2024.853, visible through the sapphire caseback – a movement defined by its blued titanium bridge, ultra-modern balance wheel, and immaculate finishing. It’s a study in contrasts: centuries-old craftsmanship expressed through materials and mechanics that seem to have come from the future.
If the white-gold version showcases De Bethune’s mastery of technical architecture, the DB25 in rose gold highlights the brand’s more romantic side. Here, classical watchmaking cues come to the fore: a warm rose-gold case, a silver dial with Roman numerals, and the instantly recognizable flame-blued De Bethune hands.
The hollowed lugs retain that avant-garde touch – reminding you that this is still a De Bethune – but the overall impression is pure elegance. Where other models in the collection might dazzle with spherical moonphase indicators, this DB25 opts for serenity and balance.
Together, these two watches demonstrate the full range of De Bethune’s artistry. Both capture the brand’s core philosophy – that modern watchmaking can be both mechanically ambitious and emotionally resonant. The DB25 line may appear more reserved than the cosmic-blue sculptures of the DB28 or the experimental Dream Watches, but it’s every bit as expressive of the brand’s ethos. It shows that restraint, too, can be revolutionary.
Each of these DB25s, available now through Phillips Perpetual London, comes in superb condition with its complete set of accessories.
They represent two sides of the same coin: one gleaming in white gold with a flash of blue titanium innovation, the other glowing in rose gold with classical charm. Both prove that De Bethune’s mastery extends far beyond the boundary between tradition and tomorrow.
You can learn more about the watch and view all the currently in-stock watches online at Phillips PERPETUAL.
Phillips PERPETUAL offers a boutique experience to clients for both the sale and purchase of fine and rare watches, in London’s Berkeley Square, Hong Kong's Pedder Arcade, and the Gstaad Palace, in Switzerland.
About Logan Baker
Logan has spent the past decade reporting on every aspect of the watch business. He joined Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the start of 2023 as the department's Senior Editorial Manager. He's based in Geneva.
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