Horological maestro Denis Flageollet teamed up with collector extraordinaire David Zanetta in 2002 to create the independent watchmaking tour-de-force that is De Bethune, striving to implement avant-garde designs rooted in traditional watchmaking principals. In the almost two decades since they began to make watches together, they have developed over thirty in-house movements and a cavalcade of technical innovations.

The present unique timepiece is somewhat of a transitional piece from 2005, and a model that enabled Denis Flageollet to define the aesthetics of the future DB17 with the typical "bullet" and the brand's signature spherical moonphase. The movement - based on a Claret ebauche but with a De Bethune balance - remains more traditional even though a breathtaking perpetual calendar, minute repeating, tourbillon movement exquisitly finished is far from being "traditional" and a feat of technical and watchmaking engineering.

Denis Flageollet – the brand’s co-founder and master watchmaker – spent decades restoring pieces made by the great masters of the 18th-19th century and the movement of the present unique piece is a reflection of his abyssal knowledge and love of historical watchmaking.

The calendar functions are perfectly clear and legible, the minute repeater slide is discreetly placed on the flank and the tourbillon is hidden from view in the back.

The present masterpiece is not only a superb timepiece but its desirability is further enhanced by the fact that it is a unique piece as engraved on the caseback (only another example exists with the same functions but cased in white gold).