DE BETHUNE DB22, POWER RESERVE, Limited Edition, White Gold

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Iconeek has the great pleasure to present here a fantastic and hardly impossible to find white gold wristwatch, made in limited edition: the DB22SW1 from De Bethune.

The De Bethune DB22 is for watchmaking what was the movie sci-fi  Star Wars in the 1970s for the cinema industry. Meaning a big step on what will be the High End watchmaking in the future for brands actually so conservative. Without sharing the same level of prices than Richard Mille, the De Bethune watches are far above the standard industry in terms of design and innovation, but in the meantime in total accordance with what true connoisseurs are seeking for. Holding a De Bethune is a particular experience, the feeling of having a true « time machine »: a watch that brings you in the 22nd century.

The DB22 is a beautiful piece of modern haute horology, from every sides. It is an eyes’ catching machine, finishing, edges, materials, all have been though to be particular, and all led to an unique experience. The De Bethune DB 22 was also available in a rose gold or with titanium case, with either a grey, blue or black dial. However, the present version in 18K white gold is without doubts the most interesting for severals reasons: first, white gold is a luxury material but in the same time its color,  close to stainless steel, remind us a new industrial revolution in design, second, because if titanium is light, some clients want to « feel » the watch on the wrist, and the weight here is in accordance with its size, third, because in terms of aesthetic the microlight titanium dial match perfectly the white gold case, and fourth, because it is a limited edition!. To the best of our knowledges, no other limited edition DB22 in white gold were ever presented for sale on the second hand market. This can be probably explain by two facts: very few were release and current owners do not want to sell them.

Water-resistant to 200m, the case is 48 mm in diameter, but do not give the impress of a tome, thanks to its moderate thickness of 11.00 mm. If compared with cars, no one is expecting a Bugatti Veyron to size like a regular sports car, the wheel are bigger, and so on, here the lugs are large, textured and lapidated, the large screw down crown is set with rectangular patterns for a better grip, the large stepped bezel is polished and sand-blasted and secured by titanium nuts. The « engine » is not a four cylinders set with a turbo to boost performance, but the movement, visible through the sapphire crystal glass, is an entirely in house caliber with patented and exclusive De Bethune innovations such as a flat terminal curve hairspring, a triple parechute shock-absorbing system for the balance bridge and  a titanium and platinum balance. The kind of « W12 » that any engineers will enjoy. This caliber DB 2024 is consisting of 274 components, 53 jewels and an impressive 6 day power reserve, a gold wheel train, a platinum rotor. Every part is immaculately finished, including hand-decorated pearlized and snailed, hand-chamfered and polished steel parts, Côte De Bethune. The movement runs a 28,800 vph (4Hz).

Thanks to its size, the dial is clearly readable. Made in titanium with "microlight" decoration (similar to guilloche), the dial is set with two triangular apertures at 12 for the power reserve indication, turning progressively from red color to black color, when the watch is wound. The hour and minute hands are « skeletonized », in fact composed of steel and titanium. The sapphire crystal on dial and case-back both have double-sided anti-reflective treatment. The large black leather strap comes with an 18K white gold De Bethune buckle. Case, dial and movement are signed.

When the Royal Oak and the Nautilus were launched in the 1970s, it was a small revolution, they were UFO in the sports’ watches industry. It took decade to be admit them as true living legends. Ahead of its time, The BD22 is an amazing timepiece, so are all De Bethune timepieces. The look, finish and overall quality of each piece is exquisite. De Bethune is a little company that plays in the highest sphere of watchmaking. The last known retail price of the white gold version was 60’000.- CHF, while the titanium was at 40’000.- CHF.

Rich of design, rich of powerful details, rich of complexity, rich of excitements, rich of finishing, with an unparalleled feeling, the only question is: Are you enough a visionary to wear it ?

Condition: 9.8/10, as mint as possible, totally Checked at De Bethune manufactory

Brand: De Bethune

Model: DB22 Power Reserve Limited Edition No. 9

Year : 2010

Reference: DB22WS1

Case no.: NO. 9

Movement no. : -

Material: 18K white gold, titanium, platinum

Water-resistant: yes.

Dial: guilloche titanium dial, titanium and steel hands

Movement: cal. DB2024-299, mechanical, self-winding,

Bracelet: leather strap with large 18K white gold De Bethune buckle

Dimensions: 48 mm diam. Thickness 11.00  mm.

Accessories: fitted presentation box and outer packaging, De Bethune certificate of authenticy and insurance value

Ref. ICO: 99-16-108