De Bethune DB28: Independent Watch Review

I first wanted a DB28 around 2019. At the time I was torn between it, an FPJ Resonance, and a Zeitwerk. Ended up hesitant to go independent and chose the Lange (mistake!). 

When funds allowed, I looked at the DB28 again, but prices were insane and the brand faded from my radar. 

Fast forward to this year.

I’ve been trying to decide among a few grail-level daily wear options: the Greubel Forsey Convexe, Gauthier Logical One, and an MB&F Perpetual. No De Bethune on the list until I went watch shopping with a fellow WIS (hi Andy). 

Wearing the DB28 in person blew me away.

I’ve always liked the aesthetic, but wasn’t convinced of the price/value ratio. 

In person, the watch is more than the sum of its parts and you begin to see how fantastically executed the DB28 is. I changed my mind completely  

Many of the current crop of super well-finished indies leave me cold. They’re technically impressive, but exist without a clear reason. They do not add anything to the existing body of art. 

Macro shots look great, but in person they feel sterile. Indies need some weirdness; a reason to exist…

…De Bethune has it. 

Photos don’t capture the DB28’s materials or finishing. You have to see them in person. Their language is unique: beautifully polished indices, perfectly consistent heat-bluing, exceptional cases and hands. Even the buckle is beautifully blued and shaped. 

You won’t find sharp interior angles and thicc anglage. It’s not really a watch that amazes you as you look at it more with a loupe the way you will with Gauthier or Greubel. 

With that said, I’d happily have paid more for a bit more finishing. There are several places I’d argue my Breguet Traditions have better execution. 

The backside of this watch is super boring too. This was somewhat remedied in later iterations but worth calling out. I also feel if you’re going to have a very boring backside, then you should just go solid caseback and potentially get more water resistance. 

The balance bridge is nicely executed but…at this price level I think they could have kicked it up another notch, especially given it’s such a prominent part of the watch.

This piece is a limited edition of 17. It’s a DB28 with heat-blued lugs and the older balance wheel style, which I prefer aesthetically. There’s plenty of cool engineering and patents under the hood like the triple shock protection and a 6 day power reserve. 

I really love the heat blued lugs in-person. They can come across as kind of plastic-y in pictures, but look amazing in the flesh. 

And then there’s the comfort. The floating lugs make it hard to take off and return to “normal” watches. I get why people become hardcore DB collectors; it’s like putting on well-tailored dress pants or your first pair of Lululemon shorts. Hard to go back to jeans.

I am a big fan of polished titanium, which is the case material of this watch. Lightweight, strong, and scratch resistant…why use anything else? 

I should have bought one years ago. In many ways, it feels like it was always meant to be, especially since my name translates to moon and this has a moonphase. 

I can already see myself adding something like a TitanHawk or one of the dressy db25 pieces.  

I actually took delivery of this piece while at a conference and it’s easily the watch I’ve had the most people comment on. I think because of the overall design, and the extensive heat blueing. Is that a good thing? It depends!