Independents

Let me introduce you my latest baby, the DB10 Réédition!

 

I have just had it on my wrist for 3 days and I'm happy like a 4 years old with a jar of candies. But I have to tell you why I bought this watch.

Let's back to the beginning of the year at the SIHH.

After some difficulties (due to a profesional engagement at the very last minute, I had to change all my appointments, my hotel booking etc...), I arrived at Geneva on Tuesday for my first meetings. Due to the  change in the schedule, I wrote to De Bethune if it was possible for me to see them at the 4 seasons on Wednesday rather on Friday. No problem, so let's go to see Denis Flageollet, Pierre Jacques, Alessandro Zanetta and the whole De Bethune team on Wednesday.

I was always very cool when I had appointments with them: I found their watches exclusive, brilliant, attractive and sadly not affordable for me: I could easily resist  to the temptation even if my dream was to buy one. So believe me, I was very relaxed on the way to the 4 seasons.

The appointment began and Denis started to show me the DB25 Tourbillon (an hypnotizing watch by the way), the DB28... and after a few minutes I saw that Pierre Jacques was wearing an unexpected watch, a sort of De Bethune from the past... with a brand new movement.

Pierre explained me that the purpose of this DB10 was to propose a more affordable De Bethune, a Tribute to the first De Bethune watches  but with two major changes when compared to the original version:

- a date display with a small gold hand
- an in-house movement. The first DB10 was using an old Schild caliber improved by De Bethune with an enhanced winding efficiency and a less fragile rotor.

The specificity of the in-house movement of the DB10 Réédition is that the patented De Bethune features were removed... but at the opposite, the movement uses a very unusual regulator in the contemporary prodcution: a snail regulator. The movement is at end unique in the De Bethune collection. It is a sort of tribute to the old pocket watches... with all the modern De Bethune style. The result is intriguing, beautiful, sober and eye-catching at the same time.

Well, I handled Pierre's DB 10 and I found it beautiful on its both sides. The silvery dial finishing is superb especially the different guillochage patterns and the way the figures are painted with several layers. And with the 42mm case, we found again an old friend with its cone-shaped lugs.

I always had these lugs in my mind. Why? Because the first time I saw De Bethune watches (it was in Milano, at an AD's boutique close to Via Della Spiga in 2003), I was surprised and charmed by these cases which were at that time a strong part of the De Bethune DNA.

I asked the price of this beauty to Pierre and even if it was a big price for me (we are talking about a De Bethune watch...), for the first time, things began to be reachable for me. I remember very well what I said to Pierre, Denis and Alessandro: "It is not fair, I was very relaxed this morning and now I finish the appointment with a huge temptation in my mind... you got me by surprise!".

I took the train to go to Palexpo but believe me, during the next days, this DB10 was always in my mind...

On Friday, our friend Mo landed in Geneva to spend the week-end. Mo phoned me and told me: "let's have a drink tonight with the De Bethune team".

It was a great pleasure for me to accept even if I knew that it was very dangerous for my financial balance.

Friday evening, we all started to discuss about the market, the trends, the Fair in a quiet atmosphere. And I said to Pierre: let's see your DB10 again. And with the help of Mo who explained me how happy he was with his DB25, I deciced to take the plunge and to buy a DB10. I was still under the charm of the DB10 3 days after the first time I discovered it.

You know, buying a De Bethune watch is a dream for me. I own 3 Lange, 1 Patek and I believe that these brands are the best in the world of high-end "big" brands. For me, the question was: what's next? And only a brand like De Bethune was able to bring the additional spice I was looking for...

There is also another reason why I took this decision: I had the feeling that the train was about to leave the station. If I didn't buy it, was I sure to have one day another opportunity to buy a De Bethune watch? Not obvious!

And the feeling that the train left the station is the worst... at least for me!

After several months of wait, I'm now very happy with this superb watch. Its 4hz movement (with 6 days of power reserve thanks to its twin barrels) works perfectly, I can spend hours watching the dial. I decided to buy the PG version because I prefer the warm atmosphere of this metal.

Due to the thin bezel and the silvery dial, the watch looks a bit larger than its 42mm diameter. I love this presence which gives a good context to the second hand revolution.

The DB10 is a very elegant watch but thanks to its case, thanks to its central second hand, it is not a "formal" watch.

And of course... it is not possible to write about this watch without highlighting the contrast between the dial and the movement.

As I said before, it is difficult to find in the industry a similar movement not only technically speaking but also aesthetically. I love the big rotor and the whole regulating system. It doesn't look as precious as a Lange or Patek movement but it looks very contemporary, sober and sophisticated...  I also like the harmony between the case and the small date display hand.

I quickly took several pictures of my watch but except the wristshots, the pictures of the prototype I took in Geneva are better. So I will do some more later.

The Prototype in Geneva:



First time on my wrist in January:



My watch now on the wrist:





In Paris today, you will appreciate the lovely summer weather:
 

The movement of the DB10 and its superb regulating system:

The work on the dial is amazing. The pictures make the details sharper, the guillochage is softer than of the pictures and creates nice shades of light:

Having such watch on the wrist is maybe the best way to put an end to the holidays period...

I would like to thank a lot the whole De Bethune team and of course Mo who helped me to take the the right decision with a good glass of beer!

Fx



This message has been edited by foversta on 2011-08-28 11:42:36