Independent manufacture
De Bethune
Also recorded as: De Béthune · DeBethune
Jura manufacture known for blued titanium cases, spherical moon phases and research into balances and escapements.
De Bethune was founded in 2002 by David Zanetta, a collector and adviser on vintage watches, and the watchmaker Denis Flageollet. Working in a village workshop at L'Auberson above Sainte-Croix, the firm makes its own movements and much of its case work.
Its research has focused on the regulating organ — balances in silicon and titanium with platinum inserts, new escapements and shock systems — and on displays such as a three-dimensional spherical moon phase. The DB28, with its floating lugs and mirror-polished titanium, made the brand widely known in 2010.
- Country
- Switzerland
- City / centre
- L'Auberson (Sainte-Croix)
- Founded
- 2002
- Status
- Active (independent)
- Key people
- David Zanetta (co-founder); Denis Flageollet (co-founder, watchmaker)
Innovations & specialities
- Silicon and titanium balance wheels
- Spherical moon-phase display
- Floating-lug DB28 case (2010)
Timeline
- 2002Founded at L'Auberson
- 2010DB28
Works by De Bethune in the catalogue
Open in the catalogue →
Wristwatches · c. 2002
De Bethune wristwatch, ref. DB5RT, No. 007, circa 2002
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · 2008
De Bethune DB26 Perpetual Calendar Moonphase DB26WS1, 2008
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · c. 2015
De Bethune White Night, ref. DB 25 XPA Rv3, c. 2015
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · 2016
De Bethune DB25 Midnight Blue, 2016
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · 2017
De Bethune DB28 Zirconium, 2017
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · 2019
De Bethune DB28 Kind Of Blue, 2019
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · 2020
De Bethune DB25 Starry Sky Moonphase, 2020
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · 2020
De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius, 2020
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · 2020
De Bethune DB28 Steel Wheels, 2020
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · 2021
De Bethune DB28 Kind Of Blue Milky Way Tourbillon LE 5, 2021
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · 2021
De Bethune DB28 Titanium, 2021
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Wristwatches · 2022
De Bethune DB25VTIS3 Starry Varius Titanium, 2022
S.Song Watches (dealer), Seattle
Linked through the Atlas maker authority list, which reconciles the spellings used by different institutions. Attributions are as stated by each holding institution or auction house.
