De Bethune DB25GMT Starry Varius
Combining classic watchmaking specifications with complex parts, avant-garde case, cutting-edge technology and stunning cosmic landscape with unique watchmaking techniques, it can be said that no one can do this like De Bethune. The latest watch to join the DB25 series is the DB25GMT Starry Varius, which is a practical GMT model with its more complex brother product, the 2016 DB25 World Traveler. The 29th logo of the brand. In the -house caliber, Dennis Flageollet has placed the coveted DB25 Starry VARIUS table within the second time zone complications. What’s fascinating is that the “mysterious” Greenwich Mean Time display uses a rotating globe to show the time, which can also be used as a day/night indicator.
Starry
The Starry Varius sub-series of DB25 includes the customizable night sky Starry Varius and the award-winning Starry Varius Chronomètre Tourbillon Chronometry GPHG 2018. Like the two Starry Varius models in the series, the 42 mm case is made of grade 5 titanium. The lugs are one-piece open, the sapphire crystal case back reveals the movement, and the dial is decorated with stars and a hazy Milky Way. Although the movement below is more complicated, the height of the 11.8 mm case is relatively slim, only 3 mm thicker than the simple Starry Varius.
Stage layout
Unlike most dual timetable layouts, DB25GMT Starry Varius relies on three concentric rings to convey the local time, home time and date. However, it is worth noting that De Bethune has achieved impressive depth on the dial due to the different heights, finishes and stages.
The local time is depicted on a raised silver flange, with a circular periphery (almost like a donut) hanging from a deep well. Bright red steel hands, with a curved tip, read the hours with black Arabic numerals following the curvature of the ring; the minutes, indicated by blue dots, are located on the outermost rose gold ring. The local time is set at the top in both directions.
The bottom layer of the dial is a 24-hour silver marker, used to indicate the main or reference hour, which can be set in either direction through the crown. The numbers in the daytime are gold, and the numbers in the night are black (except at 6 am and 6 pm, which are white and bordered by black). However, what is interesting is the function of the small spheres made of rose gold and blue titanium. The time and day/night functions are indicated by a rotating sphere instead of the usual GMT hands. In the photo, the sphere is hovering above the 6 o’clock in the morning and shows the same gold and blue titanium alloy parts. As time passed, during the day, the microsphere showed more rose gold; when it passed the 6 pm mark, the sphere showed more blue. Actually,
The raised background in the center of the dial indicates the date on the curved ring with a flame blue jumper. The center of the platform is decorated with replica De Bethune‘s iconic electric blue night sky, which reflects the dreamy sky view during day and night. Made of blue and polished titanium, and marked with golden pins — hand-painted one by one with stars — its iconic galaxy and haze patterns are laser milled and 24k gold-plated. The upper part of the central dial shows the date with a polished rose gold sun, glowing against a silver fine-tuned background. Low-light engraving is an updated interpretation of the traditional guilloche technique, clever use of light and shadow. To correct the date, there is a case corrector at 6 o’clock.
The manual winding caliber DB2507 is the sequential movement of De Bethune 29, and can be admired by the sapphire crystal caseback with double anti-reflective coating. De Bethune’s iconic flat main bridge features a spacious mirror-polished surface, with smaller areas decorated with Côtes de Bethune enhanced micro-light etching. The ruby’s polished chamfers and polished slits, as well as the manual decoration on the two barrels, demonstrate the high-level horology of this watch.
Equipped with De Bethune’s patented innovation and technology, two self-adjusting power cord housings ensure 5 days of power supply (DB Improvement 2004). The titanium alloy balance wheel with platinum weight (DB 2016 patent) interacts with the balance wheel equipped with a flat end curve (patent) DB 2006 to counteract the effects of temperature changes. The silicon escape wheel and the three-slot damping system fix the regulator through a titanium bridge (modified DB 2005). Last but not least, the movement is also equipped with a rotating spherical day/night indicator (DB 2004 patent).
De Bethune DB25GMT Starry Varius uses a soft black alligator leather strap with an alligator leather lining and a titanium pin buckle.
Ref. DB25VGTIS3
Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 11.8 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: DB2507
Functions: Hours, minutes, second time zone, day and night indicator, jumping date
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 5 days
Strap: Alligator with pin buckle
