In Focus: De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius

Humankind has long looked to the heavens for inspiration. The stars have provided a means of telling stories, a means to navigate the world, and a reason for humans to dream and think about our place in the universe. Watchmakers and astronomers have often worked hand in hand to further the course of scientific discovery, leading to discoveries in both astronomy and in watchmaking.

It is this history of innovation that inspires De Bethune co-founder and master watchmaker Denis Flageollet to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation and materials, as he looks to the stars for inspiration in his avant-garde, sci-fi themed watches. The De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius is less of a sci-fi odyssey, and more of a greatest hits of Denis Flageollet. It is a watch that should be synonymous with his name and the De Bethune Brand.

The Starry Varius perfectly harnesses Denis Flageollet’s design aesthetic and signature queues. On the case, Flageollet includes his signature hollowed lugs that curve beautifully down the wrist. The lugs feature torpedo points, a subtle nod to his earliest watch, the De Bethune DB1 Chronograph, with its vintage French inspiration.

The dial showcases De Bethune’s materials innovation, with a flame-blued titanium center disc, complete with a display of the Milky Way Galaxy. The motif is completed with hand-placed and polished 24k leaf gold cabochons and laser micro milling to create the depiction of the Milky Way. The Breguet style hands in rose gold complete the watch and compliment the beauty of the hand-finished dial.

The entire movement is finished in Côtes de Bethune, an in-house finishing technique that is beautiful and plays with light in fascinating ways, the striping is apparent in natural light and it’s a joy to angle the watch and let light dance across it. The twin-barrel system is finished with hand snailing, a decorative finish of compact spirals, and delivers an incredible six days of power reserve from the manually wound DB2005 caliber.

The movement employs many of Flageollet’s inventions, including the triple pare-chute shock resistance system, the self-regulating twin barrel, the titanium balance wheel with white gold inserts, the De Bethune balance spring with a flat terminal curve, and the silicon escape wheel. It is incredible to watch his titanium balance and balance spring at work with its flat terminal curve, it is a truly hypnotizing sight.

The Starry Varius harnesses the signature De Bethune sci-fi feel but captures De Bethune’s innovations and patents and expresses them in a beautiful hand-executed watch. It is worth mentioning that De Bethune will create a bespoke Starry Varius, with the dial depicting the sky in any location at any time, so you can mark the special occasions and locations in your life with a celestial dial of your choosing.

The Specs

Model: DB25 Starry Varius

Reference Number: DB25VRS3

Case Size + Material: 42mm, 18k Pink Gold

Caseback: Exhibition Caseback

Movement: Manually wound caliber DB2005

Complications/Functions: Hours, Minutes

Strap/Bracelet: Double-Sided Alligator Strap, Rose Gold Tang Buckle