The third iteration of De Bethune’s swivelling, double-faced watch is the Kind of Two GMT “Season 3” conceived in collaboration with American rapper and watch enthusiast Swizz Beatz. Powered by the hand-wound DB2517 movement, the watch indicates one time zone on the front and another on the reverse, with both sides able to be worn face up thanks to patented, pivoting “floating” lugs.

Initial thoughts

The Kind of Two series employs a useful reversible case, cleverly using the “floating” lug construction of the DB28 to create a double-faced watch. Here one dial is traditional with blued steel hands, and the other an open-worked face revealing the movement that also has a regulator-style display for the second time zone.

The clever approach with a unique movement is typical De Bethune, although this loses some novelty as the third double-faced watch in the De Bethune line-up.

The Kind of Two GMT is definitely one of the most elaborate two time zone watches on the market, but at over US$200,000, it is pricey for a GMT, even by the standards of independent watchmaking (Voutilainen’s GMT, for instance, costs less).

Two-faced

The “Season 3” edition adopts a restrained palette of black and gold with blue accents. The 43.3 mm by 11.4 mm case is titanium and zirconium, with blued steel hands and a blue-and-black guilloche dial centre on the front showing local time. Notably, this dial includes a jumping seconds that is driven by a secondary escapement visible on the reverse.

Showing home time, the reverse has striking gold accents thanks to the gold and gilded movement components, while the second time zone hands are in blued steel. Here the display is done regulator style, with hours indicated in a sub-dial at six o’clock and minutes on the periphery.

Both sides can display independent time zones, both of which can be set separately via the three-position crown.

Powering the watch is the hand-wound DB2517, a variant of a calibre found in other De Bethune models with deadbeat seconds. The movement runs at 36,000 beats per second (5 Hz) and offers a four-day power reserve. It incorporates numerous De Bethune innovations, including a titanium-and-gold balance wheel and silicon escape wheel.

Key facts and price

Diameter: 43.3 mm
Height: 11.4 mm
Material: Grade 5 titanium and matte black zirconium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: DB2517
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and GMT
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz)
Power reserve: 4 days

Strap: Nubuck velcro strap

Availability: At De Bethune and its authorised retailers 
Price: US$235,000 before taxes

For more, visit Debethune.ch.