De Bethune narrows the diameter of the bestselling DB25 Starry Varius but broadens its horizons with an entrancing red-leaning-purple dial achieved by heating titanium.

And it’s more than just a pretty face, the DB25xs Starry Varius packs one of the most advanced two-hand manual wound calibres on the market.

Initial Thoughts

A personal favourite of mine, the Starry Varius line is gorgeous, technically adept, and meaningfully customisable. De Bethune justifies this variant as representing the night sky after a volcanic eruption, and colour perfectly matches viral, and hauntingly beautiful, images taken after the Tonga volcano eruption in 2022.

As a chronometry-focused movement that paradoxically lacks a seconds hand, I find the cal. DB2005 very interesting. I’d even argue it makes sense as the six-day power reserve paints it as an endurance timekeeper.

It’s also more technically interesting than most of the – very finely decorated – three handers from younger independents, even if Be Bethune’s R&D efforts have dwindled recently.

Under A Sea of Stars

The dials are mirror polished titanium, which De Bethune heat oxidises for colour. While the brand’s specific method is proprietary, the thickness of this oxide layer determines which wavelengths of light transmit back to the observer, and this Burgundy dial must have a thinner oxide layer than the brand’s typical blue.

Next, artisans set dozens of tiny gold pins into the dial to marks starts, before a micro-milling laser affixes 24k gold leaf to the dial, creating the Milky Way backdrop. As with all Star Varius dials, you can work with De Bethune to customise the star-scape to your preference, such as to match the stars overhead when and where you were born.

Other than the reduction from 42 mm to 40.6 mm, the case remains unchanged, with the familiar DB25 open-worked lugs and baroque crown. The height is unaffected too, still 8.8 mm tall.

Haute Horlogerie, Haute Technologie

De Bethune’s movement finishing is always clean and thorough, if lacking some decorative flourishes currently in vogue, including sharp interior angles and exaggerated anglage, and the titanium movement accents aren’t red to match the dial.

The movement’s architecture looks carefully considered, the two barrels are arranged similar to the barrel and fusee in A.-L. Breguet’s four-minute tourbillons. Despite the contemporary 4 Hz beat rate, the two “self-adjusting” mainspring barrels drive the watch for at least six days on a full wind.

The silicon escape wheel, aerodynamic titanium balance with white gold weights, and proprietary flat hairspring (that breathes like an overcoil) are all fruits of De Bethune’s significant past investment in research and development.

The nicely polished dual-anchored balance bridge is not fixed in place. Rather, the brand’s “triple parachute” shock protection system allows the entire balance bridge to move under shock, adding a second layer of protection as well as visual interest. Notice that the regulator grips the hairspring, rather than leaving it to bounce between curb pins.

Key facts and price

Diameter: 40.6 mm
Height: 8.8 mm
Material: Titanium or Rose Gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: DB2005
Functions: Hours and minutes
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: Six days

Strap: Alligator with pin buckle (matched to case materal)

Availability: Now from De Bethune and authorised retailers 
Price: Approximately US$80,000 in titanium, US$95,000 in 18k rose gold (excluding taxes)

For more, visit Debethune.ch.