Within just five years of existence, De Bethune has become a hotbed of innovation. It is no coincidence that the entire profession and the greatest specialists are now keeping a close eye on the activities of the youthful brand, since many of its ideas have already clearly hit the spot and been taken up by its most prestigious competitors.

The fact that watchmaking has been finding solutions over the past few years to some of its most longstanding issues, is largely due to the horological “brains” behind the brand, Denis Flageolet. The creative genius of this talented and yet modest watchmaker has given rise to a number of developments and patents based around a philosophy aimed at simplifying design by using new technologies tailored to the needs of the watchmaking art. A prodigious flurry of innovations that affect elements of watch exteriors, as well as the materials and production techniques used for the escapement or the regulating organ.

One of the brand’s most striking innovations is the cradle case, developed for the Maxichrono co-axial monopoussoir watch. The latter is equipped with a pivoting carrier system featuring a modular curve perfectly suited to every wrist. Born from the same concern to adapt to each user, one should also highlight the remarkable reduction gear change system developed for the automatic winding system. Thanks to a lever activated by the crown, the user can choose from three different positions – sport, normal winding or slow – corresponding to the power of the movements generated by his wrist during this activities. This means the reduction is always at its optimal level.

The study of energy and the quest for efficiency have also led to the development of a barrel fitted with jewelled bearings aimed at reducing the friction of the springblades and eliminating any sticking due to surplus oil.

The most revolutionary innovations are undoubtedly those relating to the escapement or regulating organ. In this respect, it is worth pointing out that De Bethune was the first brand to develop and use silicon balancesprings. Not content with merely using this material, featuring performances that in themselves represented a major breakthrough, Denis Flageolet has also patented a new terminal curve that enhances isochronism by limiting the distorsion due to shocks. This revolutionary hairspring with a balance that is equally inventive – whether in terms of its performances or its appearance which looks more like that of a space vessel than a watch. The central part of the latter is made from titanium in order to reduce the overall weight and thus to avoid any deterioration in rate due to impacts. In order to achieve maximum inertia, four mobile platinum weights are placed at the tip of each arm. Their conical shape guarantees ideal aerodynamics, they enable dynamic rating and, when associated with titanium, guarantee an ideal inertia/weight ratio. Having reached this point, it is hard to imagine getting much closer to perfection with the means currently available. And yet this balance and spring assembly is positioned by a bridge held on either side by a spring system based on jewels inserted into the arbors serving as columns. This principle features two major advantages. On the one hand, it enables the watchmaker to position the balance in an even more accurate and more stable manner than a traditional bridge; and on the other, its spring effect absorbs shocks at the bridge level. The pivots of the balance- staff are thus preserved and the oil in the bearings remains far more stable.

As far as the finished products are concerned, the five coaxial hands of the Maxichrono and its three column wheels, the spherical moon mechanism or the Calibre DB2024, undoubtedly all deserve an article in their own right.

You have been warned. Anyone wishing to get a glimpse of tomorrow’s watchmaking should keep a close eye on De Bethune, a youthful brand prepared to challenge the fundamental principles of horology in order to find unprecedented and above all effective solutions.