De Bethune - DB28XP Meteorite

0 0 Wednesday 17 March 2021 Edit this post

One of the most recognizable creations of the Swiss brand De Bethune, the DB28 has been presented in a new interpretation combining a black zirconium case with a meteorite dial.

A 10-piece individually numbered limited edition, the DB28XP Meteorite is adorned by a new kind of meteorite, the Muonionalusta Meteorite. This is probably the world’s oldest known meteorite to have struck our planet. The first fragment was discovered in Sweden, on the banks of the Muniono river, in 1906. It is composed mainly of iron and nickel and distinguished by the perfectly geometrical lines of its 60° angle cross-hatched “Widmanstätten” pattern.

But in this timepiece, De Bethune takes a step further by creating a starry sky accompanied by its Milky Way on the previously blued meteorite dial. This azure shade results from the heat released by the chemical reactions of the heated meteorite.

As it is easy to imagine, each sky is different making each of the 10 pieces unique. But to make this timeiece even more exclusive, the customer can choose a given constellation, according to a precise sky map, at a specific date, time and place.

The 43 mm x 7.2 mm case in ultra-light, polished black zirconium is strongly characterised by the crown at 12 o'clock and the patented floating lugs.

The dial features an anthracite hours ring with transferred Arabic numerals in pink encircled by a satin-brushed titanium minutes ring. Made in polished pink gold, the hour and minute hands stand out clearly.

The hand-wound movement is equipped with the De Bethune balance, visible through the 6 o’clock dial aperture. It is equipped with the latest technical advances, including an adjusted diameter, the use of titanium, as well as small white gold weights placed around the rim and endowing it with remarkable inertia, reliability and regulating properties.