De Bethune DB25 Digitale Turns Time Into A Nighttime Reverie

A poetic digital display inspired by moonlight, stars and the tranquil reflections of a river.

There is a particular kind of watchmaking that does more than indicate the time. It creates an atmosphere. The De Bethune DB25 Digitale revisits the digital display of time through a composition inspired by the night sky, the moon and the gentle reflections of a river beneath the stars.

The concept follows in the footsteps of the DBD, one of the Maison’s emblematic models, while introducing a contemporary interpretation of digital timekeeping. Rather than relying on conventional hands and hour markers, the DB25 Digitale combines jumping hours, analogue minutes and a spherical moon phase into a single, highly sculptural display.

Time Contemplated Beneath The Stars

The dial is conceived as a nocturnal landscape, built from 82 individual elements and a carefully layered combination of finishes.

At its centre sits the spherical moon, surrounded by a composition that evokes the reflections of moonlight on still water. The barleycorn motif brings a reference to traditional watchmaking, while random guilloché applied to flame-blued titanium introduces a distinctly modern character.

The treatment of the titanium creates a deep gradient of blue across the dial, adding further depth to the composition. Rather than simply providing a background for the indications, the dial becomes an integral part of the watch’s identity.

At the centre, the moon is formed from two polished hemispheres: one in palladium and the other in flame-blued steel. Together, they indicate the lunar phase with an accuracy of within one lunar day every 1,112 years.

The result is a display that feels less like a conventional watch dial and more like a miniature nocturnal landscape.

A Digital Display Without Conventional Markers

The DB25 Digitale approaches legibility from an unusual direction.

The hours are displayed digitally through a jumping-hour mechanism, while the minutes are represented by a rotating disc. The spherical moon phase occupies the centre of the composition, eliminating the need for traditional hands and hour markers.

This combination gives the watch three different ways of expressing time: digital for the hours, analogue for the minutes and spherical for the moon phase.

Behind the display, a sophisticated micro ball-bearing system drives both the jumping-hour indication and the rotating minute disc. It is an example of how De Bethune uses mechanical engineering to support an aesthetic concept rather than allowing the technical architecture to dictate the appearance of the watch.

The Third Generation Of Calibre DB2144

Visible through the sapphire exhibition case-back is the third-generation evolution of De Bethune’s in-house movement, the Calibre DB2144V3.

For the first time, the Maison’s random guilloché motif extends onto the deltoid bridge, creating a visual connection between the front and back of the watch. The movement therefore continues the same decorative language found on the dial.

The calibre incorporates several of De Bethune’s patented technologies and innovations. Among them are a self-regulating twin-barrel system, the latest titanium-and-grey-gold balance wheel, the De Bethune balance spring with its flat terminal curve and a triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system.

The sapphire case-back allows these elements to remain visible, turning the movement into a second expression of the watch’s design philosophy.

A Contemporary De Bethune Signature

The DB25 Digitale is housed in a 42mm case crafted from grade 5 titanium. The material contributes to the watch’s lightness while providing the ideal surface for De Bethune’s characteristic mirror polishing.

A discreet bezel keeps the focus on the dial, while the slender, openworked and rounded lugs reinforce the architecture of the case. Their distinctive “bullet” aesthetic has become one of the Maison’s recognizable signatures.

The case geometry slopes gently towards the wrist, emphasizing the roundness of the watch while allowing it to sit naturally on the wrist.

The watch is completed by an extra-supple dark blue lined alligator strap and a matching polished titanium pin buckle.

Moon River, Reinterpreted In Titanium

The DB25 Digitale takes its emotional cue from Moon River, the classic song by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini. Its reference to moonlight, water and stars is reflected directly in the watch’s layered blue dial, spherical moon and intricate guilloché.

But the watch is not simply an exercise in decoration. Its concept depends on the interaction between traditional craftsmanship, unconventional time indication and De Bethune’s technical innovations.

As Denis Flageollet, co-founder of De Bethune and Master Watchmaker, explains, moving beyond traditional ways of displaying time creates a space where materials, finishes and light can become part of the experience.

The DB25 Digitale ultimately treats time as something to be contemplated rather than merely registered — a mechanical interpretation of a quiet moment beneath the stars.

Technical Specifications

For more information, please visit the official De Bethune website.

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