The Sleek Black and Blue Wetsuit of the De Bethune DB28GS Swordfish

Introduced in 2010, De Bethune’s DB28 family distils the essence of Denis Flageollet’s unique watchmaking style with its futuristic silhouette, floating lugs, delta-shaped barrel bridge, exposed balance wheel, and, more often than not, the brand’s signature blued titanium elements. In 2015, the DB28 was revisited in a sportier version with a 100m water-resistant case known as the DB28GS. Four years later, the DB28GS Grand Bleu surfaced with a 105m depth rating and an unprecedented on-demand mechanical lighting system. Finished to levels rarely seen on dive watches, the brand’s original dive watch returns this year as the De Bethune DB28GS Swordfish in a new black wetsuit with iconic blued titanium accents.

The case retains the formidable dimensions of earlier DB28GS models with a 44mm diameter and a thickness of 12.8mm. However, thanks to its ergonomic design, with the crown at noon and articulated lugs, the watch adapts to the size and movements of the wrist. The external components are made from black zirconium for the case middle and hardened steel for the caseback, bezel and floating lugs. To enhance their shock resistance, the hardened steel lugs are black DLC-coated with shiny blued titanium inserts. As mentioned, the unusual 105m water-resistance rating harks back to the Grand Bleu watch, which celebrated the deep dive record of Jacques Mayol, the character who inspired Luc Besson’s 1988 film, Le Grand Bleu.

The De Bethune DB28GS Swordfish departs from standard dive watches and does not relay immersion times externally on the rotating bezel; that would be too easy a solution for master watchmaker Denis Flageollet, and it would likely compromise the refined aesthetics. Instead, the coin-edged bezel rotates the metallised minute graduations displayed on the sapphire crystal protecting the dial.

Another fascinating attribute of the watch is its unique illumination. In addition to the luminescent-tipped central hands, a pusher at 6 o’clock activates a lighting system that diffuses white light from the four corners of the dial – at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. Entirely mechanical, without electronics or batteries, the lighting system works like a bicycle light. The pusher triggers a small gear driven by the twin barrels. In turn, the gear, which is equipped with a miniature dynamo, generates energy/light without affecting the movement’s operation.

Playing with black and blued titanium details, the dial reveals emblematic De Bethune features like the large delta-shaped titanium barrel bridge decorated with a microlight engraving and blue borders or the mirror-polished bridge over the balance wheel at 6 o’clock. The hours are represented by spherical blued titanium markers on the external bezel and indicated by the wide openworked black titanium minutes hand with its blued titanium insert. The power reserve indicator is positioned between 9 and 10 o’clock.

The watch is powered by De Bethune’s manual-winding DB2080 calibre with twin barrels for a robust 5-day power reserve. Fitted with a triple shock absorber system, the rugged movement maintains stability and accuracy even during violent impacts.

The De Bethune DB28GS Swordfish is paired with a textured rubber strap with a black hardened steel folding clasp and comes with an additional canvas and leather strap. It retails for CHF 105,000. More information at debethune.ch.