De Bethune BD27 Titan Hawk Black

When De Bethune launched the DB27 last year, they already announced that it was the first of the DB27 collection. And without too much noise, De Bethune quietly introduced the DB 27 Titan Hawk Black earlier this year and there will be more at Baselworld. With the entire De Bethune collection, the DB27 collection represents the entry level. 

It features a De Bethune in-house movement, caliber S233, with automatic winding and a power reserve of 6 days – later more about the movement. First I’d like to highlight another very desirable feat, which is the case with the so-called floating lugs. These signature De Bethune lugs bend to follow the wrist’s shape and make every watch with floating lugs EXTREMELY comfortable to wear. With a mirror-polished titanium case – the lugs are also in titanium – it is also extremely light, simply adding more to the über-wearable comfort.

The DB27 Titan Hawk Black is however not the only new model in the DB27 collection. There’s also a version with a (dark) blue dial and one with a copper/salmon dial. And although I was already swept of my feet by the DB27 Titan Hawk Black, I’m afraid that both new models are equally tempting! The Titan Hawk Blue (?) and Titan Hawk… Copper? or Salmon? (these last two haven’t been formally introduced, so the names aren’t know yet) simply look more than stunning.

I also don’t know if all four models are in titanium, or that one of the other cases (blue or salmon/copper) comes in a platinum or white gold case. As soon as more is known, I’ll update this article. Anyways, the case measures 44 mm in diameter and with the floating lugs it not only wears extremely comfortable, but since the lugs are rather short and folding around the wrist, it wears smaller as one would expect from a 44 mm watch. The case back is closed, except for a small window that reveals the balance wheel.

The movement features many of the De Bethune in-house developed innovations, like the patented self-regulating twin barrel, silicon/white gold balance and the balance spring with flat terminal curve, the triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system, the titanium/platinum oscillating weight and the silicon escape-wheel. Yes, these are all invented within the De Bethune laboratory/atelier and patented.

Everything is hand finished – chamfered and polished – and when I say everything, I’m not referring to the movement only. The case, lugs, dial, hands… everything! Now the biggest challenge is to determine which one is favorite… silver, black, salmon/copper or blue?

Of course I’ll visit De Bethune at Baselworld, so more news and photos will follow! For now, you can visit the De Bethune website for more info about their timepieces and the numerous patented innovations.