The new De Bethune DB28XS Sea Tourbillon

With its unmistakable avant-garde design, the DB28 is De Bethune’s most recognisable model. Making its debut in 2010, the DB28 is characterised by its futuristic silhouette with floating lugs, a delta-shaped bridge at the centre of the dial reminiscent of the Starfleet Commando logo in Star Trek, and a crown at noon. Ever-evolving, the DB28XS distils the hallmark features of the original DB28 into a more compact form. Capturing the gentle motion of waves, the new DB28XS Sea Tourbillon sails in with a gorgeous blue random guilloché pattern on the bridge.

Introduced in 2023, the DB28XS (extra small) is the most compact evolution of the iconic DB28, coupled with the slimmer, more stylised profile of the ultra-thin DB28XP. Like all DB28XS models, the Sea Tourbillon case is entirely crafted from mirror-polished titanium. Combining the lightweight yet resilient properties of titanium with the ergonomically designed floating lugs, the 38.7mm case, with a slim height of 8mm, adapts naturally to the wrist’s shape and movements.

The signature heat-blued titanium delta-shaped bridge, comprising the barrel bridge cover and the triangular central bridge, is decorated with the random guilloché pattern invented by De Bethune and first seen on board the DBXS Starry Seas and Purple Rain models. Traversed by a series of blue, undulating waves, the irregular guilloché pattern applied to the bridges adds incredible depth and is a nice organic touch that contrasts with the more technical features exposed on the dial.

The peripheral titanium hour ring features the brand’s signature microlight decoration. A hand-executed engraved surface treatment, De Bethune’s blued microlight decoration is made up of closely spaced micro-grooves that catch and scatter light. Polished titanium markers represent the hours that are indicated by the custom-made and hand-polished openworked titanium hour and minute hands.

Sharing identical specifications to the DBXS Kind of Blue Tourbillon model launched last year, the Sea Tourbillon is propelled by a 30-second tourbillon at 6 o’clock secured by an openworked blued titanium bridge. The ultra-light titanium cage, composed of 63 components, weighs just 0.18 grams and completes two revolutions per minute, with a high frequency of 5Hz (36,000vph).

Since the movement is inverted and the main features are visible on the dial, the caseback view is more restrained. Protected by a round, radially decorated plate, you can see the brightly polished bridges and a partial view of the brass wheels. Powered by the manual-winding calibre DB2009V7, the robust 5-day power reserve is supplied by twin self-regulating barrels and the movement is designed to withstand magnetic fields, shocks and accelerations. The handcrafted finishing and decorations throughout the watch align with De Bethune’s high standards.

The DB28XS Sea Tourbillon retails for CHF 170,000. More information at debethune.ch.