The Compact and Striking new De Bethune DB28XS Steel Wheels

What happens when you cross De Bethune’s compact DB28XS with the looks and transparency of the DB28XP Steel Wheels? The answer, revealed during Geneva Watch Days, is this stunning, polarizing, fascinating DB28XS Steel Wheels. As master watchmaker and founder of the De Bethune brand, Denis Flageollet points out, this is not merely an exercise in downsizing: “There is no point in working unless it is to progress, and the only way to achieve that is by constantly questioning oneself.” And by all estimations, this novel hybrid might well be the most wearable and visually stimulating DB28 watch since its appearance fourteen years ago. 

The DB28XP, DB28XS and DB28 Steel Wheels

Since the different letters tacked onto the DB28 can be confusing, a short review might help. Making its debut in 2010, the DB28 is De Bethune’s flagship model. Easy to spot, the DB28 has floating lugs, a futuristic silhouette, a crown at noon and a delta-shaped mainplate in the centre of the dial reminiscent of the logo of the Starfleet Commando in Star Trek.

Appearing in different guises over the years, the DB28 feted its tenth anniversary in 2020 with an ultra-thin or XP (extra plat) case to become the DB28XP. Pushing the envelope, Flageollet decided to open the vistas of the DB28XP with the 43mm Steel Wheels model of 2022, itself inspired by the first DB28 Steel Wheels of 2018 with an openworked dial to reveal the movement’s contemporary architecture and beautiful finishings throughout.

Then, in 2023, the DB28 adopted the XS (extra small) appellation on board the DB28XS Starry Seas with its more compact diameter of 39mm and thickness of 7.4mm with a closed blue dial followed by a version with a funky purple dial and case.

The New DB28XS Steel Wheels

As you can appreciate, the new model combines features of all the abovementioned models. The grade 5 titanium case measures 39mm and has a thickness of 8mm, a wee bit thicker than the DB28XS (7.4mm) and the DB28XP (7.2mm).

Exceptionally lightweight, practically everything is made from titanium, starting with the beautiful floating lugs and case. The fusion of titanium with a smaller case diameter and the articulated lugs translate into a superbly comfortable watch on the wrist (the photos are taken on Brice’s svelte 16.5cm wrist). While the similarities with the DB28XP Steel Wheels are evident, with its fascinating composition of shapes, layers, colours and textures, subtle changes on the openworked dial distinguish it from the larger 43mm Steel Wheels.

In pride of place is De Bethune’s signature delta-shaped barrel bridge rising above the dial. Crafted in titanium, the bridge is decorated with elegant grooves that draw the eye toward the tip of the triangle. The polished titanium base of the dial base dial has openworked areas revealing the movement. You can see the twin barrels with their drum covers underneath the top part of the bridge and parts of the interlocking wheel train that drive the hands and other wheels in the movement.

The titanium balance wheel with grey gold weights is heat-blued to match the blued, polished, skeletonised hour and minute hands. As our readers know, Flageollet is also a master alchemist who developed this unique blue colour quite by accident in the lab. Realising that his titanium balance wheels were unstable, Flageollet tried stabilising them by applying the same heat-blue treatment used on steel. When fired at temperatures over 700ºC, the titanium became stable and emitted an out-of-this-world blue colour called De Bethune Blue.

The spectacular blued-titanium balance with its silicon escape wheel and flat terminal curve is held in place by a transversal, tapering mirror-polished titanium bridge nestling at the base of the triangle in sandblasted slots.

The circular-brushed periphery of the dial features small spherical blued-titanium markers and a series of depressions between the hour markers for the minutes. In line with Flageollet’s reverence for haute horlogerie finishings, almost all the elements of the case, dial and movement are finished by hand. Turning the watch over reveals an elegant configuration of curving bridges and a linear power reserve indicator to gauge the 6-day power reserve of the manual-winding in-house calibre DB2115V13.

The DB28XS Steel Wheels comes with a black alligator strap, but, as you can see in our photos, the watch is paired with a pink rubber strap, part of De Bethune’s new strap collection available in the brand’s online boutique. A bold choice for sure, but many other classic colours are available.

This lightweight, compact and visually striking De Bethune DB28XS Steel Wheels retails for CHF 82,000 (excl. tax). For more information, please consult debethune.ch.