The Extraterrestrial Meteorite Dial of the De Bethune DB28XS Aérolite

Many of De Bethune’s watches reveal master watchmaker Denis Flageollet’s passion for outer space. Who could forget his interplanetary delta-shaped spaceship known as the Dream Watch 5 or his heat-blued titanium models that evoke the mystery of our cosmos? Flageollet is also drawn to extraterrestrial materials like iron meteorites, particularly fragments of the famous Muonionalusta meteorite. However, unlike other brands with meteorite dials, Flageollet applies his alchemical thermal oxidation to achieve a heavenly blue colour like that featured on the dial of the DB28XP Meteorite in 2021. The latest adventure with meteorites is the DB28XS Aerolite with its more compact 39mm case in black zirconium and a stunning blue Muonionalusta meteorite dial.

Muonionalusta is one of the oldest known ferrous meteorites heralding from an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Estimated to be more than 4.5 billion years old, the meteorite hurtled through space and crashed on Earth in what is now northern Sweden approximately one million years ago. Discovered by two children in 1906, the iron meteorite is composed of 91% iron and 8.4% nickel, and when polished and etched with nitric acid, reveals its fascinating crisscrossing Widmanstätten patterns. “No other metal,” says Flageollet, “is infused with pure energy and emotion as iron meteorites, which have taken form in the furnace of the stars”.

The DB28XS Aerolite continues the trajectory established by the 43mm DB28XP Meteorite and the more compact 39mm DB28XS Starry Seas of 2023, with its random guilloché pattern on the dial evoking the rippled surface of a starry sea. A combination of the two, the model applies the rippled surface treatment of the Starry Seas to the meteorite.

De Bethune’s DB28XS is the smallest model in the brand’s repertoire. Distilling the main elements of the iconic DB28 with its floating articulated lugs, delta-shaped bridge, crown at noon and futuristic silhouette, the DB28XS has a more compact 38.7mm diameter coupled with an ultra-slim case height of 7.4mm. Instead of titanium, the new model has a zirconium case. Although it is fractionally heavier than titanium, zirconium has a similar matte gunmetal colour.

Obviously, the calling card of this watch is its fascinating blue meteorite dial. To call it blue would be a serious understatement because, depending on the light, a host of iridescent colours wash over the dial, ranging from blue to purple and from green to grey. However, the most astonishing aspect of the dial is how the undulating guilloché waves traversing the dial give way to the fascinating crisscrossing patterns of the meteorite.

The dial is also hand-set with spherical white gold pins of different sizes to evoke twinkling stars. The hours are printed on the raised and rounded chapter ring framing the dial, and the pink gold hands are openworked and hand polished. The minutes hand has a slightly curved tip to negotiate the rounded chapter ring.

The fact that the dial is made from a sliver of meteorite is already a guarantee that each piece is unique. However, coupled with the alchemical heat-blued treatment and hand-guilloché pattern, there is absolutely no chance that any two dials will be similar.

The sapphire crystal on the caseback reveals the signature delta-shaped bridge of De Bethune’s manual-winding calibre DB2005. Mirror-polished, the bridge has a blued titanium bar and a bridge over the balance wheel. The patented balance is made of blued titanium with white gold inserts and beats at 4Hz. Twin barrels, partially visible under the bridge, deliver a 6-day power reserve, and the lower plate is decorated with a series of concentric grooves emanating from the balance.

The watch is presented with an extra-supple alligator leather strap and a black textile strap with a zirconium pin buckle. The DB28XS Aerolite is a limited annual production and retails for CHF 105,000 (excl. tax). For more information, please consult debethune.ch.