De Bethune DB28GS Swordfish

A diving watch that guarantees, as always with De Bethune, optimal legibility of the time and immersion duration. It is designed to perform under challenging conditions, with reduced visibility, both day and night.

2019 marked a turning point for De Bethune when Denis Flageollet, founder and master watchmaker, introduced a 100% sport model. The DB28GS Grand Bleu represents the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his horological journey. Both technical and elegant, it is the first diving watch from the independent manufacturer, which, true to its approach, reinterprets and refines the aesthetics and technical features of its models over time.

Today, the DB28GS Swordfish adopts the elegant design and bold character of its predecessors, while offering a new bi-chromatic interpretation—both mysterious and dazzling—that explores the nuances of black surrounding the iconic De Bethune blue.

Exceptional Aesthetic Legibility

The craftsmanship at the Auberson workshops is evident in the quality of the finishes and the materials, including the oxidation of zirconium and Grade 5 titanium, as well as the DLC treatment on the hardened stainless steel. The combination of these materials for the 44mm case, the mobile cradles, and the bridges—brushed, hand-polished, or decorated with the "microlight" technique—offers a depth of black with multiple tonalities, ranging from matte to glossy, subtly highlighted with touches of blue.

The Grade 5 titanium components—polished, mirror-finished, and blued—such as the hands, inserts, crown, bridges, and the micro-spherical indices of the bezel, have been meticulously designed, selected, and assembled to ensure immediate legibility of the time.

Diving Time Measurement

The immersion time is elegantly read on the De Bethune watch, thanks to a bezel that rotates the watch's sapphire crystal in its unidirectional movement. Unlike traditional dive watches, the DB28 GS Swordfish displays the minute track on the sapphire glass itself, refining the design and enhancing legibility while maintaining a precise display system.

Technical Legibility Optimized by an Ingenious Mechanical Lighting System

In addition to the luminescent-tipped hands, the DB28GS Swordfish is equipped with De Bethune’s manual lighting system, which diffuses white light from the four corners of the dial (3, 6, 9, 12 o’clock) to illuminate the movement from the inside. This entirely mechanical system functions as simply as a bicycle light, without electronics or batteries. It is activated by a push-button at 6 o’clock, which triggers a small gear driven by the dual barrel. This gear, through a miniature dynamo, provides the energy necessary to light the watch without affecting the movement’s operation. Once again, the manufacture showcases its ability to blend functionality and technical excellence, as the simplicity of this lighting function masks the intricate engineering that only the De Bethune technical team can fully appreciate.

Shock Resistance and Optimal Comfort

The DB28 GS Swordfish continues the tradition of exceptional comfort De Bethune applies to its pieces, especially within the DB28 collection. This remarkable comfort is due to the combination of black zirconium and hardened stainless steel, its hand-brushed and polished finish, and the positioning of the crown at 12 o’clock. Additionally, it features the patented mobile cradle system, which adapts to the size and movement of the wrist. It has been enhanced by a DLC coating (Diamond-Like Carbon) that adheres perfectly to the ultra-hardened stainless steel of the cradles, ensuring resistance to shocks (unlike DLC coatings applied to softer materials such as titanium or 316L stainless steel commonly used in watchmaking). The DB28 GS Swordfish cradles stand out with blued Grade 5 titanium inserts, polished to recall the blue components of the case and dial. The natural rubber strap also contributes to the watch’s comfortable wear.

Performance of the DB2080 Movement

The DB28GS Swordfish meets the reliability standards set by De Bethune’s technical department and proudly boasts flawless water resistance to a depth of 105 meters. Its DB2080 movement is equipped with a double barrel self-regulating system that provides a 5-day power reserve, with performance indicated between 9 and 10 o’clock. The presence of a titanium/grey gold balance wheel, designed to adapt to temperature variations, along with a flat terminal curve hairspring, ensures an optimal mass/inertia ratio for an ideal frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, suited for wristwatches. The watch undergoes extensive reliability and shock resistance testing, which it passes thanks to a triple shock absorber system that protects the heart of the movement. A titanium bridge, equipped with shock absorbers at both ends (ruby + blade spring) and a central damper, ensures precise position stability of the balance wheel, even during violent impacts. The DB28GS Swordfish once again illustrates the meticulous research work of Denis Flageollet's teams on functional aesthetics, reliability, and technical performance—key elements at the heart of every De Bethune creation

Technical specifications

De Bethune DB28GS Swordfish

Reference: DB28GSV2BB

Case

• Material: Black zirconium case middle with “Microlight” decoration, black brushed and polished harden stainless steel caseback and bezel
• Diameter: 44 mm
• Thickness: 12.8 mm
• Lugs: Floating lugs in black brushed harden stainless steel with blued polished grade 5 titanium insert – De Bethune Patent (2006)
• Glass: In sapphire crystal (1800 Vickers hardness) with double anti-reflective coating
• Case back: open in black polished harden stainless steel
• Water-resistant to 10 ATM

Dial and hands

• Black Satin-brushed grade 5 titanium minutes dial with cut-out Arabic numerals
• Rotating bezel crystal with metallised minutes ring

Movement

• Calibre DB2080
• Mechanical hand-wound movement
• Diameter: 30 mm
• Number of parts: 400
• Number of jewels: 51
• Power reserve: 5 days, ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel De Bethune Innovation (2004)
• Frequency: 28'800 vibrations per hours

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes, seconds
• Power reserve indication between 9 and 10 o’clock
• Unidirectional rotating bezel, manual dial lighting

Strap and buckle

• Natural rubber strap + 1 canvas / leather strap
• Folding clasp in black brushed harden stainless steel

MSRP: TBC

For more information, please visit debethune.com