De Bethune launches DB25GMT Starry Varius
Walk with the stars.
Although the pandemic has not completely disappeared in the rearview mirror, international travel is slowly but surely recovering, so the latest news from De Bethune comes at the right time. The DB25GMT Starry Varius is an upgraded version of the dual time zone watch-smaller, thinner and lighter than the original version, and is also equipped with the brand’s iconic “Starry Night” dial.
DB25GMT is more classic than the brand’s most famous model, DB28 or DW5. Nevertheless, in addition to the celestial pattern dial, it also incorporates typical De Bethune details, making it stand out among the two time watches.
If money is not a problem, the first watch I will buy is my “Holy Grail”, De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Tourbillon. It has ethereal quality and technological innovation, which can capture people’s hearts. Unsurprisingly, I like DB25GMT Starry Varius, which is similar in style but more practical.
The star-studded dial is a modest upgrade, but it has significantly improved the beauty of the brand’s original dual time zone watch launched in 2016. It makes sense to match it with the complication of travel time as a historical reference because explorers used to rely on the stars for navigation-making the design feel like a match made in heaven (pun intended).
Despite the simple layout, the multi-component dial gives the watch visual depth, which undoubtedly makes it one of the most fascinating travel watches.
But the new dual time zone is more than just a beautiful dial. Functionally, it is the same as the brand’s early dual time zone watches, with an unusual second time zone display and jumping date hands, both of which are subtly integrated with the design.
Despite the use of a 3D display, DB25GMT remains wearable, with a thickness of 42 mm and a height of only 11.8 mm, which is about 2 mm thinner than the previous generation product-compact according to De Bethune’s standards.
The price of DB25GMT is approximately US$105,000, which is 30% lower than the previous DB25 World Traveller price, which is gold, which partially explains the price difference. Nevertheless, DB25GMT is still very attractive as an exotic travel watch.
Literally, what plays the protagonist on the dial is the cosmic horizon at its center, which consists of two parts. According to De Bethune, the two parts together are “a poetic view of our sky during the day and night.”
The lower part is the “Starry Varius” that is reminiscent of the universe, with a golden ball inlaid on a blue titanium base. More unusual is the upper part, which contains a pink golden sphere, like the sun falling into a crescent moon with a radial texture.
However, the technical highlight of this watch is the innovative and elegant second time zone display. De Bethune copy
A discrete sphere travels along the recessed home time track of the dial, indicating the second time zone, and also doubles as a day and night indicator. The numbers in the upper half of the home time track are gold and the lower half are blue, representing day and night respectively.
At the same time, the second time zone sphere displays day or night in the local time zone. It is composed of two halves of rose gold and blue steel. The blue steel half faces up at night, and the pink gold half faces up during the day. The sphere rotates gradually twice a day at 6 am and 6 pm, approximately the time of sunrise and sunset.
Also unusual is the date, which is indicated by the beating blue steel hands, reminiscent of old-fashioned calendar watches
Inside is a manual wind calibrator. DB2507 is essentially a slightly modified version of cal. db2547 was found in the previous version.
DB2507 has all the functions of the De Bethune movement, including a patented blue titanium balance wheel with platinum counterweights, and an impressive five-day power reserve brought by the double barrel.
From a visual point of view, the movement is a classic De Bethune. It uses a mirror-polished large triangular barrel-shaped splint, but the central part is engraved with a pattern inspired by Cotes de Geneve.
Above the balance wheel, the blue steel, triple chute shock absorber echoes the barrel bridge with its wide inverted V shape.
De Bethune DB25GMT Starry Varius
Ref. DB25VGTIS3
Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 11.8 mm
Material: Titanium
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: DB2507
Functions: Hours, minutes, second time zone, day and night indicator, jumping date
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 5 days
Strap: Alligator with pin buckle