De Bethune Perks-Up Its Chromatic Palette By Introducing The DB28xs Purple Rain

As a color fit for royalty and standing as a beacon of enchantment, purple has been associated with everything exotic and extravagant. For De Bethune’s latest creation, the color purple stirs a unique attention-commanding emotion and is realized in the mystical adoration of the DB28xs Purple Rain. This watch limited to 25 pieces exhibits the Maison’s progressive mastery in thermal oxidation, this time realized in a nuanced heat treatment to achieve a unique purple color on titanium.

When Bare Metal Turns into a Masterpiece

The scope and epoch of avant-garde watchmaking are undeniably dominant across De Bethune’s collections. These are the hallmarks for the pieces crafted by the master watchmaker Denis Flageollet. Beyond the frontiers of mechanical mastery and the impressive architecture of calibers, the De Bethune DB28xs Purple Rain follows the Starry Seas iteration and expresses its quirks in reserved proportions. The 38.7mm case carved from grade 5 titanium features a heat oxidized surface polish reveling in a purple hue. This color is the latest addition to the chromatic range for the l’Auberson based Maison.
The heat purpled case is a nuanced horological inception and a result of meticulous process where timing is everything. A second too soon or too late on the heating will make the color tend towards a yellowish or bluish hue requiring a complete restart of the process, right from repolishing it to redoing the heat oxidation at about 700oC. The resulting hue complements the chromatic palette of the DB28 series and expresses its iridescent evolution across the case, dial and pin buckle of the DB28xs Purple Rain. Its dial depicts the reflection of a night sky on the sea with a De Bethune exclusive random guilloche engraving embellished with white gold stars. The dynamic interplay of light and reflection resulting from its troughs and crests makes the timepiece come alive on the wrist.

A Complementing Mechanical Heft

Beneath the lustrous purple facets of the DB28xs Purple Rain lies a true masterpiece of a timekeeper. Architectural and utilitarian nuances such as the spring-loaded floating lugs and the utterly weightless construction make the DB28xs Purple Rain, an appealingly wearable timepiece. Flipping over the timepiece reveals the delectably finished elements of the manual-wound caliber DB2005 with its signature delta bridge eclipsing the series-coupled twin barrels producing 6 days of power reserve.

The mutual phasing of the mainsprings results in a flat and extended even torque curve delivering constant force to the escapement throughout the duration of the wind. The blued titanium balance featuring a quartet of white gold inserts is one of ten De Bethune watchmaker Denis Flageollet patented balance wheel designs aimed at enhanced chronometry. The movement beats away at 28,800 vibrations/hour and its hand-crafted adornments showcase a rare spectacle in avant-garde haute horlogerie creations.

A Watch that Improves Watchmaking

De Bethune timepieces offer a rare insight into the future of traditional watchmaking. With a heritage rooted in embracing age-old crafts and realizing modern inceptions from the same, De Bethune continues to evolve not only its own creation but the entire notion of watchmaking, a centuries old tradition surviving only to depict the higher echelons of handicrafts in an age when analogue is obsolete.

The De Bethune DB28xs Purple Rain is a purple-hued embodiment of an elevated grade of hand-made realization serving a significant purpose.