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Lot Essay
The brilliantly named and visually spectacular DB28GS Grand Bleu perfectly demonstrates the free-thinking approach and technical ingenuity of master watchmaker Denis Flageollet, whose creations have established De Bethune as one of the most avant-garde and innovative independent manufactures of the 21st century. Introduced in 2019, the model reinterprets the traditional diver's watch through the unmistakable futuristic design language of the DB28, combining genuine sporting functionality with one of the most unusual mechanical innovations found in contemporary watchmaking.
The 'GS' designation stands for 'Grand Sport', yet the Grand Bleu deliberately avoids the conventional aesthetic codes of a diver's watch. Its lightweight titanium construction incorporates black zirconium elements and is water-resistant to 100 metres, while the unidirectional rotating bezel provides the functionality expected of a diving instrument. Characteristically De Bethune, however, the bezel rotates together with the sapphire crystal, incorporating an inner metallised scale calibrated for dive times. The result remains immediately recognisable as a DB28 first and a diver's watch second.
Its most extraordinary feature is the ingenious mechanically powered LED illumination system, developed by Denis Flageollet specifically for the DB28GS Grand Bleu. Designed to ensure exceptional legibility on land or underwater, the system requires neither a battery nor conventional electronic power source. Instead, it operates through a miniature dynamo based on a principle comparable to that of a bicycle light. Pressing the pusher at 6 o'clock converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, illuminating four LED lights positioned at the quarter-hour markers for several seconds. Exceptionally complex to construct, the mechanism represents a remarkable feat of miniature engineering and adds an entirely new dimension to the traditional concept of watch illumination.
The mechanical lighting system is complemented by an innovative photoluminescent material known as 'Blue Moon', specially developed for De Bethune by Black Badger in collaboration with Swiss Super-LumiNova. Appearing blue in daylight, the material produces a powerful luminous glow in darkness, further enhancing the exceptional readability of the dial and reinforcing the model's distinctive nocturnal appearance.
Already regarded as one of De Bethune's most memorable modern creations, the DB28GS Grand Bleu transforms the familiar concept of the diver's watch into something entirely unexpected. The spectacle of its dial suddenly illuminated in complete darkness is made all the more remarkable by the knowledge that the light itself is generated mechanically, perfectly encapsulating De Bethune's ability to unite traditional watchmaking principles with genuinely futuristic innovation.
The 'GS' designation stands for 'Grand Sport', yet the Grand Bleu deliberately avoids the conventional aesthetic codes of a diver's watch. Its lightweight titanium construction incorporates black zirconium elements and is water-resistant to 100 metres, while the unidirectional rotating bezel provides the functionality expected of a diving instrument. Characteristically De Bethune, however, the bezel rotates together with the sapphire crystal, incorporating an inner metallised scale calibrated for dive times. The result remains immediately recognisable as a DB28 first and a diver's watch second.
Its most extraordinary feature is the ingenious mechanically powered LED illumination system, developed by Denis Flageollet specifically for the DB28GS Grand Bleu. Designed to ensure exceptional legibility on land or underwater, the system requires neither a battery nor conventional electronic power source. Instead, it operates through a miniature dynamo based on a principle comparable to that of a bicycle light. Pressing the pusher at 6 o'clock converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, illuminating four LED lights positioned at the quarter-hour markers for several seconds. Exceptionally complex to construct, the mechanism represents a remarkable feat of miniature engineering and adds an entirely new dimension to the traditional concept of watch illumination.
The mechanical lighting system is complemented by an innovative photoluminescent material known as 'Blue Moon', specially developed for De Bethune by Black Badger in collaboration with Swiss Super-LumiNova. Appearing blue in daylight, the material produces a powerful luminous glow in darkness, further enhancing the exceptional readability of the dial and reinforcing the model's distinctive nocturnal appearance.
Already regarded as one of De Bethune's most memorable modern creations, the DB28GS Grand Bleu transforms the familiar concept of the diver's watch into something entirely unexpected. The spectacle of its dial suddenly illuminated in complete darkness is made all the more remarkable by the knowledge that the light itself is generated mechanically, perfectly encapsulating De Bethune's ability to unite traditional watchmaking principles with genuinely futuristic innovation.