Some watchmaking traditions are so entrenched that we rarely question them. Take meteorite dials, for instance. Usually, the material is used practically in its raw state, with watchmakers merely enhancing the contrast of the lines of iron with the help of chemical treatments. End of story? Not for De Bethune. Indeed, one might ask why a brand whose flagship piece is called “Starry Sky” took so long to incorporate a celestial element like meteorite. But today their creative reflection has reached a highly satisfactory conclusion.
Rethinking the meteorite dial
As you might expect, De Bethune has broken with convention. They have added a guilloché pattern and gold inclusions to represent the iconic stars of the “Starry Sky” motif, while dressing the dial in midnight blue livery. These three alterations to the raw meteorite represent a significant break with tradition. The precious celestial object is no longer the untouchable centrepiece of the dial. Instead, it becomes one decorative element among others, serving the brand’s overall aesthetic narrative.
The result is a DB28xs “Météorite” of striking beauty. The eye isn’t accustomed to seeing such intricate work on a meteorite. We typically appreciate the geometric rigour and cold complexity of its iron composition. But De Bethune offers something entirely different. The dial features soft, free-flowing guilloché waves, layered over the straight lines naturally present in the material. It’s the same guilloché pattern featured on the DB28xs “Starry Seas”.
An elusive aesthetic
Surprisingly, despite the seemingly contradictory juxtaposition of straight and oblique lines with horizontal guilloché waves, the overall effect is both harmonious and captivating. The eye searches in vain for an anchor point, partly because the guilloché is random, making it impossible to discern any repeating sequence. Rather, the mesmerising motifs seem to constantly shift, creating an arrangement of shapes that defies definition.
It’s easy to lose oneself in this cosmic, enchanting, elusive design. And yet the watch nevertheless displays the respect for physics that underpins all of Denis Flageollet’s work: the guilloché waves evoke gravitational waves or the tidal movements generated by the moon. It’s worth remembering that horology is the daughter of astronomy. De Bethune expresses this heritage here with rare talent, housing the dial in a matte anthracite zirconium case measuring just 38.7 mm in diameter, its rugged appearance complementing the natural reflections of the meteorite.
The universe encapsulated in 7 mm
The DB28xs Météorite shares its movement with the other two DB28xs models (“Purple Rain” and “Starry Seas”). Naturally, it’s a manufacture calibre, richly endowed with innovations and patents. Notable features include the double barrel that provides an impressive six-day power reserve, a balance wheel optimised for temperature changes and air resistance, a silicon escape wheel and a triple shock-absorbing system. All of this is elegantly contained within a case just 7 mm thick – scarcely any wider than the twinkle of a star.
