Season 3 - DB Kind of Two GMT
An Artistic Collaboration with Swizz Beatz
A Limited Edition of 10 pieces
Swizz Beatz and De Bethune: A Fusion of Horology and Creativity
In 2020, American artist, rapper, and music producer Swizz Beatz challenged De Bethune with a visionary concept centered on transparency and light. The DW5, with its unclassifiable design and avant-garde spirit, emerged as the perfect choice for this first limited edition. Featuring a case composed of seven distinct sapphire crystal elements set within a blued titanium exoskeleton, it unveils the intricate details of an exceptional movement. The paradox between minimalist aesthetics and technical mastery embodies De Bethune’s contemporary and boundary-pushing approach to watchmaking.
For Season 2, the DBD model took center stage, showcasing a refined dial where “Côtes de Genève” and Art Deco-inspired apertures create an elegantly restrained digital display, hiding a complexity known only to the movement. The striking contrast of burgundy and anthracite, paired with a case that merges classical inspiration—crown at 12 o’clock, ogival lugs—with the technological sophistication and lightness of polished zirconium, pays homage to the multifaceted creativity of Swizz Beatz.
Now, for Season 3, Swizz Beatz has selected the reversible DB Kind of Two GMT. Beyond its striking dual-identity design, the timepiece offers a functional advantage: a dual-time display across two distinct dials, seamlessly accessed with a single, ultra-precise flipping motion, an impressive feat of horological engineering by De Bethune.
Two Faces, Two Time Zones: A Masterclass in Technical Complexity
Crafting a watch with two distinct and independent dials was a formidable challenge, requiring the development of a highly sophisticated movement entirely conceived and produced within De Bethune’s manufacture in l’ Auberson, Switzerland.
True to the brand’s philosophy, behind the understated elegance of this piece lies a movement of remarkable complexity, designed to offer a seamless and intuitive GMT function. A precise system of gears and pinions ensures that the hands always move in the correct direction, regardless of the selected dial. Fully reversible, the watch offers the wearer the freedom to choose their display based on time zone or aesthetic preference.
Contemporary Face: Home Time Display
The contemporary dial, with its streamlined aesthetic, accentuates the movement while focusing the time display around the balance wheel at 6 o’clock, with minute markers along the periphery. The
interplay of polished, domed surfaces, combined with microlight and satin finishes, creates a spectrum of subtle contrasts that enhance the exceptional depth of the movement’s black coating. Despite its compact dimensions, the watch conveys a striking sense of volume and depth, seamlessly integrating both a jumping seconds complication and a GMT function. A perfectly symmetrical deltoid bridge, positioned at the center like an isosceles triangle, contributes to the overall harmony of the composition.
The self-regulating twin barrels introduce a touch of silver, while golden accents on the hour and minute markers, as well as the dual central gold wheels of the jumping seconds mechanism, elevate the refinement of the dial. The polished, blued steel hands, with a satin-finished steel insert at the center, introduce a discreet yet vibrant hue, playing with light to ensure optimal legibility.
A Case That Marries Function and Form
Elegant yet highly technical, the case is crafted from zirconium and satin-finished Grade 5 titanium. Specially redesigned floating lugs ensure an ergonomic fit, adapting seamlessly to the wrist’s natural movement. The case’s unique construction allows effortless transition between the two dials, achieved with a smooth, precise flipping motion. This ingenious micro-mechanical system, composed of 42 components made from corrosion-resistant materials such as surgical steel and titanium, is engineered to withstand external factors including water, humidity, temperature fluctuations, and offers continuous wearability.
Classic Face: The GMT Display
The GMT face, infused with classic De Bethune DNA, embodies the Maison’s signature aesthetic. The hour and minute track pays tribute to the historical DB8 and DB10 models, while the hand-guilloché central motif, with its seemingly random pattern, is subtly highlighted with hints of blue. Some may interpret this as a nod to De Bethune’s signature blued hands, while others might see it as the shimmering reflection of the sea under a moonlit sky—an open canvas for individual appreciation, shaped by the artistic visions of both Denis Flageollet, De Bethune’s master watchmaker and founder, and Swizz Beatz.
Adding to the poetic elegance of this side is the refined, fluid motion of the polished mirror-finished steel jumping seconds hand—an expression of pure horological emotion.
Ingenious Simplicity: The Adjustment System
Despite its mechanical sophistication, the DB Kind of Two GMT remains remarkably intuitive to use. The dual-sided display is designed for ease of operation: The wearer first sets their home time on the contemporary face first, using the crown in position 3. The second time zone is then adjusted by pulling the crown to its second position while using the GMT face.
Much like Swizz Beatz—an artist of many talents who seamlessly blends genres and influences—the DB Kind of Two GMT Season 3 distinguishes itself through versatility and innovation. This dual-faced timepiece, adorned with deep black nuances, not only showcases De Bethune’s technical prowess but also highlights the Maison’s masterful craftsmanship in blending materials, colors, and light. With its dual display and two distinct personalities—one contemporary, the other classic—it epitomizes the harmonious balance between tradition and modernity, just as Swizz Beatz merges musical styles to create something entirely unique.