De Bethune DB25 Digitale Features 1,112-Year Moonphase

De Bethune unveiled the DB25 Digitale at Geneva Watch Days 2026, presenting a novel interpretation of digital timekeeping with a "hand-free" design. This new timepiece draws inspiration from celestial imagery, aiming to evoke a contemplative experience akin to observing starlit skies. The watch eschews traditional hands, opting instead for a concentric display that indicates time through a jumping-hour window positioned at the 12 o'clock mark and an analogue rotating minute disc located at the 6 o'clock position. This innovative display is managed by an internal micro ball-bearing mechanism. The dial itself is a complex construction, comprising 82 individual elements designed to represent a nocturnal landscape. It incorporates traditional hand-guilloché barleycorn motifs on the outer silvered minute track, while the inner disc is crafted from blued titanium and features De Bethune's proprietary random guilloché pattern. At the heart of the dial lies De Bethune's signature spherical moon-phase indicator. This intricate component is constructed from two polished hemispheres, one made of palladium and the other of flame-blued steel. Engineered with exceptional mechanical precision, this spherical moonphase requires a correction of only one day every 1,112 years, highlighting the brand's commitment to long-term accuracy and horological mastery. The DB25 Digitale is housed within a 42mm case made of mirror-polished Grade 5 titanium, with a thickness of 11.9mm. The case is characterized by slender, openworked "bullet" lugs and a screw-down sapphire exhibition caseback, which allows for a view of the movement. The watch is powered by the in-house Calibre DB2144V3, a third-generation hand-wound movement. This calibre is composed of 416 components and 32 rubies, and it offers a power reserve of 5 days. The DB25 Digitale is presented with an extra-supple, dark blue alligator strap, fastened by a polished titanium pin buckle. Geneva Watch Days is an annual event that showcases new timepieces from independent watchmakers and established brands, typically held in late August or early September in Geneva, Switzerland. De Bethune is a Swiss haute horlogerie brand founded in 2002, known for its innovative designs and technical prowess in watchmaking.