Sapphire crystal is continuing to gain ground on the watchmaking scene. It has gone from just being used for the glass to cover the dial to the primary material used in the case, and it is now even used for the finer components in the movement.
Maison De Bethune showcased the new DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon at the Geneva Watch Days, which combines several elements made of blue sapphire crystal. The most striking of these elements on the dial are its 1 mm thick delta-shaped bridge and its two-barrel covers, which are just 0.3 mm thick.
The DB28 model celebrates its 10th anniversary, with its futuristic case mounted on unique floating lugs unveiled this year. The brand's engineers marked the occasion by preparing a horological treat to remember for watch enthusiasts. Now, for the first time, the DB28 Steel Wheels is fitted with a tourbillon. The watchmakers have upped their game since 2011 when the DB28 was named Best Watch of the Year and was awarded the Aiguille d'Or prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). They have since combined the prestigious complication and sapphire crystal components in one timepiece. The Swiss watch manufacturer in L'Auberson released only ten limited-edition anniversary pieces.
Before the new watch was presented in Geneva, architectural transparency and the idea of opening up the dial had already begun to be explored in its prototype, the DB28 Steel Wheels, which was first unveiled to the public in 2018. By modifying the design of the bridge, De Bethune has endeavored to lighten the architecture of the caliber. Once the DB2019V5 caliber's sapphire crystal bridge had been refined, De Bethune's Founder and Master Watchmaker Denis Flageollet did not stop there.
De Bethune's watchmakers went a step further, setting themselves the challenge of creating the lightest tourbillon ever made
Its cage rotates on its own every 30 seconds and weighs only 0.18 g, while the tourbillon contains 63 different components, the most lightweight of which weighs less than 0.0001 g! More importantly, the 43 x 9.8 mm titanium case of the DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon will not weigh heavily on the watch wearer's wrist.