Hands-On: De Bethune DB28GS Grand Bleu
Like the bizarre-looking, ultra-deep sea creatures that produce bioluminescent light, De Bethune’s DB28GS Grand Bleu boasts its very own, self-contained light source – hardly surprising given what De Bethune is all about. Since its inception in 2002, De Bethune has expanded its aesthetic and technical language, going from relatively classical, Breguet-inspired watches to timepieces that are at the cutting edge of modern horology. Most of its contemporary watches feature far-flung, otherworldly designs, a house style that no doubt made it challenging to ensure the Grand Bleu conforms to the ISO 6425 dive-watch specification. The resulting Grand Bleu is perhaps one of the most extravagant and extraordinary dive watches ever – this video shows the illumination in action. Though De Bethune dabbled in oversized sports watches well over a decade ago, starting with the DB24 Super Sport of 2007, the Grand Bleu is evolved from the more recent DB28GS launched in 2015. While the DB28GS was already a hardcore sports watch with a high-tech movement, the Grand Bleu takes it further -or mor eacccurately, deeper. It combines a brand-new case with a new movement equipped with a mechanical dynamo that powers a set of tiny LED lamps. The more sedate DB28 Grand Sport A new case The Grand Bleu is a large 44 mm, and rated to 100 m. At 12.8 mm high, it is thicker than most De Bethune watches but still slim for a dive watch. But the highlight of the case are the spring-loaded, open-wor...
Time+Tide
