De Bethune DB27 Titan Hawk Announced

ArmisT · 2022-12-21T01:27:53Z

Explore the De Bethune DB27 Titan Hawk JPS, a limited US edition with black zirconium and yellow titanium. Discover its unique thermal oxidation coloring and the impact of WatchBox ownership on the brand's market and collector perception.

ArmisT's initial impressions of the De Bethune DB27 Titan Hawk JPS offer a crucial first look at a significant limited series for the US market. This discussion explores the technical innovations behind its unique aesthetic and the broader implications of De Bethune's evolving brand strategy under new ownership. ArmisT highlights how this particular variant balances elegance with the brand's signature sporty appeal.

I saw that De Bethune has released the following limited series DB27 Titan Hawk JPS for the US market. The gold colored parts of the hands and lug inserts are actually yellow titanium, while the case is black zirconium. This is an interesting new Titan Hawk variant which the DB website describes as being influenced by competitive motorsports. I find it to be more elegant compared to the other more sporty looking Titan Hawk versions.

Source: De Bethune

Key Points from the Discussion

The yellow titanium color on the hands and lug inserts is achieved through thermal oxidation, a process similar to bluing steel or titanium, where an oxide layer forms on the surface when heated to a specific temperature.
The new ownership by WatchBox (WB) has instilled greater confidence in the brand's longevity and solvency, which, while leading to higher pre-owned prices, mitigates concerns about significant value depreciation or the brand's future existence.
Michael Jordan and other NBA-connected investors participated in a significant funding round for De Bethune approximately a year prior, raising around $150 million.
While De Bethune is recognized for its material technology leadership, the increased hype following the WatchBox acquisition has, for some collectors, diminished their enthusiasm for the brand.
Despite initial concerns about hype, the market's frenzy has somewhat subsided, though the long-term management strategy under WatchBox remains a point of interest for collectors.
There is a desire among some collectors for De Bethune to introduce smaller case sizes in future iterations of the Titan Hawk line.

The Discussion

TeutonicCarFan

Dec 21, 2022

It says Michael Jordan, investor, friend of watch box. Wonder if he's an investor in WB or DB?

Jay (Eire)

Dec 21, 2022

Jordan and several others with NBA connections invested about a year ago as part of a raise of about $150m if I remember correctly. His connection was definitely made public, you can Google it.

Lankysudanese

Dec 21, 2022

I used to be a huge debethune fan, and find them to be a leader in terms of material tech. But the WB-bump created a hyped which repelled me.

Gwai

Dec 21, 2022

Only saw that after reading your post, distracted by the perceived beauty of dial and hands... Cheers Marc

ArmisT

Dec 21, 2022

although that crazy hype has calmed from before thankfully. But still to be seen how WB will be managing moving forward.

ArmisT

Dec 21, 2022

An article in SJX explains the technique as follows: “The colour was achieved through thermal oxidisation of the surface, essentially the same process as that used for blued titanium (and also the same for blued steel). The yellow surface, just like the blue, is the result of an oxide that forms on the surface of titanium when it is heated to a certain temperature.”

Key Points from the Discussion

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