Comments:
Double Bision
Yep, Double Bision, with "capital B" because its DB...
The guilloche dial was another first for me. I had excluded Breguet from my target list due to this...and look at me now! The DB12 gilloche is wonderfully delicate and discrete. And the railtrack minute markers look also great.
I had some doubts about whether the contrast of the blue hands on the silver dial would look as remarkable as it does on the champagne one. It does look a little different, but it is equally charming and elegant.
The big date on these watches is perfect for my presbyopia (the month I can barely see) and the date change is fast and crisp, at exactly 12.00h on both watches.
The action of the chronograph is crisp. The feeling is between the "hard click" you would feel on my PP 5980 (or that of any ETA7750, for that matter) and the butter-like feel of the Lange chronos (sorry for the layman description, not a great technical expert here). I would say it is "sensuous and enjoyable". The reset button feels as if nothing was there, not even butter, as you practically notice no resistance when you push it. Wonderful.
The movement...just fascinating. I have never had the privilege of owning one of the beautiful Lemanias of the sort the PP 5070 or the VC Patrimony Traditionelle boast, but this Venus 175 truly does keep the appearances (and for a more affordable price
) I have tried to capture the beauty of the movement, skeletonized, the column wheel, etc on the photo. But I warned you before I do not aspire to a job at the National Geographic magazine...
There is very little information on the early De Bethunes around the internet. I guess very few were ever made, but not even that I could find. That is a pity because I would love to be able to share and learn more through interaction with other owners... Magnus Bosse, I believe, had a disk with some info (which I would love to get my hands on, Magnus
)
I am sorry that I am such a lousy photographer, but even so, there is very limited information about the older De Bethune's and so I thought it wouldn't hurt if I did a little report for PuristS.
The reason for the report is...that I got my second DB12!
I have posted here before some photographs of my pink gold champagne dial DB12. Until one or two years ago I would not wear any yellow or even pink gold, so it was one big jump for me to dare go for something "so gold" (thanks, Ivanclai, for helping me appreciate the beauty of real-colored gold ). It is my favourite amongst all that I now own. The watch is incredibly elegant and the contrast of the blue hands on the yellow dial is one of the key elements.
). It is my favourite amongst all that I now own. The watch is incredibly elegant and the contrast of the blue hands on the yellow dial is one of the key elements.The guilloche dial was another first for me. I had excluded Breguet from my target list due to this...and look at me now! The DB12 gilloche is wonderfully delicate and discrete. And the railtrack minute markers look also great.
The watch wears very big (I like big, coming from the Paneristi world). It is "only" 42mm but it nearly doesn't have a bezel, so it is all dial and that makes it very noticeable. Especially with the champagne dial...
Having been madly in love with this very-gold DB12 for some time, I came across some pictures of a similar white gold one which began to torture my mind... This new body of temptation caused a big turmoil in my mind because (1) I had never owned the same watch in two different metals and (2) this particular one was coming without original box & papers...those two factors would also be "firsts" for me and kept putting me off for nearly two months. But I kept coming back to this vendor's website time and again...until I decided to give in...
I had some doubts about whether the contrast of the blue hands on the silver dial would look as remarkable as it does on the champagne one. It does look a little different, but it is equally charming and elegant.
And, moreover, the combination of white gold and blue in such a classic design makes this an ab-so-lu-te-ly unbeatable watch when wearing a blue shirt and suit
The big date on these watches is perfect for my presbyopia (the month I can barely see) and the date change is fast and crisp, at exactly 12.00h on both watches.
But here comes the only thing I do not like about the DB12: while the month can be changed via a small pusher between the crown and the chronograph reset button, the date does not have a fast change feature via the crown! That means you have to move the time past 12.00h (or more precisely, past 24.00h) and then backwards again to about 20.00h and forward again to 24.00h to change each day of the month... If you are two or three days away from the correct date, not so bad, but if you pick the watch on the 30th of the month and the date window shows "1"... it will take you two or three minutes to reach to the current day.
The action of the chronograph is crisp. The feeling is between the "hard click" you would feel on my PP 5980 (or that of any ETA7750, for that matter) and the butter-like feel of the Lange chronos (sorry for the layman description, not a great technical expert here). I would say it is "sensuous and enjoyable". The reset button feels as if nothing was there, not even butter, as you practically notice no resistance when you push it. Wonderful.
The movement...just fascinating. I have never had the privilege of owning one of the beautiful Lemanias of the sort the PP 5070 or the VC Patrimony Traditionelle boast, but this Venus 175 truly does keep the appearances (and for a more affordable price
) I have tried to capture the beauty of the movement, skeletonized, the column wheel, etc on the photo. But I warned you before I do not aspire to a job at the National Geographic magazine...A disappointment with the white gold version is that there is no sapphire back...
There is very little information on the early De Bethunes around the internet. I guess very few were ever made, but not even that I could find. That is a pity because I would love to be able to share and learn more through interaction with other owners... Magnus Bosse, I believe, had a disk with some info (which I would love to get my hands on, Magnus
)Just a couple more photos showing that this DB12 can be as elegant as it can be sporty.
I hope you enjoy my passionate review of this DB! Not very technical, true, but very passionate!
Double beauty!
The early DB's have this special classic yet avant-garde charm that the current generation of DB models don't have.
The modern family on the other hand are technical marvels and have the now-signature space-age aesthetics.
The 2 era's show how much talent these guys have! I would love to have one from each era but could only settle with one DB15, which I love dearly.
Congratulations on the double beauty!
Thanks for sharing!
These DB's are the foundation of what De Bethune is today. It is a shame they removed the older models from their website.
Regards
Rene
Regards
Rene
I too feel as if DB wanted to get rid of its past...
...when I don't feel there is anything to feel ashamed of. Even if the two "eras" are distinctly different.
Maybe that is why it is sooo difficult to find information about these first watches...
I fully share your feelings here
Both are beautiful but I think I have a little preference for your new WG version (huge congratz by the way ! ).
Even with this classic watch we can feel the pure and modern influence of DB. Especially with this picture : little figures, the symetry etc ....
I would be very curious to see it in the flesh.
Bravo again sanro !
Best,
Mark
Let me know if you ever pop around China or Spain...
...and I will be happy to share it!
Thank you, Mark!
Congrats!
The early De Bethunes are very different from the current ones but just as interesting and appealing. Congrats again!
- SJX
Thanks for sharing this and congrats!
I never know this model existed till now. It's interesting to see the past works of DB vis-a-vis t their current offering. So different in appearance. The DB12 is so classic in appearance and when you look at the likes of the DBS (one of my favs from DB), one wonders if it is evolution or confusion from DB.
In any case, congrats again.
Fascinating watch - great report
And huge congratulations
And by the way, gold suits you - welcome to the club
Best
Hans
Thanks for the post
And for the wonderful photos!
I am glad you landed that white gold watch ( that I too was dreaming about ).
Cheers,
Cazalea
Double congrats...I love de bethunes from that "era"
Generally prefer the old school charm of early de bethunes versus their more avant garde modern counterparts....though I am being swayed weekly...
Do keep me in mind, if you ever wanna sell one of them.
Best,
Horo
I will, Horo...but
...it is unlikely because the rose gold one is a present from the wife and the white gold one is like its perfect complement. And even for non-believers selling a watch gifted by your couple is a capital sin!!