De Bethune

Haute Horlogerie's Rhapsody in Blue

- Martin Green

On Feb. 12, 1924, the world first heard the unique notes of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, as it premiered in New York's Aeolian Concert Hall. This composition was extraordinary because it was a symbiosis of classical and jazz. What should have been competing forces came together as one.

In watchmaking, there is often a battle between form and function. As we are surrounded these days by reliable and precise timekeepers, watches have increasingly become pieces of jewellery. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that they still have a practical purpose to live up to. Balancing form and function within a timepiece is a delicate task, but De Bethune is one brand that has mastered it.

In the watch world, De Bethune counts as a youngster, as it was only founded in 2002, but that doesn't mean it lacks experience. It came to life thanks to David Zanetta, a dealer and collector of antique (wrist) watches, and Denis Flageollet, a fourth-generation watchmaker. Like the generations before him, Flageollet turned out to have a knack for mechanics. Although born in the northeast of France, Flageollet's destiny quickly took him to Switzerland, where he studied at the Technicum and the Musée d'Horlogerie du Locle.

His talent did not go unnoticed, and soon he found himself in the atelier of Michel Parmigiani, working on some of the most amazing timekeepers ever created.

This gave Flageollet valuable experience about the past, which he would eventually use to create the future.