Two sided watches have been around for a long time, and personally, this kind of watches have always represented elegance and the complexity that watchmaking means to me; so now, perfectly suiting DeBethune’s slogan “Not doing more, but instead, doing it better.” today I am introducing you to the mesmerizing DeBethune DB Kind of Two Jumping GMT. 

This year, my personal favorite independent swiss watch manufacturer is celebrating its 20th anniversary by unveiling their 30th in-house calibre; this mastery of timepiece was unveiled at the SIAR 2022 here in Mexico City, so as you can imagine I had the opportunity to have a closer and detailed look to this wearable art piece. Let me get you on the correct path so you can fall in love with this timepiece too. 

As I was telling you, two sided watches have always seized my interest because of the complexity of the mechanism that makes them work, the Jumping GMT is not the exception. I am conscious of how DeBethune has  been innovating throughout these two decades, and I personally have been in love with their timepieces for a while now; they already had the Kind of Two Tourbillon and it was impressive, but it didn’t actually snatched my interest as much as the GMT did. 

You are probably wondering why? Well, Just imagine you can wear a radical contemporary designed watch, that accentuates the brand’s “iconic” mechanics; that’s great by itself, I can say that would be a dream for most collectors and fans of the brand; but then, you realize you can have a traditional aesthetic face with a finely hand-guilloché central part surrounded by the numerals already featured on the dials of DeBethune models such as the DB8 and DB10 with just a flip. The best of both worlds…right?

It is indeed the best of both worlds. Due to a new and highly sophisticated mechanism, we can admire two magnificent dials with just a flip. It is literally like having two DeBethune timepieces in one, It can’t get any better if you ask me. The case of the DB Kind of Two Jumping GMT is fully based on the DB29 case which was a key element to develop what the brand defines as the “pivoting case” due to  the perfectly symmetrical shape and the crown integrated at 12 o’clock (or 6 depending on the side). The DB29 case was redesigned so it could turn into the pivoting case, integrating a small but complex rotative mechanism in the floating lugs so the watch could be easily flipped from one side to another. 

 

DeBethune DB Kind of Two Jumping GMT

 

On the “first” side, we have the mechanical side, with a new reading of the hour centered on the balance wheel at 6 o’clock which is paired with the minute index on the periphery of the dial. You can tell the extensive work DeBethune put on this side just by appreciating the highly detailed mechanics integrated by curved shapes, and different thicknesses and levels that create the optical sensation of space and a lot of volume. This side is designated for the “home time” or your main time zone, to set the reference time you have to use the crown positioned at 12 o’clock on its 3rd position.

On the secondary side, the GMT side, is where we find the traditional aesthetic, crafted in such a delicate and glance pearly white tone, perfectly balanced with the classic numbers and the outstanding metallic blue of the hands. On this side we can settle the GMT or secondary time zone with the same crown that now, will be located at 6 o’clock on its 2nd position. Personally this is my favorite “face” or side of the watch, despite of the mesmerizing mechanics and perfectly symmetrical components of the main face, I really enjoyed the view with the traditional GMT face, it looks so plain but at the same time so complex; I really appreciated the textures DeBethune impregnated on this side’s dial I just couldn’t help falling for it. 

 

DeBethune DB Kind of Two Jumping GMT

 

I know I say this every time I write about a new DeBethune timepiece, but this one is truly a wearable art piece; having the opportunity of analyzing it closely really made me appreciate the dedication and creativity this watch contains, this timepiece just blew my mind. The way in which DeBethune was able to recreate such an iconic complication and adapt it into a historical piece such as the two sided watch makes me reaffirm that this is my favorite watch brand, and I am proud of that. 

This is one of the pinnacle DeBethune’s watches in my opinion, it manages to perfectly illustrate one of the great principles of the Manufacture: “Reinterpreting grand traditions with a contemporary vision of the horological object, there by opening up a new field of expression that is refined and sophisticated while preserving user-friendliness and simple read-off”. I hope I was able to transmit the feelings this watch gave me so you can appreciate this timepiece as much as I do. 

 

Written by Founder and Head-Editor: Anton Fernandez.