De Bethune

De Bethune was co-founded in 2002 by David Zanetta, an Italian collector and vintage watch dealer, and Denis Flageollet, a fourth-generation French master watchmaker who had previously worked at Technique Horlogère Appliquée alongside Vianney Halter and François-Paul Journe. In 2004, the brand filed its first patents for the titanium-platinum balance wheel and spherical moon phase display. In 2006, De Bethune became the first manufacture to use a silicon balance-spring with integrated flat terminal curve. The DB28 won the Aiguille d'Or at GPHG in 2011. Zanetta sold his majority share in 2017 after years of losses. WatchBox took a majority stake in August 2021, with Pierre Jacques remaining as CEO and Flageollet as technical head. In February 2023, De Bethune acquired a majority stake in Reuge, the Swiss music box maker. They all fall under The 1916 Company, formed in 2023. Justin Reis became Executive Chairman in 2024. Output is around 200 watches per year.