Independents

amanico
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PART II: London Annual PuristS GTG, The Watches

A too ordinary title to describe what we saw and who we met...

Imagine a Londonian shop, a nice one, where you can meet some great brands as AP, JLC, FPJ etc...

You will tell me OK, what 's the matter?

You went in a nice shop and then?

THEN?

We just saw some of the most brilliant Independant watches ....With their Creators!

I miust confess that I don't know very well the Independants World, an d that this was the opportunity, at least to me, to discover them, to have the time to understand what's behind these special watches, and to speak with " Monsieurs " like The De Bethune Team, Peter Sepake Marin ( Too shortly..;Sadly ), Roger W Smith, for instance.

Among all the watches and brands I saw, I had some confirmations, and a revelation.

The confirmations?

De Bethune watches...

I'm admiring them fro a moment, now, their specificity in the Horological World, horologically and aesthetically speaking, and I'm more and more convinced of their interest.

An impressive Black Beast:





A Spherical moonphase at 6, a very original design ( assymatrical lugs, crown at 6, layout of the dial ), and interesting technical solutions, but I think that our Independants Experts will speak more and better than me about that.

You may love it or hate it for the same reasons you love it, but once thing is sure, it won't let you undifferent!

Another one I saw in the flesh is at another extremity, the Digitale:

Here, the sobriety of this watch and of this concept ( we may even say ..minimalism ), contrasts with the extravagance of the Black Beauty, but it is not less interesting, of course.

Just at the middle of these 2 extremities, we have what I would call a nice compromise:





Here we still have an original design, with the spherical moonphase, the blend of subdials and windows to provide the necessary datas of the perpeutal calendar, and these lugs which remind some Ulysse Nardin models.

A very young interpretation fo this complication, indeed, with a superbly finished movement, using the original technical solutions.



As you can see, the lugs are unimitable!

And on the wrist, it works!



And now, my 2 favourite De Bethune watches...

The simpler one, which doesn't mean unperfectibly finished.

A very nice and modern guilloché dial, captivating, with thes aerian lugs, in smaller dimensions than the 2 previous De Bethune posted here:



And as always, a superb and interesting movement:



I kept the last De Bethune ofr the end, as it is my true " Coup de Coeur ", the DBS 24 Vetroi, a Concept Watch looking piece, with a very strong personality:





This watch is presented as a Sport Watch , with its 3 gears regulating system, driven by the crown.

High, when you practice your favourite sport with your watch on the wrist, to avoid the over wind of the barrel.

Middle, for a normal activity.

Low, in case of inactivity.

Isn't it genial?

But be careful, this last De Bethune is a big watch ( around 46 mm ), and it may be a problem for small wrists.



The other confirmation is Moser, with the Mayu, and the Perpetual calendar.

The Mayu is a lovely understated watch.

A Classic and elegant dial, hiding a very nice houd wound caliber with 3 Days Power Reserve.





Now, please admire the movement:





The Perpetual Calendar is a minimalist piece, too, I would even say spectacularly minimalist!

Only one window for the date, and a power reserve indicator for the 7 Days Autonomy.



A very nice curved case back:



The Moser have to be seen in the flesh to fully appreciate them!

Next and last post to come: The Surprises and Revelations

Best,

Nicolas

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