Ineichen presents "De Bethune: The Private Collection" - a private single owner collection of watches focusing exclusively on De Bethune timepieces.

Among 20 exceptional timepieces to be sold at our timed auction from February 6 to February 20, you’ll find spaceship-like timepieces with starry blue and open-worked dials, so typical for De Bethune, and rare limited editions alongside with equally impressive, non-limited pieces that give a strong sci-fi energy.

The passion of the collector is well-reflected in the diverse assortment, revealing his fascination for daring design and innovative technical approach.

I like watches that have a good story. A couple of years ago, I was at WatchBox in Singapore and the sales assistant showed me De Bethune watches. The DB28 Skybridge caught my eye. It had a fantastical design accompanied by serious, classical watchmaking techniques. I spent the night researching information about the brand and in two days I bought my first De Bethune watch.

This is an extraordinarily creative brand that has managed to create so many incredible horological breakthroughs during mere 20 years of its existence, that it really blows my mind. Take, for example, their signature spherical moon phase indicator made from palladium and flame-blued steel, or patented mobile lugs – not to mention creating nine different in-house balance wheels!

There are other brands that have achieved far less, but they’ve got a far greater reach, while guys behind De Bethune are very humble about what they do. I think it’s time to change it.

The private collector