De Bethune - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII Hong Kong Friday, May 24, 2024 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: De Bethune
    Year: Circa 2015
    Reference No: DB25CWYL40
    Movement No: DB.E.001.087
    Case No: GIFBF88E
    Model Name: DB25 Imperial Fountain, Dragon
    Material: 18K white gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. DB 2145, 31 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold De Bethune pin buckle
    Dimensions: 44mm diameter
    Signed: Case, movement, and buckle signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by undated De Bethune certificate stamped The Hour Glass Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, purchase invoice, instruction manual, travel case and fitted presentation box.

  • Catalogue Essay

    As Victor Hugo has once stated, “Art has two principles, the Idea, which produces European art, and the Chimera, which produces oriental art. The Summer Palace was to chimerical art what the Parthenon is to ideal art.” The DB25 Imperial Fountain series precisely manifests this philosophy with its fascinating mixture of Chinese and Western aesthetics. Based on the DB25 IXème inframonde Maya special series, the Imperial Fountain was a limited-edition series launched in 2013, in sets of 12 pieces, each with one of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs engraved at the center of the dial.

    The design of the timepiece was drawn from the famous Chinese zodiac clepsydra at the Old Summer Palace, also known as Yuan Ming Yuan, in Beijing. It features a solid gold dial adorned by a magnificent dragon engraving, meticulously hand-engraved by the master engraver and artist Michèle Rothen. The dragon is set against a backdrop with delicate chased reliefs, surrounded by an hour ring that features blue Chinese calligraphy numerals, an art form that Denis Flageollet practiced privately. An outer ring sculpted with exquisite depictions of the Zodiac signs is a reference to the bronze animal heads surrounding the fountain at the Old Summer Palace. The hours and minutes are displayed by the flame-blued steel hands, in signature De Bethune style, sweeping poetically around the dial periphery, without any obstruction to the sculptural décor. This is achieved by the development of a special micro ball bearings mechanism with a specific toothing profile for the discs required in the transmission.

    Offered in attractive condition, and accompanied by its complete set of accessories, the present timepiece is a beautiful union of traditional artistic craftmanship of the highest level and De Bethune’s exceptional horological finesse. We are very pleased to present this extraordinary timepiece to our tasteful collectors in the Year of the Dragon.

Σ1012

Ref. DB25CWYL40
A very fine, superbly impressive and limited edition white gold wristwatch with hand-engraved Chinese Zodiac and Chinese hour markers dial by Michèle Rothen, certificate and presentation box

Circa 2015
44mm diameter
Case, movement, and buckle signed

Estimate
HK$310,000 - 630,000 
€37,200-75,500
$39,700-80,800

Sold for HK$533,400

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Deputy Chairman, Watches, Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2031
WatchesHK@phillips.com
 

Gertrude Wong
Head of Sale, Hong Kong
+ 852 2318 2045
gertrudewong@phillips.com
 

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII

Hong Kong Auction 24 - 25 May 2024