As part of the LVMH Watch Prize dedicated to promoting independent watchmaking, De Bethune celebrates the art of travel – a theme dear to Louis Vuitton – through the LVDB03 Louis Varius project.
Inspired by the adventurous spirit of the great explorers and their limitless desire to push the boundaries of the known world, the project epitomises a veritable odyssey paying vibrant tribute to the conquest of land, oceans and the skies, stretching to the furthest reaches of the cosmos.
This exceptional creation combines the first modern interpretation of the “Sympathique” Clock – an 18th-century horological masterpiece – and a limited edition of De Bethune’s iconic DB25 GMT Starry Varius.
AN INTERSTELLAR JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
At the heart of this masterpiece lies the Muonionalusta meteorite, a ten-million-year space traveller estimated to have landed on Earth a million years ago. This fragment of the cosmos meets titanium, a symbol of 21st-century scientific advances and horological precision, in an eminently unlikely encounter between two eras.
A JOURNEY TO CONQUER SKIES, OCEANS AND DISTANT LANDS
The clock reveals itself as a genuine “cabinet of curiosities” displaying hand-engraved gold scenes of exploration, in a manner recalling the dioramas of the great early-19th century explorers and worthy of the finest Renaissance clocks.
A blued titanium dial evoking the Milky Way – an exclusive De Bethune artisanal process – is topped by a gold dome engraved with the Hercules constellation, crafted in the spirit of the sky charts drawn during the Age of Enlightenment.
Mounted on a titanium gimbal suspension system much like those on marine chronometers, the LVDB03 “Sympathique” Louis Varius remains horizontal at all times, ready to brave the elements. A locking mechanism on its floating lugs nonetheless enables it to adopt multiple positions according to the desired direction.
A WATCH BUILT FOR EXPLORATION
Mounted on a titanium gimbal suspension system much like those on marine chronometers, the LVDB03 “Sympathique” Louis Varius remains horizontal at all times, ready to brave the elements. A locking mechanism on its floating lugs nonetheless enables it to adopt multiple positions according to the desired direction.
IN PERFECT SYNCHRONY
At its heart, the LVDB03 GMT Louis Varius nurtures a “Sympathique” (synchronised) connection with its host: via its crown, the clock winds the watch’s springs to restore its power reserve, while ensuring it is set to the correct time with absolute accuracy.
Entirely handcrafted in our workshops, this exceptional project has drawn on the expertise of some 30 specialists across 15 technical and artistic disciplines over several years. Imbued with passion and precision, it heralds a new chapter in the history of contemporary Haute Horlogerie.
“Contemplating this creation is to feel the sense the energy of every hand-crafted touch executed with total mastery – and to dream for just a moment of uncharted horizons.”
DENIS FLAGEOLLET
