De Bethune tells us that the ninth step of the Bolon Yokte Ku, the cosmic pyramid of the Mayan civilization, symbolizes the advent of a new world, the ninth underworld, according to which the evolution of consciousness is believed to reach its highest level. The brand marks the occasion of humankind’s symbolic passage into this new underworld predicted by the Mayan calendar with a 12-piece edition created in tribute to the scholarly traditions of this people. Find pricing and wallpaper inside.
Well-known for its technical and artistic innovations, the Manufacture De Bethune creates technology for the 21st century while remembering the history of science and art. With this limited series, De Bethune sought to recreate the deep atmosphere of the ceramics and stones sculpted by the Mayan scribes. The solid gold dials of these timepieces have been hand-engraved by Michèle Rothen, and enhanced by 31 flame-blued steel inserts. The hour circle displays the numerals of Mayan numbering system, while the inner ring presents the 20 glyphs of divinities, animals and sacred objects representing the various days of the calendar.
The dial center features the baktun, a period glyph used in particular for calculating the “Long Count” and comprising 144,000 days.
To highlight the dial, the hands are made in sapphire rimmed with blued steel according to a procedure exclusive to De Bethune.
The Mayan scholarly tradition, partially re-transcribed in the manifestos or codices dealing mostly with astral sciences, testify to a strong interest and a genuine fascination for long periods, dates, and remote events both past and future. The Mayan scholars devised a sophisticated arithmetical system mainly composed of period glyphs and numerical glyphs, associated with signs and placed in hierarchical order for the “Long Count”.
With these timepieces, De Bethune offers its own distinctive celebration of the mystical and scientific Mayan genius, and the symbolic advent of a new world.
The suggested retail price for each piece in this series is SFr. 90,000. Additional technical information appears below the images, which may be enlarged with a click.
Technical description
Functions: hours, minutes
Movement: Calibre DB 2005 – mechanical hand-wound
Mainplate hand-decorated and snailed, hand-chamfered and polished steel parts, De Bethune stripes
Self-regulating twin barrel*
Silicon/platinum balance wheel*
Triple pare-chute shock-absorbing system*
Jeweling: 29 jewels
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 6-day power reserve
Case: drum measuring 44 mm in diameter in white gold with hollowed lugs
Thickness: 12.50 mm
Glass: sapphire crystal, 1800 Vickers with double anti-reflective treatment
Crown at 3 o’clock – adjustment in 2 positions
Exhibition back: sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment
Dial in solid gold hand-engraved by Michèle Rothen and composed of three parts: outer ring with numerical glyphs in flame-blued steel, inner ring composed of 20 different glyphs symbolizing divinities, animals or sacred objects, central part representing a period glyph – the baktun comprising 144,000 days.
Hands in sapphire rimmed with flame-blued steel
Strap: extra-supple alligator leather with pin buckle
* Patents registered by the Manufacture De Bethune
