De Bethune

    Most De Bethune watches use a 26 mm lug width: 17 of the 37 De Bethune references with a listed width in our database (46%).

    Lug widths at De Bethune

    De Bethune collections

    The story · Since 2002

    The De Bethune story

    1. 2002 Founded in L'Auberson, near Sainte-Croix, canton of Vaud, Switzerland by Denis Flageollet and David Zanetta.
    2. 2011 In November 2011 the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève gave De Bethune its top prize, the Aiguille d'Or, for the DB28; the maker lists it as Best Timepiece of the Year.
    3. 2012 De Bethune opened its first boutique, on the Place de Longemalle in the heart of Geneva.
    4. 2014 French tennis player Gaël Monfils became a De Bethune ambassador, and the brand made him a customised DB28 Black Matt with a blued titanium ring to wear at Wimbledon that year.
    5. 2021 On 31 August 2021 WatchBox announced a majority investment in De Bethune; Denis Flageollet and CEO Pierre Jacques stayed on the board.
    6. 2023 Tommy Paul was unveiled as ambassador on the first day of Wimbledon 2023 and played his first match in a one-off DB28 LTC: 39mm titanium case, green random-guilloché dial, purple hour ring with miniature tennis courts and a 3D tennis ball at 12 o'clock.

    Firsts and innovations

    2004. De Bethune says it was the first manufacture to put a spherical moon phase display into a wristwatch, and patented it.

    2006. De Bethune says it was the first watch house to fit its watches with a silicon balance spring.

    2023. The DB28xs Starry Seas brought what the press calls the first random guilloché dial, in blued titanium.

    De Bethune ambassadors over the years

    Gaël MonfilsFrench tennis playerFrom 2014

    Became a De Bethune ambassador in 2014, aged 27; the brand announced he would wear a customised DB28 Black Matt at Wimbledon that year.

    Source: Europa Star (De Bethune release), MrPingLife

    Tommy PaulAmerican tennis playerFrom 2023

    Became a De Bethune ambassador at Wimbledon in 2023, after the brand sent him a DB28 earlier that year; he has worn the DB28xs Starry Seas in matches, including the 2023 US Open and 2024 Australian Open.

    Source: De Bethune (maker), WatchPro, Gear Patrol, Haute Living (interview)

    FAQ

    What lug width do De Bethune watches use?

    26 mm is the most common (46% of De Bethune references with a listed width), followed by 22 mm and 23 mm.

    Do all De Bethune watches take the same strap size?

    No. De Bethune uses 4 different lug widths across its collections, so check your exact model or reference.

    When was De Bethune founded?

    De Bethune was founded in 2002 in L'Auberson, near Sainte-Croix, canton of Vaud, Switzerland by Denis Flageollet and David Zanetta.

    Who are De Bethune's ambassadors?

    Over the years De Bethune has partnered with Gaël Monfils (from 2014), Tommy Paul (from 2023).

    Help

    What is lug width?

    The gap between the two lugs that hold the strap, in millimetres. A new strap must match it exactly: 20 mm lugs take a 20 mm strap.

    Measure it in 30 seconds

    1. Take the strap off, or look at the back of it: many straps print their width.
    2. Measure the inside gap between the lugs with a caliper or a millimetre ruler.
    3. Round to the nearest whole millimetre. Most watches use 18, 20 or 22 mm.

    Strap, quick release or system?

    Most watches use spring bars, so any strap of the right width fits. Many smartwatches use their own band system instead, such as Apple Watch bands or Garmin QuickFit.