Brand Guides / De Bethune / DB25
Reviewed by the Fine Watch Guide team · October 2026
The DB25 is De Bethune's classical collection, a family that moved from an early automatic movement to hand-wound and skeleton tourbillon versions, so identifying the exact watch matters before you service or buy one.
The DB25 is a classical family with a lot of variation. The early watches used an automatic caliber, later editions turned to hand-wound movements, and the DB25 Tourbillon has a skeleton movement that makes it a different kind of watch. The lugs are often described as skeletonized, which causes confusion. Identify the reference and the movement before you service or buy one, since most of the questions that follow depend on that step.
The DB25 collection dates to the late 2000s, and its early watches sat in classical cases with silvered dials and Roman numerals. The early Power Reserve versions used the automatic DB2024 caliber, which is a different movement from the hand-wound calibers that followed. Any early example should be checked against its specific reference, because the case, dial and movement details differ from later editions in ways a photograph won't always show.
The family grew quickly. A DB25 Perpetual Calendar with an automatic movement and a 120-hour reserve arrived around 2010, and a DB25 Tourbillon followed in 2011 with a skeleton movement. The Tourbillon is a manual watch with a 100-hour reserve, housed in a 44 mm white gold case. The 2011 Tourbillon is a specialist piece, and its record is the place to start when you assess a skeleton movement of any kind.
The collection was refreshed in 2018 with a slimmer 42 mm case and revised lugs, and the later DB25xs Starry Varius is a 40 mm edition on the hand-wound DB2005. Each of those changes affects service, parts and value, so the collection name alone won't tell you what you have.
The DB2024 is the early automatic caliber. Ask the brand about parts and adjustments before any outside work, since the watch was built around the manufacture's own components. Ask whether the movement is the original caliber, since an earlier service may have replaced it, and match the serial record to the movement you're shown.
The DB2005 is hand-wound and sits in the later Starry Varius editions. A seller or shop that says Starry Varius should be able to show you the caliber number and the case size. Use both together to confirm which watch you have. The winding system is one of the first things to check at any service, since a worn pawl or stem changes how the watch feels in daily use.
The DB25 Tourbillon's skeleton movement is manual and beats at 5 Hz. It is a specialist watch in every respect, and work on the skeleton should go only to someone who has opened one before.
Start with the brand's after-sales team. The contact form includes an after-sales option, and the warranty and repair terms are not published online, so get written confirmation before you ship. Ask whether the brand will confirm which warranty applies to your reference, since the collection has changed several times.
Skeletonized lugs are a case feature, while a skeleton movement is a caliber feature, and the two are often confused. A watchmaker should know which one your watch has before they quote, and should check the lugs for wear and cracks during any case work.
Ask for photographs of the movement before and after work, and for a written list of any parts replaced. On a skeleton piece, photographs show the state of the open bridges and wheels better than any description does.
Identify the watch first. Check the reference, the lug shape, the case diameter and the caliber, and ask for the papers. An early case of about 44 mm, a refreshed 42 mm case and a 40 mm Starry Varius are different watches, with different service records and different parts.
Be skeptical of a skeleton claim unless the listing names a specific reference. The lugs are often hollowed, but that is a different thing from a skeleton movement, and some listings blur the two. Ask for a photograph of the movement or the reference that carries the skeleton. Ask the seller for the case diameter measured with a caliper, rather than a figure from a catalog, since listings often round or mix up editions.
Ask for a written inspection report that names the caliber, along with the papers and the service history. A seller who can't name the movement hasn't given you enough to judge the price. If the seller can't produce the papers, budget for a specialist to confirm the identity before you commit, and expect the price to reflect any gaps.
Records are the best care a DB25 can get, because the collection's variations make identification the first task of any service. Keep the reference, the serial number, the papers and the invoice in one place, and photograph the lugs, the dial and the caseback so the watch can be matched later if the papers are lost.
Keep a note of every service, including who did it, what was opened and which parts were replaced. A skeleton movement especially needs a clear record, since a later watchmaker will want to know what was touched before deciding how to proceed. Ask for photographs of the movement at each visit.
Think about insurance and appraisal early. An appraiser needs the caliber, the lug shape, the case size and the reference to value the watch correctly. Keeping those details on paper, along with the photographs, makes any future claim or sale simpler and protects the value of the watch.
The collection dates to the late 2000s. Early editions used the automatic DB2024, and the design was refreshed in 2018 with a 42 mm case.
No. Skeletonized lugs are common across the collection, but the skeleton movement belongs to specific tourbillon references, such as the 2011 DB25 Tourbillon.
The DB2005 is a hand-wound movement used in the Starry Varius editions. Check the reference to confirm which caliber is in your watch.
Start with the manufacture's after-sales team. For a skeleton tourbillon in particular, discuss any outside work with the brand first.
DB25 owners use De Bethune specialists for servicing, authentication and restoration.
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