Case
Articulated floating lugs
High confidenceLugs that pivot relative to the case body so the watch conforms to the wrist. A moving mechanical assembly with bearings and tolerances, not a case shape — which is what makes it the fastest and most decisive physical check on the brand.
Part reference
- Brand
- De Bethune
- Material
- Titanium, gold or platinum
- Introduced
- 2010
Documented variations
Classification
FactoryDocumented as shipped from the factory for this reference and period.PeriodNot original to this watch, but correct for its production period.ServiceFitted by the manufacturer's own service network. Not a defect.AftermarketThird-party part. Affects originality, not authenticity.ModifiedGenuine parts in a configuration the factory did not sell. Affects originality and value, not authenticity.CounterfeitDeceptive reproduction intended to pass as genuine.UnknownEvidence on file does not settle the question.Lugs that articulate smoothly
FactoryProbableWhole production
The lugs pivot with controlled resistance and no play, returning the watch to the wrist's contour. Move them: the mechanism either works or it does not.
Fixed lugs shaped to suggest articulation
CounterfeitProbableWhole production
The copy's economy. Reproducing the appearance of a pivot is cheap; reproducing a working pivot with correct tolerances is not. Lugs that look articulated and do not move are conclusive.
Worn or loose pivots on a used example
FactoryProbableWhole production
A moving assembly wears. Excessive play in the lugs of a genuine watch is a condition and service finding rather than an authenticity one — the presence of a functioning mechanism is the check, not its tightness.
Documented on these references
- De Bethune DB28Factory
Whole production
Move them. This is the fastest decisive check on the brand.
Provenance of this record
Sources & Evidence
De Bethune — collection and technical documentation
De Bethune SA
- Accessed
- 2026-08-19
Cited for
Last verified: Not yet reviewed