I have a feeling that in five years’ time we will be seeing pre-owned watch specialists with the sort of high profile partnerships in motor racing, cinema and the arts that only the biggest Swiss watchmakers have today.
WatchBox is ahead of the pack, and is positioning itself as a one-stop-shop for watch collectors, whether they want to buy and sell contemporary or vintage pieces, or acquire rare and desirable new watches from De Bethune, the top end indie that it bought last year.
An event at the company’s Los Angeles studio gave a glimpse into that future.
WatchBox’s lounge in West Hollywood was opened last year as a hub where collectors can gather to buy, sell and share stories about their hobby with other experts.
But last week it was also the venue for the launch of De Bethune’s new DBD Season 2, a watch created in collaboration with DJ Swizz Beats, and unveiled in the company of celebrities including Alicia Keys and LL Cool J.
Created by the modern-day watchmaking genius Denis Flageollet, the DBD Season 2 is the second watch designed in partnership with Swizz Beatz, but bears almost no visual relationship to the futuristic Star Trek-look of the Season 1.
This time the inspiration is more likely to have come from vintage Cartier Tank à Guichets watches (or modern Gucci timepieces) with an in line calendar with jumping hours and scrolling minutes on a burgundy-coloured dial finished with the sort of Côtes de Genève pattern normally found on the exposed underside of a mechanical movement.
De Bethune has used its hand-wound Calibre DB2044, also finished with the historic Côtes de Genève pattern, to power the display.
Only 13 are being made, each sold on a fabric strap matching the dial colour, which can be swapped with a black alligator leather strap.
