Accusations of sci-fi gimmickry aside, the brand has several more calling cards such as its flexible skeleton lugs, delta bridge motif (which may also be a source of Star Trek comparisons), and the unique shade of blue on their pieces that comes from a specific heat treatment of titanium.

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Despite the brand’s short existence, De Bethune’s singular approach has seen it sit alongside those watchmakers who make a few dazzling pieces at a time, similar to close colleagues of Flageollet such as Francois-Paul Journe or Michel Parmigiani.

Indeed, its stellar 20-year history can be seen as a culmination of Flageollet’s watchmaking experience. As a fourth-generation horologist, he spent his youth in France near his grandfather’s workstation, reading the French comic Asterix & Obelix from which he still takes inspiration. He moved to Switzerland, joining the Musée d’Horlogerie du Locle working on clocks as a technician before co-founding the THA society with Journe in 1989.

“In 2002, it was the beginning of the millennium,” says Flageollet of the year he founded the brand, “so I thought it was perfect timing to bring ideas from traditional and even ancient watchmaking into contemporary times. The goal with the brand was to bring watchmaking culture into the present day.”

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Models from the early years, up until 2010, reflected more of Flageollet’s polished background in traditional watches, such as the early DB 1-5 models, all within the maison’s first year. But Flageollet and De Bethune rapidly began to develop signature motifs – the DB25, particularly the Moonphase Starry Sky, showed the aforementioned skeleton lugs and signature treated titanium blue.

“The goal was to do contemporary designs from the beginning,” Flageollet explains, “it was more about taking the different steps that one must achieve in order to get there properly.” Flageollet likens De Bethune’s growth to learning music – one starts with the classics, but as one learns the notes and ideas, “you can start to create your own music, more contemporary music”.

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Recent years have added the delta bridge motif to these in the DB28 models, most recently in the DB28XP Kind of Blue Tourbillon Sapphire which was unveiled to Hongkongers in the hours after our conversation with Flageollet at The 1916 Company’s newly refurbished digs in Central.

However, the jazz-referencing Kind of Blue is hardly treading new ground for Flageollet. “To me, this new piece already existed because we’ve made a tourbillon, we’ve made the DB28 and we’ve made this case already.”

It may be easier to understand De Bethune’s history through its designs and milestones, but for Flageollet, it’s a constant process. When asked how long it takes to finish a watch today, he says it takes 23 years – De Bethune’s entire history.

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“I have different projects running simultaneously,” he explains, “it’s not always clear what comes next. The pieces are new for everyone around me, but to me, what’s finished and released is the past because it’s done. I’m paying attention to new things to try, but I only use an idea if it brings something specific, there must be a sense to it.”

It’s an approach and pursuit that speaks globally. Flageollet and De Bethune count some of the world’s great superstars as loyal fans – including Michael Jordan and Alicia Keys.

“I hope people feel linked to the universe,” Flageollet ruminates, “and to the culture and tradition. It’s good to feel connected to something special, so I hope that’s what people can feel in the pieces. There is the soul of everyone putting their best into a piece, their passion.”