Some watchmakers perfect tradition.Others reject it.

De Bethune does something far rarer: it rebuilds tradition from first principles.

In this episode of Watches and Politics — Series 3: Watch Books, I explore De Bethune: The Art of Watchmaking — a book that documents one of the most intellectually radical and visually distinct independent manufactures of the modern era.

This is not a brand catalog.It’s a study of time as physics, design, and imagination.

In this episode, we look at:• how De Bethune approaches watchmaking as experimentation, not homage• why materials, balance wheels, and architecture matter more than nostalgia• the role of Denis Flageollet as engineer, thinker, and watchmaker • how the book frames independence without myth-making• what this book tells us about the future of mechanical watchmaking • who should read this book — and who might find it challenging

This episode connects directly to:Series 1 — innovation, technology, and powerSeries 2 — independent voices and institutional resistance

Series 3 is the library of Watches and Politics — where watches are read as ideas, not accessories.

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