A Smart Glasses Launch with an Unexpected Star
When Mark Zuckerberg appeared on Instagram to promote Meta’s latest venture—a new partnership with Oakley to expand its lineup of Smart Glasses—he may have intended to shine a spotlight on the future of wearable tech. But what captivated a different kind of audience was not the eyewear, nor the promise of augmented vision. It was the wristwatch that accompanied him—an audacious flash of violet, elegant yet defiant, that quickly became the subject of horological intrigue.
Zuckerberg was wearing the De Bethune DB28xs Purple Rain, a timepiece so rare and distinct it could have commanded a gallery spotlight of its own. Released in April 2024 as a limited edition of just 25 pieces, the watch represents the cutting edge of independent watchmaking. Crafted by the Swiss maison De Bethune, it blends high-concept design with centuries-old craftsmanship in a way that feels futuristic and timeless all at once—an uncanny match for a tech billionaire promoting the next generation of wearable innovation.
The optics of the moment were impossible to ignore. While Zuckerberg discussed smart glasses poised to redefine how we see the world, he wore on his wrist an object rooted in mechanical purity—utterly analog, strikingly artistic, and exquisitely made. In a digital-first world, it was the handmade, thermally treated titanium timepiece that quietly hijacked the narrative, reminding viewers that the most enduring luxury is still measured in craftsmanship, not code.
The Purple Rain: A Study in Color, Material, and Motion
The De Bethune DB28xs Purple Rain is not a watch one stumbles upon; it is an intentional object, crafted with alchemical precision and artistic daring. Its case, dial, and components are made from Grade 5 titanium, heat-treated to produce an iridescent purple hue that shifts under light—dancing between aubergine, amethyst, and plum. The technique, developed by De Bethune co-founder Denis Flageollet, involves thermal oxidation at over 700°C, creating a finish that’s as much science as sculpture.
Measuring just 38.7 mm in diameter and a mere 7.4 mm thick, the watch is notably compact—almost subtle by today’s standards. But any notion of understatement vanishes upon closer inspection. The dial’s surface features a random guilloché pattern, reminiscent of rippling water at dusk, with tiny hand-applied gold spheres representing stars. The titanium hands are openworked and custom-sculpted, the minutes hand curved delicately to arc over the domed numerals. It’s an otherworldly design—cosmic, deliberate, and deeply poetic.
Under the sapphire caseback lies the De Bethune Caliber DB2005, a hand-wound movement that is compact in size yet complex in function. With a six-day power reserve, twin self-regulating barrels, a titanium balance wheel with white gold inserts, and De Bethune’s signature triple pare-chute shock absorption system, the engineering is as advanced as the exterior is elegant. The delta-shaped bridge and deep violet baseplate are decorated with microlight engravings, adding a final layer of artistry to an already rich mechanical tableau.
Zuckerberg’s Quietly Growing Horological Obsession
Zuckerberg’s affinity for high-end watches has become a quiet subtext in his public appearances over the last year. While he remains more commonly associated with grey T-shirts and corporate vision decks, a deeper appreciation for independent horology has been steadily emerging. From appearances in F.P. Journe to Rolex models, and now De Bethune, the Meta CEO is carving a niche not just as a tech visionary, but as a patron of mechanical innovation.
What makes his choice of the Purple Rain particularly compelling is its intentionality. This is not a watch for the uninitiated. De Bethune is revered among collectors for its boundary-pushing designs, low production numbers, and refusal to follow industry conventions. To wear one—especially a model as distinctive as the DB28xs Purple Rain—is to make a statement not about wealth, but about taste, discernment, and a deep respect for horological artistry.
In a video meant to tout the next step in augmented reality, it was an analog marvel that seized attention. The irony is hard to miss: as Zuckerberg unveiled cutting-edge eyewear designed to enhance how we interact with the digital world, it was a centuries-old craft—embodied in a hand-finished, mechanically precise, heat-tempered timepiece—that became the focal point. It was a moment where old-world mastery effortlessly upstaged modern invention.