The DB27 Digitale Polo Edition is a uniquely styled digital jump hour watch introduced by De Bethune in 2015. Although officially a special limited edition dedicated to polo, its design exudes a “black knight” aesthetic — the all-black case paired with white numerals creates a striking contrast and powerful visual impression.The 43mm round stainless steel case is coated with a black carbon-based layer, applied in a vacuum environment. De Bethune claims this coating achieves a hardness comparable to that of diamond, making it strong enough to withstand the intense impacts typical of polo matches.
The jump hour display layout is simple and clear: the outer upper ring shows the digital minutes, while the inner ring displays the digital hours. The hour window points to the current minute index for reading. Since the minute disc rotates clockwise, time is read from right to left — the opposite of the conventional reading direction — which may take some time to get used to.
At the center of the dial is the polo tournament logo, which, in our opinion, slightly disrupts the otherwise cohesive design.
Overall, this is a distinctive and memorable timepiece, though there are still areas for refinement in its details.
De Bethune DB27 Digitale Polo Edition Watch
Stainless steel case, 43mm diameter, 13mm thickness, sapphire crystal, stainless steel caseback, Caliber S233D automatic movement, 43 jewels, 28,800 vph, 5-day power reserve, alligator leather strap, stainless steel buckle, water resistant to 30 meters.
