A 27 year-old tennis pro currently holding the 21 spot in the ATP ranking (highest rank to date 7th), Gaël is above all an excellent all-round athlete blessed with outstanding physical abilities that are admirably expressed on the tennis court as well as on a football field or a basketball court.
Monfils displays strength, endurance as well as fire and spirit: his famous stretches and amazing jump heights, rendered possible by his almost feline overall elasticity, have earned him a variety of monikers including Sliderman, La Monf’ and Pantera. These acrobatic moves enhance a game style essentially based on surpassing existing standards and limits – a value that lies at the very core of the De Bethune philosophy.
Such boldness and a keen determination to push the boundaries are exactly the kind of characteristics shared by the artisans, watchmaking technicians and engineers of the youthful Manufacture with its 19 calibres and ten or so patents developed in just 12 years of existence.
As a young watch collector who has already acquired a penchant for beautiful horological mechanisms, Gaël emphasises the cutting-edge nature of the innovations featured in these models, along with their strongly identifiable design.
“I have around 30 watches, but De Bethune creations truly stand out from all the rest. I appreciate the technical nature and the innovations they have brought to the watchmaking world”, adds the long-time holder of the record for the most powerful forehand on the circuit (190 km/h).”
Through this partnership, De Bethune – a ‘confidential’ brand positioned in a niche market with an annual production of between 300 to 400 watches retailing at an average price of CHF 90,000 – is accompanying a peerless athlete and supporting the promising development of a professional tennis career.
For brand CEO Pierre Jacques, this association reflects a state of mind, shared values and a similar taste for excellence and independence. “He’s an atypical personality, who never does anything the way other people do”.
At this year’s Wimbledon tournament, Gaël will be wearing a customised DB28 Black Matt model with a blued titanium ring reflecting the brand’s signature colour.
