First launched in 2012, the year the 12th Art (the art of time measurement) was officially institutionalized, HYT has won over an audience of collectors keen to discover and follow disruptive movements in the field of Haute Horlogerie. Its unique ‘fluide mechanics’ concept, bringing together traditional ‘enemies’ and displaying the time in a completely original way, along with the powerful character of its design, made it an immediate hit. By way of reminder, an aqueous liquid filled with fluorescein makes its way from a flexible reservoir up a capillary tube to a second reservoir containing a transparent viscous liquid. The respulsive force of the molecules in each liquid keeps them separate. Their progression is orchestrated by two V-shaped bellows at 6 o’clock, acting in reverse order and inspired by NASA speed sensors : when one is compressed, the other expands, pushing the fluids along the circular tube and thus driving the time indication. Upon reaching 6 o’clock, the fluorescent liquid thus returns to its reservoir, again by dint of the extremely slender piston-driven bellows. This retrograde, hybrid movement featuring an 8-day power reserve (a specific feature of the H2) benefits from an encounter between a world-first collaboration between two circles: the med-tech sector from which the fluid technology is derived; and watchmaking technology, a field in which the HYT management relied on the expertise of Chronode. Eight patents testify to the degree of innovation and complexity of the products created by the Hydro Mechanical Horologists. Plenty of liquid has indeed flowed beneath the titanium bridges since these models were introduced. The initial four-strong staff has now grown to around 30. Internal integration of fluid technologies has further improved both quality and the quantities produced – with the brand aiming for around 50 watches per month since the fall of 2013. Far from being a mono-product phenomenon, the concept now encompasses 19 different references and the H2 collection stems from collaboration with the APRP development specialists headed by Giulio Papi. The three main focuses of this new line, established by the CEO of HYT, Vincent Perriard, relate to colors, materials, and as ever to fluids. The technological stage-setting of the H2 is even more sophisticated than the H1, notably including its watchmaking decoration and the broad opening onto the mechanical ‘back-stage view’ of the timepiece: the sprung balance appears at noon on microblasted titanium bridges; the central minute hand is layered in such a way that it runs alongside the fluid system and instantly jumps across the bellows; the function indicator appears at 3 o’clock; while a thermal indicator shows whether the temperature range in which the watch is operating is ideal for smooth handling. The original yellow fluid is joined by blue and red shades according to the limited series, framed by cases in gold, titanium or platinum. Innovative new thematic surprises are on the horizon for collectors and can be checked out at worldtempus.com.
