HYT : Generation of hydro-mechanical technology

H2

Case: black DLC-finish titanium, screw-down dynamometric crown sheathed in rubber, sapphire back Diameter: 48.8 mm Movement: mechanical hand-wound, exclusive HYT calibre, 8-day power-reserve, 445 parts, decorated black PVD-finish shot-peened titanium, bridges with titanium-coloured satin-brushed accents, rhodium-plated bellows Functions: retrograde fluid hours, minutes with jumping hand (“dephaseur angulaire”) at 30 minutes, crown position indicator (H-N-R) and temperature indicator Dial: sapphire minute dial Water resistance: 50m Strap: rubber with titanium folding clasp Limited series: 50

 

H1 DLC

Case: titanium in black DLC with brushed, shotpeened and satin-finished surfaces, convex sapphire glass with a metallic dome at 6 o’clock and anti-reflective coating on the inside, screwed-in sapphire-crystal caseback Diameter: 48.8mm Movement: manually wound, exclusive HYT caliber with, 65 hours power reserve, bridges decorated with Geneva stripes and chamfered by hand, rhodium-plated bellows  Indications: retrograde liquid hours, minutes at 12 o’clock, small seconds at 9:30, 65-hour power reserve indicator at 2:30 Dial: unstructured, liquid hours, luminous hands and markers Strap: rubber with titanium pin buckle

 

H1 Azo Project developed the science of resin : tinted fluorescent yellow, the brand’s favourite color, its polyepoxyde resin is translucent, four times lighter than titanium and three times as resistant to abrasion.

In the wake of the H1 trilogy’s success (see the DLC version above), HYT launches its second collection engineered in partnership with Audemars Piguet Renaud Papi. The H2 is even more technically complex and aesthetically accomplished, while retaining the same unbelievable DNA : hydro-mechanical horology. With this horological oxymoron, the hours of the H2 are indicated by a fluorescent aqueous liquid released from a flexible reservoir compressed by a piston. The first colored liquid travels through the capillary pushing the transparent viscous liquid back into its own reservoir and then returning to its original position at 6:00 in what is referred to as a retrograde manner.

 

This hybrid interpretation of the concept has been given an architectural stage-setting better serving the purpose of the mechanical nature of the H2. A double barrel visible on the back delivers an 8-day power reserve to this patented fluidic mechanism that is more clearly highlighted in this new configuration, such as with the balance spring displayed at noon on its bridge. Another H2 feature is the 9 o’clock hand serving as a thermometer indicating if the watch is in its optimal temperature segment. Opposite the latter, the crown-position hand (H-N-R) indicates if you are either setting the time (H), winding up the power-reserve (R), or central (N) when the crown is in its original position.

 

The H2 last complication is the large structured minute hand with a “dephaseur angulaire” meaning that it jumps across the inner end of the bellows.

 

For further information, experience the HYT website on www.hytwatches.com


Brice Lechevalier is editor-in-chief of GMT and Skippers, which he co-founded in 2000 and 2001 respectively. He has also been CEO of WorldTempus since it joined the GMT Publishing stable, of which he is director and joint shareholder. In 2012 he created the Geneva Watch Tour, and he has been an advisor to the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève since 2011. Also closely involved in sailing, he has published the magazine of the Société Nautique de Genève since 2003, and was one of the founders of the SUI Sailing Awards in 2009 and the Concours d’Elégance for motor boats at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2015.

Review overview
})(jQuery)