HYT

HYT

Haute Time
By Haute Time January 1, 2013

If you’re interested in watches from HYT, we have plenty, including the HYT H1.

The HYT H1 is shown in titanium; 48mm diameter case, water resistant to 100 meters with a 65-hour power reserve.

The most fascinating part of the watch, of course, is that fluid indication of time. Here’s how it works: the time is shown by the meniscus–a fancy word for the surface-tension shaped end–of a luminous green fluid flowing through a transparent tube set around the periphery of the dial. The trick is that there are actually two fluids: one is the visible green fluid that shows the hour, and the other is a transparent fluid that takes up the remaining space in the tube.

Two bellows connected to opposite ends of the tube act as reservoirs for the fluid; as the one containing the transparent fluid expands, the one containing the fluorescent fluid contracts, advancing the fluorescent fluid as time passes. The entire system is thus closed and hydro-dynamically stable. The two fluids contain molecules with opposite electrical charges to prevent them from mixing with each other.

There’s a conventional minute indicator on the dial, as well as a power reserve indicator and a turbine-like disk showing the running seconds. Turn the watch over, and the beautifully designed movement is revealed. It’s been given a surprisingly traditional finish, which combined with the bellows system and unusual movement architecture gives the watch a kind of steampunk appeal that I honestly found instantly irresistible.

Seeing is believing. Next year’s introduction from HYT should be just as mindblowing–Perriard says it’s a collaboration with renowned complications specialists Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi, and with the synergy possible between Perriard’s partners and the famously creative minds at APRP, the sky’s the limit.  Vincent: mea culpa, you showed me the light.

As shown, $47,000.  Also available in: titanium and black DLC, $49,500; Titanium in black DLC with pink gold bezel, $59,000; and pink gold, $69,000.

For more HYT, click here.