HYT have presented three new versions of their hydromechanical watch H1, three limited editions that are part of their objectives for 2015, namely for 13 new watches and presumably an increase on the 450 watches that they sold in 2014. These three are all large watches, at 48.8 mm diameter and 17.9 mm thickness, with screw-down crown protected by a distinctive crown guard, and a sapphire caseback. The hand-wound movement provides 65 hours power reserve, and drives the unique display, with hours shown by a liquid in a circular capillary (from 6am to 6pm, after which the liquid moves back to the start and performs another 12-hour cycle), and minutes on a regulator-type dial at the top of the watch. They are all water-resistant to 100 metres.
H1 Air RC44
The RC stands for yachtsman Russell Coutts, five times winner of the America’s Cup, and the watch is light, technical and sporty, with a case in the aluminium composite Alun 316b. Its translucent sapphire dial provides a glimpse of the movement, with two untinted areas on each side of the minutes dial, one on the left for the seconds subdial, and one on the right for the power reserve indicator. The minutes dial and the chapter ring under the capillary in which green fluid indicates the hours are in carbon fibre. The “44” that appears on the seconds subdial is a reference to the RC44 regatta created by Russell Coutts, featuring the one-design 44-foot (13.35 metre) RC44 boat which, like the watch, is made in carbon. The RC logo also appears on the watch. The watch has a black strap in black sail-type canvas. HYT are official timekeepers for the RC44 Class regattas. Limited edition of 22 pieces, reference 148-AB-52-GF-TB, price 69,000 Swiss francs.
HYT Classic
The new HYT Classic combines classical dial design with HYT’s innovative hydromechanical technology, with case in titanium and gold, and Roman numerals lying on an applied chapter ring, in turn on top of the sapphire dial that provides a view of the movement. In this piece, the fluid in the capillary is blue, while the power reserve indicator is red: the result, along with the gold case and brown alligator strap, is a more colourful watch. Limited edition of 25 pieces, reference 148-TG-51-BF-AM, price 75,000 Swiss francs.
HYT Air Pixel
This piece is based on the contrast between the green-yellow liquid in the capillary tube and the grey of everything else, providing a very contemporary aesthetic. The seconds disc and the power reserve indicator are a matching green-yellow. The case is in titanium with black DLC coating. A limited edition of 25 pieces, reference 148-DL-53-GF-AB, price 60,000 Swiss francs.
