The inventive “hydromechanical horologists” at HYT have unveiled a new twist to its unique time-telling system, in which two liquids in micro-tubes, rather than hands, trace the passing of the hours. The just-announced H5 model, powered by the new proprietary Caliber 501 and making its public debut in just two days at WatchTime New York, embraces the concept of natural erosion to create a time display that reveals not only the present time but the lasting impression of time past.
The HYT H5
The new movement, three years in development, is driven by a manual-winding mechanism that releases measured amounts of immiscible liquids ? one clear, the other dark ? which flow through capillary tubes to indicate the hour on a 1-through-12 scale. A specially shaped cam in the back of the movement allows the user to adjust and index the hour and minute displays in 13 different ways. A large, curved lever transmits the movement’s energy into the miniature bellows (which are visible through both the front and back of the caliber), which pump the liquids through the tube every 12 hours. The all-new Caliber 501 has a power reserve of 65 hours.
The erosion inspiration is found under the domed sapphire glass that surrounds the 48.8-mm steel case and its stratified metal components with their stepped and sinuous lines. On the hour flange, made of Neoralite, vertical digits made from layers of Super-LumiNova appear to float around the watch during daylight and emit a ghostly ...