The HYT H1.0 is the latest and greatest iteration of the hydro-mechanical timepieces by the avant-garde house that is nestled in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. HYT is the only watchmaking company to display time with fluids and it was launched in 2012 with the introduction of the H1 at BaselWorld. Today, after much work done in the R&D department, HYT has consolidated as one of the top independent watchmaking brands with a truly unique offering that remains unrivaled and that awarded them the innovation prize at the Grand Prix de Horlogerie de Genève in 2012.
Founded by Lucien Vouillamoz, Patrick Berdoz, Emmanuel Savioz and Vincent Perriard, the idea of introducing fluids into the heart of a mechanical watch seemed like the craziest thing to do. Despite the challenge, Jean-François Mojon and his team at Chronode were tasked with developing the movement of the H1 under close supervision by Vouillamoz with the company Preciflex taking charge of the fluid technology. Building on an incredible beginning, HYT launched the H2 in 2013, in collaboration with APRP —Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi— who’s now their movement development partner.
The new HYT H1.0 is the natural evolution and progression of the minimalist design of the H0 Origin released at Baselworld 2017. Making things even better —if that’s even possible—, the new HYT H1.0 rises above with a futuristic and somewhat automotive inspired skeletonized dial that bings the wow factor up a notch. While its predecessor the H0 Origin was already very good looking thanks to its sapphire crystal top case, the ability to appreciate the inner workings of this mechanical watch underneath the dial makes for a very sexy watch. Available fluid in three different colors —blue, red and green— the watch maintains the two flexible reservoirs attached to each end of a capillary containing a colored liquid and a transparent fluid that thanks to the repulsive force of their molecules they are kept separate.
Things to Know About the Watch
The H1.0 is empowered by three-dimensional transparency. Viewed from any angle it takes an architectural approach to visualizing the passage of time, placing the present in the context of the past and future, using liquids. The watch measures 48.8 mm in diameter and 20.08 mm in thickness —almost one millimeter thicker than the H0 Origin. While the green fluid model ref. H02021 features a black DLC stainless steel case profile, the red fluid ref. H02022 features an anthracite DLC coated stainless steel and the blue fluid ref. H02023 a regular satin-brushed finished stainless steel one.
All three watches are delivered on black integrated rubber straps with a titanium folding clasp matching the color of the case profile. And perhaps, the biggest functional improvement between the H0 and the new H1.0 is that the latter is now fitted with a screw-down crown —with a perforated design instead of the spiral one— that guarantees better water resistance, even though the 50 meter rating remains unchanged.
These three new H1.0 models, uniting silver, black and anthracite finishes with blue, green and red immiscible liquids, were unveiled at the SIHH in Geneva back in January 2019. A fourth model was just released at Miami’s Watches & Wonders and we will feature it here in the upcoming days.
The dial of the new H1.0 is skeletonized features anthracite hour counter, milled markers and numerals, anthracite minute counter with minute hand in the corresponding color of the fluid —white markers and numerals for the red and green fluid references, black markers and numerals for the blue fluid model—, a running seconds indicator shaped as a turbine at 9 o’clock and at 3 o’clock a gauge-type power reserve indicator with color accent matching the color of the corresponding fluid.
With a very automotive inspired look —not intentional—, when looking at the HYT H1.0 one can think of a Bugatti or a Ferrari. While the honeycomb mesh is reminiscent of a front grill or the protective mesh around the air intakes, the curved angled shape of the opening for the multi-layer metal bellows resembles a pair of exhaust pipes on a supercar. A very sporty look fueled by the unmistakable HYT DNA throughout.
The dials are very legible and eye-catching, without a doubt one of the best looking HYT timepieces out there. The regulator layout is very easy to read and it just takes a little bit of time to get used to how the hours are marked by the colored fluid —with a highly resistant dye— flowing against the transparent fluid through the borosilicate glass capillary tube with nano-coating interior.
The Movement
Powering the new HYT H1.0 is the manual wound calibre HYT 401 instead of the HYT 101 powering the H0 Origin. This 35-jewel movement beats at a frequency of 28,800 to provide a power reserve of 65 hours. This amazing movement with HYT’s exclusive patented micro-fluidic module includes two multi-layer metal bellows, borosilicate glass capillary tube with nano-coating interior, two immiscible liquids —one transparent and the other colored with a highly resistant dye—, thermal compensator with dedicated bellows containing a special liquid and ceramic fluid restrictors.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the new HYT H1.0 wears true to its size and quite big and tall. A stunner in person and priced right for an 'haute horlogerie' watch of this magnitude. If you take into consideration that an HYT H1 or an HYT Skull would cost you anywhere between $62,000 USD and $100,000 USD, the new HYT H1.0 is simply a bargain. Our favorite HYT H1.0 is the red, followed by the blue and lastly the green. While this new watch is $10K USD pricier than its predecessor the H0, we think that the price difference is well worth it.
Sticker Price $49,000 USD. For more info on HYT click here.
