As HYT celebrates its 12th anniversary in 2024, guided by its pioneering vision, the brand is poised to mark this milestone with a new collection that boldly breaks away from its established codes. With a smaller, more refined diameter at 45.3 mm comes the new T1 Series from the HydroMechanical horologists. A new ergonomic design for optimum comfort.
A neo-classical color spectrum that captures the zeitgeist. The new T1 Series fuses HYT's groundbreaking hydromechanical technology with a captivating line-up of horological complications to come and stunning more traditional-looking dials. The new collection represents a significant evolution, meeting the expectations of a brand community that has eagerly awaited the next advancements of the Neuchâtel-based Manufacture of hydromechanical horology.
The first 4 references, which will be presented in Geneva in parallel to Watches & Wonders 2024, promise to transport innovation enthusiasts to new horizons —while honoring the legacy of a decade of creative and unprecedented watchmaking. The T1 Series collection reveals itself through two masterfully manufactured case variations: one in titanium and DLC titanium, and the other, in 5N gold complemented by DLC titanium. The salmon, anthracite, and silver dials offer a unique contrast with the titanium and DLC titanium case, while the exquisitely elegant case in 5N gold and DLC titanium stylishly enhances the midnight blue dial.
For the first time in its history, the brand introduces a fully enclosed dial where the bellows are not exposed at 6 o’clock, designed to achieve absolute harmony. This creation stands out with meticulous and ultra-contemporary craftsmanship, featuring circular satin finishes along the minute track and on the hour ring that enhances a sophisticated color palette —Silver Dial ref. H03205-A, Slate Dial ref. H03206-A, Salmon Dial ref. H03207-A, and Midnight Blue Dial ref. H03208-A— paired with blue or black tinted fluids, adding a distinctive elegance. Additionally, a 72-hour power reserve indicator is positioned between 2 and 3 o’clock on the solid dial.
Things to Know About the Watch
In opening this new chapter, HYT explores a new universe: an unprecedented, more compact diameter of 45.3 mm to showcase the Neuchâtel watchmaking manufacture’s fresh stylistic signature. A reduced diameter that is as surprising as it is self-evident. The T1 Series Collection embodies an aesthetic ideal expressed in its most absolute form. As the firstborn in a forthcoming family of complications, the new series distills all the work and research of the past 12 years. In its pursuit of an elegant and contemporary timepiece in tune with the zeitgeist, HYT understood that the challenge was both a technical one and an aesthetic one. The complexity of incorporating the full scope of HYT’s fluidic technology into a smaller diameter case was an adventure that demanded the highest level of precision —and the ability to square the circle between design and technical constraints. Modern and designed for everyday wear, its innovative ergonomic silhouette, free of lugs, is enhanced by an octagonal case structure with gently curved lines.
Vahé Vartzbed, General Manager of HYT, highlights the brand’s essence:
“It’s in HYT's DNA to always question the status quo, to ‘Challenge the Norms’. In our motto, you find the ethos of boldness and innovation that defines HYT at its core. The Conical Tourbillon collection, for instance, which has sparked increasing demand for innovative and exceptionally high-quality watchmaking, is a perfect example of HYT’s knack for brilliantly blending tradition with avant-garde.”
The interchangeable strap is seamlessly integrated into the overall architecture, and flows naturally from flowing from the case to contouring the curve of the wrist, ensuring unparalleled comfort and remarkable wearability. True to HYT’s meticulous attention to every detail, the T1 Series embraces a contemporary style that is effortless and versatile, at ease with even the most active lifestyles. The innovative interchangeable strap system, specially designed for the T1 Series, required a year of research and development. The strap can readily be clicked in and out by pressing a push-button located on the back in the case middle, precluding inadvertent release. A titanium pin buckle —PVD titanium on the 5N gold/titanium model— adds elegance to a secure fit. The T1 Series is unveiled in four dazzling references with an octagonal shape and subtly faceted sides. The watch features a domed ‘bell’ sapphire crystal, treated with an anti-reflective coating, that gives an unusual depth and vibrancy to the dial.
The open case back, secured with screws, features an anti-reflective sapphire crystal to offer a clear view of the intricate workings inside. Here, the HYT’s mechanism is powered by the two hallmark pistons that regulate the movement of fluids under the impulses of the 41-jewel manual wound calibre 501-CM, itself composed of 352 parts.
As usual, the time display, specific to HYT and calibrated for 12 hours, combines the fluidic hour indication —via the liquid-filled glass capillary along an outboard scale from 6 o’clock to 6 o’clock— with a mechanical minute indication via a central hand sweeping around an inboard minute track. Specifically, a tinted liquid progressively fills the capillary, marking the hour against the outboard scale along the dial’s flange. After 12 hours, as it reaches the 6 o’clock position on the right, the tinted liquid retrogrades to its starting point at 6 o’clock on the other side. For a precise reading of the time, the minute markers are displayed in Arabic numerals around a dedicated sector on the dial.
Each reference is offered with two interchangeable rubber straps, each with its very own buckle. Black being the standard, an additional strap is offered for each reference —blue BL 287-A for the silver dial, anthracite GR094 for the salmon and anthracite dials, and dark blue P259A for the 5N gold version. Additional strap options include white, light gray, and light blue.
Sticker Price CHF 48,000 Swiss Francs —approximately USD 53,000— for the Titanium models, and CHF 64,000 Swiss Francs —approximately USD 71,000— for 5N Gold. For more info on HYT click here.
