HYT H3: the linear fluid revolution
The world has been waiting for it, but no one knew what to expect. After keeping us on tenterhooks for a whole year, HYT’s H3 has now burst onto the watchmaking scene. This time, it explores the notion of linear display.
HYT and its partners have succeeded in creating a timepiece with a highly complex architecture. One of the main challenges lay in machining the case and the sapphire crystal. The case measures 62 x 41 mm tailored to fit the movement. As for the movement, one of the most delicate steps in creating the H3 involved recovering the energy provided in the retrograde movement, which then powered the semi-instantaneous rotation of the watch’s dial.
Its construction was initially inspired by the desire to have a linear portrayal of time, which resulted in a design with the bellows at opposite ends. The movement engineering teams then worked around this constraint – which became the stylistic signature of the H3 – to create the complete calibre.
The upper part of this living sculpture houses the bellows mechanism. The first, on the left, drives the progression of the fluid and therefore the time display. Its counterpart, on the right, compensates for this progression in the capillary. Less than one millimetre in diameter, this glass tube, operating in a vacuum, contains two fluids: the first, (water-based) yellow fluid serves to tell the time; the second (viscous-based) translucent fluid works in opposition. An invisible meniscus separates them.
The central part of the H3 is reserved for the time display. This features neither hands, nor satellite, nor any other system of time-reading ever invented before. Instead, HYT has created a rotating dial with 4 faces arranged along the time display tube. Each of these faces is graduated with 6 hours, thereby enabling the 24 hours of the day to be displayed.
Thanks to its two barrels, it boasts a 170-hour power reserve (equivalent to around 7 days). Produced in charcoal grey PVD-coated titanium and platinum, the series will be limited to 25 timepieces. Exclusively composed by HYT, the choreography was once again orchestrated by APRP (Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi), also responsible for its predecessor, the H2.
To ensure a harmonious and linear progression between the hours, HYT has developed an exclusive movement. A complication is used to rotate the dial on itself, to display the section concerned for the current time. The other three faces are not visible. At the end of each 6-hour period, the time display makes a retrograde movement. During this time lapse, the dial begins a controlled rotation, enabling the time display to jump semi-instantaneously. When the liquid’s retrograde movement is engaged, the calibre then uses the energy stored in the bellows and provides the force needed by the hour dial movement.
To ensure the technical and stylistic cohesion of the H3, HYT has also developed a linear display for the minutes. On the lower right-hand part of the timepiece, there is a twin articulated arm which sweeps across a graduated rule. At its end, the retrograde mechanism instantaneously returns to its starting point.
The time is set using a push-button, located on the left of the assembly. With each press, the central time display bar turns on itself by one quarter of a turn. This ingenious principle enables the desired time period to be quickly set by jumping in periods of six hours. Next, the circular movement of the crown enables the exact hour and minutes chosen to be set within this period.
The first timepieces will be available from September 2015.
Specs
Case:
charcoal grey PVD-coated titanium and platinum with a micro-blasted, satin finish
– Length: 62 mm;
– Width: 41 mm
– Height: 16 mm
– Screw-down dynamometric crown sheathed in rubber
– Screwed offset lugs
– Domed sapphire crystal (box) with anti-reflection coating
– Open screw-down back in titanium
– Water-resistant to 30 metres
Functions:
– Retrograde fluidic hours
– Retrograde minute indicator
– Crown position indicator (T-N-W)
– Power reserve indicator (on back)
– Push-button for hour rotation
Movement:
Mechanical with manual winding, exclusive HYT calibre
– 21,600 Vph, 3 Hz, 53 jewels
– Decorated micro-blasted charcoal grey PVD-coated titanium bridges with titanium-coloured satin-finished accents, rhodium-plated bellows
– 170-hour (7-day) power reserve
Dial:
- Sapphire minutes dial
- Aluminium hours dial
Strap:
– Black alligator leather
– Charcoal grey PVD-coated titanium folding buckle
Reference: 362-TP-00-GF-AA
Series limited to 25 pieces
2 Comments
Awesome!