Great Golf Magazine Sep/Oct 2017 September October 2017 | Seite 78

Watches.qxp_St Enodoc 30.09.2016 13.13 Side 5

GREAT WATCHES

impart time is based on the notion that oil and water do not
mix. However, HYT has expended much energy ensuring
that should the watch be subjected to a significant shock,
the two liquids remain discrete.
HYT released its inaugural timepiece with a bright green
aqueous liquid. However, it soon experimented with other
eye-catching hues. Red, blue and, most recently, black have
all found service within the clear glass capillaries of HYT's
models. The introduction of new shades only occurs after
protracted research and development. A newly developed
water-based coloured liquid must not be affected by UVlight and needs to remain distinct from its pigment-free
neighbour.
CRAFTMANSHIP. HYT has not abandoned
traditional watchmaking. The HYT Calibre 101 is the
manually wound movement found within the H1. It is
similar to the mechanical heart found in many fine historical
timepieces. Winding the crown imparts energy to the
mainspring, which powers the aforementioned bellows
pumps. As well as displaying hours, the H1 indicates
minutes and seconds. A power reserve indicator displays the
amount of available energy stored within the spring barrel,
effectively the fuel tank of the watch.
An indication of fine watchmaking is the finishing,
applied to movement components. In the case of the HYT
Calibre 101, the execution is flawless. Indeed, the Swiss
company upholds the no-compromise craftsmanship found
on traditional exemplars of haute horlogerie. Movement
components are imbued with gloriously gleaming bevels,
executed with the deft use of hand tools. The 'bridges' are
adorned with a series of parallel lines, termed 'Côtes de
Genève' motif and the wheels feature 'circular graining', a
series of concentric fine rings.

SWISS

A NEW ADDITION. In 2013, after the resounding success of
the HYT H1, the company released the H2 model. This
timepiece presents the bellows pumps in a V-arrangement,
resembling the appearance of cylinders found within a highpowered engine.
The prestigious movement specialist, Audemars Piguet

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GREAT GOLF MAGAZINE

Renaud Papi, exclusively produces the movement within the
H2 for HYT. It incorporates two spring barrels, effectively two
fuel tanks, delivering an impressive power reserve of 192 hours.
Pulling the crown from the case in a series of stages, allows the
wearer to adjust the hands (H) and wind the watch (R). The
H2, usefully includes a 'crown position' indicator, displaying (N)
for neutral, similar to a car, or 'H' or 'R' when applicable.
GROWING FAMILY. The inextricable link between time and
mortality has historically been referenced with so-called 'skull
watches'. This genre of timepiece reminds the wearer that time
is precious and should never be squandered. Once again,
HYT's creative design team brought out the brand's chemistry
set and penned a highly individual skull watch of its own.
When the rectangular-shaped H3 broke cover, it used
bellows pumps to drive liquids in a horizontal plane from
left to right, depicting time against a series of revolving hour
markers in a breathtakingly ingenious, linear fashion.
At first glance, the H4 Alinghi shares a passing
resemblance with its older sibling the H1. However, this
timepiece, which references the brand's association with the
Swiss-based sailing team, features a push-piece on its left
flank, adjacent 4:30. Should the wearer choose to read the
dial in darkness, pressing the push-piece bathes the display
in light. Once more, HYT rejects battery power in favour
of a dynamo, creating energy purely with the motion of
pressing the push-piece.
A NEW CHAPTER. Innovation does not always yield

progress; sometimes new products deliver creativity at the
expense of function or practicality. Despite some inventive
timepieces proving meritorious they may still struggle to
achieve commercial success purely because of the
conservative purchasing habits of the watch-buying public.
However, the courage of HYT and its investors has been
vindicated with continued sales growth. The brand from
Neuchâtel, situated deep in the watchmaking heartland of
Switzerland, has drawn on traditional know-how, melded it
with a futuristic vision of tomorrow and, in so doing,
delivers unique timepieces for today's horological
connoisseurs.
GGM