Basel World 2015: HYT H3 Mechanical Watch Shows Time with Fluid

HYT will premiere the HYT H3 hydro mechanical watch at the Basel World 2015. See the video of this impressive mechanical watch.

The HYT H3 is inspired by a fluid portrayal of time. Following on from the H1 and H2, the HYT H3 is based on the founding principle: two bellows injecting a capillary with fluid which moves to display the time.

The HYT H3 shows time in a linear fashion with three elements. The upper part of the H3 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 millimeter in diameter, this glass tube, operating in a vacuum, still contains two fluids: the first, (water-based) yellow fluid serves to tell the time. The second (viscous-based) translucent fluid works in opposition. A meniscus is separating 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.

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 caliber then uses the energy stored in the bellows and provides the force needed by the hour dial movement.

Th HYT H3 has also 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 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.

“We started with a blank page and we capitalized on our fluid experience to create something entirely new”, explained Vincent Perriard, HYT CEO. “Placing the bellows in opposition was something that really posed a challenge. They are coupled by a mechanical assembly (comprising a spindle, sensor and thermal compensator), and fitting this between the bellows was a very delicate operation.”

As HYT had explained from the very start, the H3 stands out as the most exceptional timepiece in the brand’s collections. 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. The first timepieces will be available from September 2015.