HYT 151–CB-03-BF-RN H4 51 MM Replica watch

The Twisted Genius of HYT Watches The company that flows time is celebrating a decade of its existence with what may be its most complicated watch yet. Together with Eric Coudray, they have successfully developed this tilting tourbillon model with a very special surprise.

The new phase of HYT Watches is already running at cruising speed. It starts with the presentation of the project under the control of Davide Cerrato, followed by the first complex part. The Conical Tourbillon is the most complicated watch HYT Watches has ever made, and the process is now complete.

Although the company was founded in 2012, the current HYT Watches team wanted to see the launch as a tribute to a decade of history. Our celebration is a year late, but we've let you know that it was worth the wait.

with the best possible help
HYT Watches realized the conical tourbillon with the help of Eric Coudray. The hand of a talented watchmaker can be seen. The author of works as incredible as Gyrotourbillon or Purnell's entire oeuvre, has spent months imprinting his distinctive style on the Swiss company's new creations. Coudray has been able to take advantage of the unique characteristics of HYT Watches watches when applying its technical solutions. Let us remember that the HYT watch is characterized by the displacement of a luminous liquid flowing through very fine glass capillaries to tell the time. This arrangement frees up the central space normally occupied by the hands of the watch. Coudray uses the space well.

We've had a chance to see how this space can be utilized in the existing version of Moon Runner. In this clock, the central aperture is occupied by a hemispherical moon phase indicator and two concentric discs to display the day and month. The Conical Tourbillon brings this utilization of space into hitherto unexplored territory for HYT Watches.

saxon inspiration
Aside from the obvious central position of the device, the conical tourbillon first draws attention to the inclined position of the movement's regulating mechanism. Anyone unwary could see the clock and run to Greubel Forsey's office in La Chaux-de-Fonds to warn of this creative rage. It's going to suck, really. Eric Coudray reminds us that the inclined arrangement of the tourbillon within the movement escapement is a much older solution than one might think.

In fact, it was already in use by a Saxon watchmaker named Walter Prendel, who incorporated it into one of his pocket watches in 1928. A disciple of the great Alfred Helwig, Prendel arranged the tourbillon at a 30-degree angle and a rotation speed of 6 minutes as a solution to counteract the effects of Earth's gravity. There is little information about the watch until it appears in a dedicated auction at Christie's in Geneva in 2021. Coudray knew of its existence in advance.

heavenly dance
In a central position reminiscent of an Omega tourbillon, Coudray's creation for HYT Watches borrows from Prendel's ingenuity and pushes its complexity further. As we said, it's a tilted tourbillon, but no less than three tiers. 30 degrees for the hairspring, 15 degrees for the escape wheel, and 23 degrees for the blades. Seeing with the naked eye without the aid of a magnifying glass is a complex technical decision.

Even more striking is the decision to accompany the constant rotation of the tourbillon and a set of spheres that create the sensation of a small imaginary solar system in their respective rotations. The central tourbillon rotates at a frequency of 30 seconds per revolution, while the three satellite spheres rotate at different speeds: four, five and six revolutions per minute.

The result is a brilliant dance of bodies that finds balance in the apparent chaos of each element. If we add that these small spheres are filled with the same luminescent liquid used in the hour capillaries, we can understand the amazing effect achieved.

the most complex
With 533 components, the 701-TC is the most complicated movement HYT Watches has made in the brand's ten (well, eleven) years of existence. 159 of these components are dedicated to the tourbillon. The complexity of the piece also extends to the dial (19 components) and case (66 components).

The diameter of the conical tourbillon is 48 mm. That's an impressive size for a watch, and even more so in this day and age of small watches. Luckily, it's made of carbon and titanium so it doesn't suffer from the excess weight.

The black finish gives the watch a loud, almost intimidating finish. The addition of luminous elements completely changes the image of the watch in the dark

Exactly what we expect from HYT
On previous occasions, we have observed that the fluid time indications of HYT watches represent a wonderfully technical exclusivity, but also a certain inventiveness. It's hard to get past this complex and unique time system. HYT watches run the risk of not being able to evolve and being reduced to this complication.

With Coudray's help, Conical Tourbillon confirmed that there are still many ideas to be developed in this area. The high-tech and spectacular path chosen once again confirms an interesting business path for HYT Watches in a market segment almost monopolized by Richard Mille and Jacob & Co. The arrival and favorable response of Purnell confirmed the audience of this crazy image haute horlogerie.

HYT Cone Tourbillon Watch


sports:

Manual-winding caliber 701-TC, 21,600 v/h, 533 components, 61 jewels, 40-hour power reserve.

Function:

Hours, minutes, tourbillon, chaotic animation.

Box:

Carbon and Titanium, 48mm. 25.15mm high. Domed sapphire crystal, see-through case back. Airtight to 50 meters.

cover:

39-component black DLC brass with 3D hour-markers coated in black luminescent.

belt:

Black rubber, folding clasp.