HYT Time is Fluid (And How HYT Watches Work)
Wednesday - 30 September 2020
HYT watches are undoubtedly some of the most unique on the market, characteristic by their complex dials and oversized cases that bring to life the concept of fluid time. Rather than restricting time in splendid isolation with needle hands and digital displays, HYT rebel by uniting science, hi-technology, philosophy, art and design to explore the notion of time as an evermoving idea. Their slogan “Time is Fluid” reveals this very philosophy as does the animated aesthetics of their watches.
Motivated by history, HYT watches are inspired by the first concepts of time invented over 3,400 years ago. Used by Pharaohs and the Clepsydras, these concepts were named water clocks and worked by transporting water from one container to another to measure elapsed time. It is this very notion of fluid timekeeping that HYT brings to life in its designs. Based in Neuchâtel, at the heart of the traditional Swiss watchmaking region, the HYT team of 43 dedicated individuals make liquid time real time by utilising mechanical watch movements as the trigger to the fluid propulsion.
“Today’s reality is a watch that breaks new scientific ground, measuring time’s passage with a patented fluidic module that took 15 years of inspiration to develop.”
At first glance, HYT watches inspire intrigue and curiosity with the majority of their designs not appearing as timekeeping instruments at all. Let’s take the HYT H1.0 for example, where you can see an off-centre minute dial matched with a power reserve indicator on the right and a running seconds indicator on the left. But where are the hours? That’s where things get interesting. The hours are displayed around the edge of the dial with a liquid that travels around the circumference. While most watches are unenthusiastic about water flooding its case, HYT welcome fluids with open arms.
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How do HYT watches work?
The technology behind HYT watches is known as the fluid module. This incredible technology took 15 years to develop and was largely inspired by devices used in aerospace and medicine. The heart and soul of HYT’s fluid module is the bellows that can be seen at 6 o’clock. They are made of highly resistant, flexible alloy and work by compressing two different coloured liquids around the dial. As one bellow compresses to release one of the two liquids, the other expands to receive the second one.
The liquids, which travel around a curved 0.8 mm thin glass capillary, are carefully developed to provide easy visibility, durability and UV resistance. Each liquid dye is a different colour, one often transparent and the other colourful, both immiscible to keep them apart. As the bellows compress and, the liquids move around the dial’s circumference to mark the hours. Powering the bellows is a specially developed haute horlogerie mechanical movement which is carefully placed below them at 6 o’clock. For every 12 hours, the liquid travels around the full circumference of the dial and when it reaches the end of the capillary it flows back into its original position. This fascinating replay of time lasts approximately 60 seconds without losing a single second in timekeeping terms.
For more information on HYT watches and to shop their remarkable range of collections, head over to the Jura Watches website here or get in touch with the team on 01335 453453 or at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
