An arty spin on the H0 bestseller

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An arty spin on the H0 bestseller - HYT
3 minutes read
HYT unveils the H0 Diamonds Red set with 120 sparkling snow-set diamonds and the H0 Time is Precious with a monocrystalline silicon marquetry.

Many smaller independent watch brands set themselves apart with wildly creative design, but few have successfully put a super-luxe and more unisex spin on their creations the way HYT has evolved its H0 collection with this year’s Diamonds Red and Time is Precious models.

An arty spin on the H0 bestseller

Lavishly set with 120 sparkling snow-set diamonds, H0 Diamonds Red clearly speaks to flamboyant and extravagant types. The glittering gems of various sizes are intended to evoke natural water droplets that flow across the dial and cascade down the sides of the case, which is protected under a three-dimensional sapphire crystal dome reminiscent of a glass bell jar in a chemistry lab. “It protects your time but also allows for true visibility of the watch,” says Grégory Dourde, HYT CEO.

An arty spin on the H0 bestseller

The aquatic notion also alludes to the brand’s theme of flowing time, as embodied by the red liquid that traces elapsing time in a clear capillary tube that stretches and curves around the periphery of the dial. Red accents on the hour and minute hands as well as the power reserve display explosively pop against the sea of white diamonds. A more subdued version in all black offers an alternative for those who prefer to make a more understated, yet still unconventional, high-jewelry statement.

An arty spin on the H0 bestseller

“According to a study that we recently came across, whether male or female, humans are fascinated by everything that sparkles or shines,” says Dourde, who dismisses the notion that the design is inherently feminine. “The obsession with the diamond version of the H0 has little to do with suddenly going bling, after decades of minimal preference. This characteristic flows from a genetic selection instead. We love diamonds, not because they are forever... but because of a basic vital need.”

Meanwhile, the Time is Precious eschews bling for a more arty and intellectual take on the H0 with a reflective dial composed of 63 mirrored facets tilted at varying angles, creating a multi-dimensional kaleidoscope effect as reflected light bounces off the surfaces as you move through life.

An arty spin on the H0 bestseller

The unique cubist aesthetic is created using an innovative marquetry technique that applies ultra-sharp laser cutting to panes of monocrystalline silicon, presenting a novel, high-tech interpretation of the craft’s traditional métiers d’art.

More than a mere creative exercise, the design is intended to express philosophical tenets about exploring different points of view without impacting function and fluidity in life and how the fusion of divergent characteristics can result in a compelling whole.

“When you look at the design, it is really sleek and minimal, but also sophisticated,” Dourde says, noting the many details involved. “People that admire this watch’s expression are people who are looking for avant-garde, people who like architecture, design, and art. This kind of person expects to have a watch which is an object that projects their personality.”

An arty spin on the H0 bestseller

Specially developed for the H0, the sapphire crystal dome enhances visibility inviting you to peer inside for a closer look at HYT’s trademark bellows, now showcased through enlarged windows on the dial. By contracting and expanding, the tiny pumps force the colored liquid through the tube to create what is perhaps the industry’s most novel time display.

“It’s like a living body, like a heart,” Dourde says of the ingenious mechanism. “When one is compressed, the other expands—it’s really a living system, the organic part of the watch. They are really high-tech components, and we wanted to show them more than on the original H0.”

The dome also provides a side view of the glass tube, while the numbers around the sides of the case have been enlarged for enhanced readability.

The H0 family is focused on creative design, using the broad span of the dial as a canvas, while the H1.0 and H20 collections emphasize technical aspects of the movement. “The consistency between H0 for design or H20 for engineering,” Dourde explains, “is that they both carry on our philosophy that we build watches as if they are pieces of art.”

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