CONICAL TOURBILLON

Presented in a limited series of only 8 pieces, the HYT Conical Tourbillon watch affirms this independent watchmaking company’s commitment to daring design, as the company reflects on ten years of innovative watchmaking and looks to the future and all its possibilities. Featuring HYT’s signature mechanical retrograde fluidic display together with an incredible conical tourbillon created by watchmaking Master Eric Coudray, the watch is astounding in its arrangement both aesthetically and technically.

The Conical Tourbillon is a collaboration between HYT and Prix Gaïa winner and Tourbillon Maestro Eric Coudray, who took inspiration from German watchmaker Walter Prendel’s oblique tourbillon of 1928, which featured a spring-balance inclined at 30° to horizontal, in order to improve timekeeping stability and regularity. Revised and reinterpreted by Eric Coudray, the invention has been brought up to date for the modern age, and is showcased on the dial of HYT’s latest unveiling.

Located at the centre of the dial of the HYT piece, the conical tourbillon completes one revolution clockwise every 30 seconds. Here there are three spheres, each of which rotates a different speeds; the first completes four turns per minute; the second, five turns per minute, and the third six per minute, with the unconnected rapid rotations of the trio purposefully demonstrating the stability of the rate of the conical tourbillon. Notably each sphere measures only 2.5mm diameter, and each is crafted individually by traditional glass blowing methods. Adding further to the difficulty of their construction, each sphere is filled with fluorescent liquid and luminescent fluid so the movement can be seen by day or night. Described by HYT as ‘chaotic animation’ the revolution of the spheres together with the unique tourbillon architecture is spectacular.

The watch carries a complex casing of carbon and black DLC titanium. Sized at 48mm, with a height of 25.5mm, it has a sculpted profile and is characterised by hollowed lugs, a squared-off profile and a perforated mesh around its middle where vivid green accents complement those displayed on the dial.

A high domed crystal over the casing is required to accommodate the dial of HYT's Conical Tourbillon, which is of black coated brass featuring highly technical grid texturing. Luminous coating on the appliqués and numerals enable instant readability, and the animation of the central tourbillon elements together with the movement of the green retrograde liquid time display within its elevated capillary glass tube ensure that this is surely the most fascinating HYT dial to date.

On the underside, a sapphire caseback reveals the proprietary manual wound Calibre 701-TC movement where one can see the workings of the bellows which enable the immiscible liquids to be pushed through the fine glass capillary tube on the dial side. An outstanding example of contemporary Haute Horlogerie, the movement displays fine sandblasted and satin finishes while black coated components give it a modernistic character. Complex in the extreme, it comprises of 533 components, and fully wound it has a power reserve of 40 hours.

Manufactured in a limited edition of only 8 pieces, the HYT Conical Tourbillon is presented on a strap of black rubber, secured to the wrist with a black coated titanium pin buckle.