HYT – a brand that excels at breaking norms – has launched a timepiece that is contemporary, classic and futuristic rolled into one. As its name suggests, the H2 Tradition is a meeting of the past and the future. It is the first HYT with classic guilloché finishes. It is the first HYT with delicate lacquered dials and blue hands.
Underneath this mantle of light, the H2 Tradition has both feet firmly in the 21st century. It retains its hydro-mechanical aesthetic, thanks to the capillary with the blue fluid moving forwards as the hours pass.
It is driven by two bellows positioned either side of 6 o’clock, developed in 2013 on the very first H2. The traditional side is expressed by the diamond guilloché main plate, the crown and its blue hands: making it classical and easy to read.
This balance between tradition and modernity is more complex than it seems. HYT had to modify the design of the H2’s caliber to achieve this and give it a more classic appearance keeping in line with the requirements of haute horlogerie.
The balance, for example, has been modified to provide room on the dial for the minutes. This simple shift meant a large part of the movement’s design had to be overhauled, a feat once again achieved by HYT’s long-standing partners, APRP. The case has also been re-designed, with the crown protector removed, in another nod towards the codes of watchmaking tradition.
The finish of the H2 Tradition also required a series of adjustments. To allow for a diamond guilloché finish in rhodium-plated nickel silver on both sides, the main plate, for example, had to be made slightly thicker, which in turn meant new tolerances had to be calculated for the movement. All the bridges have been modified, reconstructed, polished and beveled.
The diameter of the H2 Tradition measures a macho 48.8 mm and the watch case is made from titanium with light anthracite grey PVD coating. The watch features a patent blue alligator strap and is limited to 50 pieces.
