HYT fake draws inspiration from watchmaking history in the design of its latest creations. Both majestic and moving, its youthful beauty makes one’s blood boil.

Wearing the H2 Tradition is like an eternal bachelor, falling in love for the first time – when you do realize there is no turning back, you find yourself desperately trying to stay free. When HYT’s first classic model was launched at the last SIHH, there was a lot of interest in the watchmaking world. HYT may have anticipated this reaction, as its production to date has only included dynamic, technological and futuristic pieces.

Enamelled Roman numerals around the hour circles and sub-dial, as well as other references to watchmaking traditions, exude a soft touch. This is a very new genre for a start-up whose design and uniqueness have always been bewildering – and that’s the price to pay for being a true exception in watchmaking. However, things have changed.

an amazing dive
Getting a first look at a watch means getting to know its amazing mechanics. Two curved pistons form the basis of the dial. They are used to control the movement of two liquids – one royal blue and one transparent – and they replace the hour hand in the HYT’s inherent properties. Any internal combustion engine enthusiast will understand this, while wild-road purists may recognize the V-engine, which is often seen on Harley Davidsons. The resemblance is so striking that we can almost smell the used leather and burnt rubber in Hell. By the way, it’s worth reading what the crazy and ebullient Hunter Samuel Thompson has to say about it.

HYT H2 Tradition

However, despite the engine’s 48.80mm diameter, there is no potential provocation. The H2 Tradition is a technological breakthrough in terms of the assembly of its movement – not only because of its layers, but above all because of its solid curved piston. They taper outwards from the bottom. This started the production of the majestic curved support bridge. These excellent micro-mechanical touches and the technology developed by Preciflex, which produces hydraulic displays, are truly remarkable. To cynics and skeptics, the watchmaking legitimacy of this method is nothing but a futile debate.

But this watch is not only scientifically innovative. Its time display mode takes some getting used to. Time passed slowly and quietly. Tranquility is a whole new feeling for such an avant-garde watch. At the end of its cycle, after 6 am or 6 pm, the retrograde system slides the fluid in the opposite direction. As a bonus, this special and unusual display offers unprecedented time reading flexibility and comfort.

The H2 Tradition has a lighter caliber than in the first H2 introduced in 2013. The balance has been replaced with a sub-dial to indicate the minutes, now fixed and hidden under this dial. Small seconds have also been added. Therefore, this watch is not a revolution, but presents some changes that completely change the character of the movement. The component fleet is fastened to the guilloche trim, which is the basis for assembly. What a wonderful work!

The H2 Tradition protects its lion heart with sapphire and titanium glass windows. This sleek cocoon is surrounded by a domed sapphire crystal. The silhouette of the piece has a slight slope, is flat in the middle, and reveals unexpected angles. The back is also sapphire, extending all the way to the edge of the middle, where it stops and forms the gear train for energy storage. The size of the large and rare H2 Tradition is not an issue, as the watch is actually quite light, and its height/weight ratio confirms this. We might even say it gives a slight weightlessness.

The H2 Tradition was first and foremost a fundamental game-changer for HYT, creating the perfect cheap watch of the future and now interested in its origins. Given the effort put into its development, the same power can be used to master the depths of the great traditional watchmaking art.