The Hydromechanical Horologists, aka HYT, have finally released their second watch model after the explosively popular H1 from last year. The new watch is the H2, and breaks new ground in terms of mechanical and visual interest versus merely adding a new complication. Our friends at HYT’s media partner Watchonsita offered the full details here for HYT. Before getting all excited about the H2, let’s recall what the H1 was about by visiting our hands-on look at the H1 watch here.

Earlier this month HYT shared with us a picture of the rear of the HYT H2’s movement here. Looking like a robot face, the image was a prelude of a technically marvelous watch to come that was as much about design and style as it was about horology. HYT worked with APRP’s Giulio Papi to help design and produce the H2’s movement. In short, the movement actually has less complications than the first (with the removal of the subsidiary seconds dial). However, with an increased power reserve and more complex architecture, the H2’s movement is much more of a technical challenge.

Unlike the HYT H1, the H2 will be part of a limited edition of just 50 pieces. That may be for the entire series, or just this version in a DLC black-coated titanium case. At 48.8mm wide, the piece is large and in charge with very impressive stance and visuals. Retained of course is the green liquid hour indicator tube that uses bellows to push liquid over an hour scale. The bellows are now in a V-orientation as part of the symmetrical movement which also makes up the dial. Toward the 12 o’clock position is the dial-mounted balance wheel and to the right is a crown function selector (letting you know if the watch is in neutral, time setting, or winding mode).

Both hours and minutes are shown on retrograde scales. There is something very Urwerk-feeling about the design, and reading the time is impressively interesting without being illegible. That is a tough thing to achieve because we’ve found that most “experimental” ways of telling the time simply sacrifice convenience. The dial also has a unique power reserve indicator which takes the form of an exposed spring! The spring gets more tightly wound when the power reserve is full, and unwinds as it runs out. The manually wound movement has a full eight days of power reserve when the movement is fully wound.

HYT makes no effort to hide the fact that H2 is all about high-end appeal and experimental technical style. The movement was designed precisely to be “cool,” and almost concept-like in its presentation. For collectors and modern gadget lovers, this is a timepiece which merely shrugs at the appeal of a Patek Philippe and says to rich-guys “hey! What you really want is something big and cool on your wrist that looks (and is) expensive. This is NOT your grandfather’s watch.” Love it or hate it, that is what the H2 is, and overall what the HYT brand is all about. While the H1 had a starting price of $45,000, the H2 is probably going to be about double that in price. hytwatches.com

Collection: H2
Reference: 248-DL-00-GF-RA Limited series to 50 pieces
Technical data:
Case:
Black DLC titanium with polished, micro-blasted and satin finishes
-Diameter: 48.8 mm
-Height: 17.9 mm
-Screw-down dynamometric crown sheathed in rubber
-Protected crown
-Screwed lugs
-Titanium dome at 6 o’clock
– Domed sapphire crystal (box) with anti-reflection coating
-Screwed sapphire back
-Water resistant to 50 metres
Functions:
-Retrograde fluidic hours
-Minutes with jumping hand at 30 minutes
-Crown position indicator (H-N-R)
– Temperature indicator
Movement:
Mechanical with manual winding, exclusive HYT calibre, 21,600 vib/h, 3 Hz, 28 jewels
-Titanium bridges with decorated micro-blasted Black PVD and titanium coloured satin finished accents
-192 hour (8 day) power reserve
Dial: Sapphire minute dial
Strap: Rubberized anthracite alligator, Black DLC titanium pin buckle