HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda

The new HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda epitomizes the seamless fusion of mechanical finesse with the refined charm of agate. This masterpiece draws its power from bold contrasts and distinctive character, marrying the intricate conical tourbillon with the elegant allure of white agate.

HYT, a pioneer in fluidic watchmaking mechanics, continues to redefine the standards of modern haute horlogerie with its unmistakable style. The new HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda timepiece represents the ultimate expression of this approach, standing out with a highly sophisticated mechanism and an exceptional aesthetics.

At the heart of the dial proper, the fluidic hour display and the conical tourbillon, adorned with three handcrafted spheres of natural white agate, come to life in a poetic ballet.

On the wrist, the HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda captivates with its character, while revealing the full horological expertise of HYT.

Every single detail, from the 701 TC calibre’s refined finishes to the white agate chapter ring, and continual interplay between black and white, bears witness to the craftsmanship excellence of the house. The conical tourbillon movement is elevated as it springs to life at the very core of the mechanics, with its balance wheel inclined at 30 degrees, its escapement wheel at 15 degrees, and the anchor at 23 degrees.

This achievement is rooted in the bold engineering directly inspired by the work of German watchmaker Walter Prendel, which centred on an inclined balance tourbillon that was initially positioned at 6 o’clock. In his workshops in Groitzsch, a small town in the region of Saxony, itself as renowned as Switzerland as a hotbed of high-end horology, Walter Prendel sought to demonstrate the relevance of his research: based on the theories of his mentor, master watchmaker Alfred Helwig, he succeeded in improving the stability and regularity of his inclined tourbillon, with the balance-spring assembly inclined at 30° to the horizontal.

As a brand that consistently maintains the momentum of its advances in contemporary haute horlogerie, it is only natural for HYT to incorporate such a tourbillon into its new watch. On the HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda, it completes a full clockwise revolution in 30 seconds. Its graceful movement, marked by spheres of different sizes, creates a mesmerizing spectacle. Each sphere, each incremental motion, celebrates balance and precision. The impeccable finishes, from chamfered bridges to polished screw heads, further underscore the sense of pursuit of perfection throughout the entire piece.

Nestled on the centre’s periphery, three exceptional, spherical white agate gemstones, each measuring 2.5 mm in diameter, amplify the vibrant pulsations of this visual spectacle, and, concurrently, hint at the subtle rhythm of the tourbillon. The spheres rotate at harmonious yet differing speeds. The first completes 4 rotations per minute; the second moves at 5 turns per minute, and the last at 6 turns per minute. Each sphere is complemented by a finely finished counterweight in white.

The timepiece’s brilliance is underscored by the haute horlogerie tradition in its craftmanship, from the titanium tourbillon cage to the chamfered, drawn, polished, and satin-finished bridges, and the polished screw heads, along with six smaller spheres, each 1.5mm in diameter. The technical efficiency of HYT’s conical tourbillon thus enables the harmonious animation of the spheres’ independent rotations.

The watch assembly consists of 533 components, with the tourbillon cage alone comprising 159 components. Adding the dial’s 39 components and the 66 that make up the case, the entire HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda totals 750 components – all meticulously checked, assembled and rechecked by hand. HYT has designed a specific black fluidic module for this exceptional tourbillon movement; together they are housed in a 48mm titanium case coated in white ceramic and topped by a dome-shaped crystal with a multilayer anti-reflective treatment on both sides to enhance the visual allure of this ensemble.

The limited series of the HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda consists of 8 pieces.

HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda Technical Specifications

Reference: H03236-A – Recommended Retail Price: Chf 355’000 (Excluding VAT)
Limited Edition: 8 Pieces / Caseback Engraving: HS 39

Functions

• Retrograde fluidic hour indication
• Central minute hand
• Tourbillon
• Chaotic animation
• 3 spheres in white agate gemstone, 2.5mm in diameter, with one counterweight each;   in the tourbillon cage: 6 spheres, 1.5mm in diameter (2 in white, 4 in black)

Movement

• Reference: 701-TC (533 components)
• Type: Mechanical
• Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
• Jewels: 61
• Winding: Winding tool
• Power reserve: at least 40 hours
• Finishes: High-end
• Coating: Black finish, rhodium-plated 3N

Case

• Titanium case, coated in white ceramic
• Titanium crown with white ceramic coating and black DLC   coated titanium insert
• Domed (box) sapphire crystal with antireflective treatment
• Titanium side grilles and frame, coated in white ceramic
• Water-resistant to 30 meters

Dial

• White agate chapter ring
• 3D appliques with black coating, luminescent white numerals and logo (Super-LumiNova®)
• Borosilicate capillary tube with black fluid
• Matte black minute hand, white Super-LumiNova®

Strap & buckle

• White rubber strap
• Pin buckle in black DLC titanium
• Satin-brushed and sandblasted finishes

About HYT
Founded in 2012, Swiss independent watch brand HYT has pioneered an original and exclusive technology that combines a mechanical movement with a retrograde hour indication through a fluid that flows through a system of capillary tubes.
Just over ten years ago, HYT was born from the dream of integrating fluid dynamics into the time display of a mechanical watch. The young Swiss independent watchmaker has since embraced a distinct philosophy of the horological art, guided by the ambition to return to the ancient origins of time measurement, dating back thousands of years.
To achieve this, HYT developed advanced technology that harnesses the energy generated by the watch’s movement to power the fluid mechanics for displaying time. The breakthrough, spearheaded by Lucien Vouillamoz, incorporates three critical components from the aerospace industry: a glass capillary tube with an internal diameter of 0.8 mm, a fluidic module that is 10,000 times more watertight than a watch rated for 100 meters underwater, and bellows that are a quarter the thickness of a human hair.
For over a decade, HYT has continually refined its systems and movements. The year 2024 marked a pivotal milestone as HYT entered a new phase of its journey, embracing a matured stance. Its timepieces, offered in limited series, are not only sophisticated and complex but also embody a form of hedonism. The brand’s direction is clear: unequivocal exclusivity.