HYT SKULL Limited Edition

The Skull, HYT’s new extraordinary and unprecedented creation, breaks all the rules. at first glance itself the Skull makes a striking impression, simply because it epitomises and at the same time breaks away from everything that HYT represents. It is provocative, unique and has a bold design supported by the fluid mechanics that have become the brand’s signature style.

The use of a capillary, which carries a fluid to act as the hour marker, is a concept that is already mastered by HYT and its partners. However, any significant changes in form require extensive background work. For the Skull, the skull shape of the tube, which measures less than one millimetre in diameter, was a significant challenge in itself. The issue centred on the capillary’s four angles, two of which are almost 90° at the base. These curves meant that bending the glass was a particularly delicate task.

In line with the raw, primitive imagery of the skull, HYT also decided to do away with the minutes. This bold choice has two consequences. Firstly, it shifts the main focus to the capillary, the only sensory indicator of time as it passes, and secondly it centres all the attention on the piece’s architectural design, with its assertive, confident skull, which occupies almost the entire surface of the dial. Similarly, in stark contrast to its other pieces, HYT chose to almost completely hide the movement on the dial side.

To breathe life into the skull, HYT instead introduced a number of new developments. Firstly, the two vertical bellows function continuously – it is their subtle expansion and contraction which causes the fluid to move.

In addition, the eyes of the Skull have a life of their own. The right eye indicates the power reserve of the watch. Using a series of subtly different translucent coloured inserts, the eye gradually darkens as the piece nears the end of its 65 hours of power. The left eye hides a barely visible seconds dial which rotates continuously. In both cases, a subtle honeycomb pattern provides the background and adds depth to the eyes. The skull itself is not inert – its movement operates constantly. It is alive, in the truest sense of the word: it has a soul.

A new 51 mm case has been specially created for the Skull, with the addition of new, crisp angled lugs. The single assembly push-button of the crown, which adjusts the time, is located between 2 o’clock and 3 o’clock. The crown protector has been removed. Lateral inserts have also been added to the case, allowing multiple future combinations.

The Skull is offered in two, very limited versions. One of fifty pieces, produced in DLC titanium with green fluid, and another of twenty-five pieces in 5N rose gold and black DLC titanium, featuring red fluid. The first pieces will be available from May 2015.

Technical details

Model: HYT SKULL GREEN EYE, Ref. : 151-TD-41-GF-AB
Limited edition of 50 pieces

Case
Black DLC titanium with brushed, micro-blasted and polished finishes
Diameter: 51 mm
Height: 17.9 mm
Rubber coated screw-down crown
Black titanium dome at 6 o’clock
Cambered sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the dial side
Screwed sapphire back
Water resistant to 50 metres

Functions
Retrograde green fluid hours; seconds

Movement
Mechanical with manual winding, exclusive HYT calibre
28,800 vib/h, 4 Hz, 35 jewels
Bridges hand-chamfered and adorned with Côtes de Genève, rhodium plated bellows
65-hour power reserve

Dial
Unstructured, fluid hours
Black hour dial, grey anthracite indices and grey numerals
Seconds dial (left eye)
Power reserve indicator (right eye)

Strap
Black leather alligator, black DLC titanium pin buckle

Retail price
Price upon request

Model: HYT SKULL RED EYE, Ref. : 151-DG-42-RF-AB
Limited edition of 25 pieces

Case
Black DLC titanium and 5N gold with brushed, micro-blasted and satin finishes
Diameter: 51 mm
Height: 17.9 mm
Rubber coated screw-down crown
Black DLC titanium dome at 6 o’clock
Cambered sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the dial side
Screwed sapphire back
Water resistant to 50 metres

Functions
Retrograde red fluid hours; seconds

Movement
Mechanical with manual winding, exclusive HYT calibre
28,800 vib/h, 4 Hz, 35 jewels
Bridges hand-chamfered and adorned with Côtes de Genève, rhodium plated bellows
65-hour power reserve

Dial
Unstructured, fluid hours
5N hour dial, grey anthracite indices and grey 5N numerals
Seconds dial (left eye)
Power reserve indicator (right eye)

Strap
Black leather alligator, black DLC titanium pin buckle

Retail price
Price upon request