Hydromechanical Horology: Inside the HYT H1
HYT H1 replica is one of the most watched watches at the Basel International Watch Fair in 2012. It has a distinctive appearance. It uses two liquids (one green and one transparent) to indicate the time, which flows through the peripheral time. A thin tube. scale. technical editor Mike Disher explored the technology behind the watch and its movement. We provide wallpaper images, prices and rich videos.
The water clock is the earliest complex system for measuring time. A thousand years after Confucius was invented, he said that time passes like water in a river. The metaphor of comparing flowing water with passing time is deeply rooted in us. Lucien Vouillamoz realized this and in 2002 proposed to bring the water clock into the 21st century and wear it on the wrist. Many ideas are easier said than done, and this proved to be one of them.
In the next few years, the concept evolved into a system in which a small, flexible container or bellows was installed at both ends of a thin, transparent circular tube that fits the watch case. The bellows and hose will contain two different liquids-one is colored and the other is transparent. Where the liquid meets, a line or meniscus can be seen. When a bellows is compressed, the meniscus moves like a syringe plunger pushing fluid through a needle. Place a scale of one hour or several minutes next to the circular tube, and the moving meniscus may mark the passage of time. This is the basic concept behind HYT H1.
With this concept, Vouillamoz needs an effective prototype and patent protection. He invited long-time friend and serial entrepreneur Patrick Berdoz (Patrick Berdoz), who invested in the project and played an important role in its success. In the following year, the replica HYT company came into being and a viable prototype was born. (The company name can be pronounced “hit” or the three-letter “HYT”. When asked what the acronym stands for, we were told it was “hydro-technology” or “hydro-time”. The watch may be ready Good, but the focus of marketing is still being resolved.)
Vincent Perriard joined HYT in 2010 as CEO. Perriard is no stranger to the extremely restricted watch industry. When the brand developed C1 Quantum Gravity, he was the president of Concord. C1Quantum Gravity is a huge avant-garde watch, well-known in the watch industry for its extraordinary technical functions.
To move the project from prototype to production-ready timepiece, HYT hired Audemars Piguet’s former industrial director Bruno Moutarlier. The development of the movement is under the responsibility of Chronode (expert in the design and construction of complex mechanical timepieces). Its task is to create a traditional mechanical movement to handle the unconventional task of pushing liquid into the pipe.
Not surprisingly, the realization of this project requires several technical difficulties. It also produced some new terms. In our interview, phrases such as “hydraulic mechanical clock” and “fluid mechanical motion” appeared. The good choice is that you will not find these terms in the Bernard Dictionary.
The company must adopt technologies and assembly technologies from the aerospace, chemical and medical industries. For example, two liquids cannot mix or change consistency, nor can they leak or evaporate. HYT’s sister company Preciflex is engaged in fluid operations with the support of Helbling Technik in the medical device industry. The transparent and green liquids are actually oil, water and some other chemicals that HYT will not disclose. Although the bright green liquid has fluorescent properties, it does not emit light in the dark… HYT is working hard for this. If green liquid is not your best choice, then don’t worry-there will be other colors available in the future.
To prevent leakage and evaporation, the manufacturing tolerances of the system are very strict. Use a machine to blow the glass tube containing the liquid to a tolerance of 1 micron. The material used to make the bellows is inspired by the sensors used by NASA. The inner surface of the bellows is coated with gold to increase strength and flexibility. The liquid handling system must be assembled in a clean room. Seven patents have been registered for this technology and one design has been registered. vogue4uwatches.com