HYT returns with Hastroid

Thinner and sleeker, by Davide Cerrato.

As the first — and only — watchmaker to use a liquid to tell the time, HYT fake went bankrupt last year and has struggled for a few years after debuting in 2012.

But now, the brand is making a comeback under the helm of Davide Cerrato. The first watch of the reborn HYT is the Hastroid Green Nebula, which wears the brand’s familiar lime green and black livery.

Mr. Cerrato, known first as design director for Tudor and Montblanc, applied his brand of Italian aesthetic to HYT, downsizing and downsizing the watch while maintaining its signature style.

The Hastroid is still big, but slightly thinner and definitely more stylish, continuing the formula common on most previous HYT watches – the hours are indicated by a retrograde fluid indicator inside the glass tube, while two large bellows are responsible for pumping the fluid indicator back and forth .

initial thought
When I first heard about HYT coming back to life, I was skeptical, but knowing that Mr. Cerrato was leading the charge would undoubtedly increase the odds of success.

He has done a great job of shaping the visual identity of Tudor and Montblanc – both still share the same brand style to this day – and has certainly improved upon the HYT watch while retaining its familiar feel.

Having seen Hastroid’s resin models, I can attest that this fake watch is more compact and wearable than the first generation HYT.

At the same time, Mr. Cerrato gave the design a slightly retro flavor. While the look is still mostly the tech-industrial style that defines many of today’s contemporary high-end watches (think Richard Mille and Hublot), details like the typography feel retro – a look that’s best described For the 1970s sci-fi movies.

The Hastroid is similar to earlier HYT models, which is fair enough, but not a great value. However, according to Mr. Cerrato, the new watches will be more reliable because they feature an entirely new movement.

Modularity and legibility
The Hastroid features the same retrograde display as the previous generation copy HYT watch, but with some notable upgrades. On the one hand, the movement works on the same principle as the previous generation of watches, but it is a new movement developed by TEC Ebauches, whose star engineer is Eric Coudray, best known for inventing the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyro Tourbillon.

At the same time, legibility has been improved in several ways, including markings on the glass tube that double as hour markers. This works in conjunction with the large Arabic numerals around the pipe to give the face an instrument-like appearance.

In addition to the LCD display, the Hastroid and subsequent models feature a modular housing that can be customized in textures, colors and materials.

The front and back panels are separate pieces, as is the middle of the case, which also contains honeycomb inserts and other removable bits. Various elements of the case can be varied for different looks.

HYT Hastroid Green Nebula
refer to. H02698-A

Diameter: 48 mm
Height: 17.2 mm
Material: Black Coated Titanium and Carbon Composite
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Carl. 501-CM
Functions: Retrograde fluid display of hours, minutes, seconds, and hand indicating power reserve
Frequency: 28,800 beats/hour (4 Hz)
Chain: Manual winding
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Rubber covered with Alcantara