INTRODUCING: The HYT Hastroid is like an alien spaceship for the wrist (in a good way)
Fergus NashInnovation is always risky, but HYT paid the ultimate price in 2021 when they were forced into bankruptcy less than 10 years after announcing their award-winning H1 watch to raucous reception. Now only a year later, HYT have been resurrected by Kairos Technology Switzerland — an innovative company in their own right who have appointed Davide Cerrato as the new CEO. Cerrato is a well-respected industry veteran who was Head of Marketing, Design and Product Development at Tudor from 2007 to 2015 (during which time he launched the Black Bay), before spending the next five years as the Managing Director of Montblanc. With a focus on improving ergonomics, legibility and modularity, HYT are now ready to reestablish their pioneering reputation with Meca-Fluidic Technology in the space-themed HYT Hastroid.
The case
The HYT Hastroid has been designed from the ground up not just as a new watch for the catalogue, but as a conceptual template for HYT’s style and methods going forward. The case is designed with both style and ergonomics given equal priority, with a black DLC-coated titanium frame incorporating carbon fibre sides to keep the weight down to only 80 grams. The blacked-out case is meticulously finished with multiple facets leaning into the futuristic spaceship aesthetic, keeping up with the stimulating dial without becoming a distraction.
With a 48mm diameter you may expect the HYT Hastroid to be a monstrosity on the wrist, but it’s actually surprisingly wearable thanks to a 52.3mmm lug-to-lug length and a 13.3mm thickness. The integrated rubber strap also helps conform the whole shape to your wrist, making the wearing experience as convenient as possible. Although it stands out visually by a mile, you can rest assured that you won’t be distracted by its feel on the wrist. With HYT’s new modular approach to watchmaking in effect, the case is also entirely available to bespoke customisations, should you want a different colour or even entirely different material.
The dial
The lines between dial and movement have truly been blurred with the HYT Hastroid, given that skeletonisation is an essential part of telling the time with the Meca-Fluidic Technology. Reading the time is actually quite straightforward, as the large central hand points to the minutes flange that runs around the inside of the fluid capillary, and the capillary itself is used to show the hours. The tube is filled with two liquids, one being transparent and the other being the bright acid green that is HYT’s hallmark. The point at which the two fluids meet is the current hour, with a bit of extra space given to the 6 o’clock area to accommodate the transition.
Around the edges of the dial are the high-contrast green Arabic numerals for easiest legibility, applied to a honeycomb motif background that is mirrored on the case sides and embraces the sci-fi look. The inner section of the dial looks insane, but is also deceptively easy to get your head around. The running seconds hand is on the left hand side of the dial with bright green and red markings inlaid to a sapphire disk, and the power reserve indicator is located on the opposite side. Almost everything you see is luminous after dark and under UV light too, erupting in a neon glow.
The movement
Of course there’s nothing off-the-shelf that can come remotely close to doing what the HYT Hastroid sets out to do, so every part of the Meca-Fluicic Technology movement is completely in-house. The main star of the show is of course the capillary, which is the glass tube containing the two immiscible liquids — their meniscus point telling the time. Fun words aside, the liquid is pushed through the capillary with the help of two reservoirs that you can clearly see above the 6 o’clock area. These bellows are made of a fine flexible alloy four times thinner than a human hair and progressively pump the fluid as time goes on, before reaching 6 o’clock and entering ‘rewind mode’ which resets everything.
In terms of specifications, the HYT Hastroid’s workings don’t let anybody down either. The beat rate is high for a watch of this complexity at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and the power reserve is extremely generous at between 72-80 hours. It’s manually-wound, and has a water resistance rating of 50m, however the manual does imply that this is safe enough for ocean swimming as long as the salt water is washed off.
The HYT Hastroid pricing and availabilty:
This particular example of the HYT Hastroid with the reference number ‘H02698’ is available as a limited edition of 27 pieces, however the modular nature of its construction allows for bespoke requests should you want your own unique version. Price: $70,000 USD
| Case Material | Titanium / Carbon fibre |
| Case Dimensions | 48mm x 52.3mm x 13.3mm |
| Water-Resistance | 50m |
| Dial | Black and acid green |
| Straps | Rubber with alcantara |
| Movement | HYT in-house |
| Power Reserve | 72-80 hours |
| Complications | Retrograde fluid hours, minutes, seconds, power reserve, meca-fluidic technology |
| Price | $70,000 USD |