The HYT Hastroid Cosmic Hunter combines avant-garde tech with materials of old
Borna BošnjakThe HYT brand is experiencing an encouraging renaissance. It came back with a big bang with the help of Kairos Technology and a certain Davide Cerrato at the helm. For reference, Davide is just the guy who launched the initial Tudor Black Bay in 2012 and oversaw Montblanc’s purchase of Minerva. Good CV, then. The two pieces HYT looked to mount their comeback were the moonphase-equipped Moon Runner, and the Hastroid that looked to honour the six models of HYT’s past. It’s this model that serves as the base for today’s novelty – the HYT Hastroid Cosmic Hunter. Its bronze-on-black colourway evokes watchmaking vibes of yesteryear, hewn of distinctly modern materials crafted into an equally contemporary design.
How do you tell the time on this thing?
Let’s address the bronze-and-black elephant in the room. If you’re not familiar with HYT and their time displays, let me bring you up to speed. The brand is famous for using coloured liquid suspended in borosilicate capillaries, pressurised by two bellow reservoirs sitting either side of 6 o’clock. This liquid corresponds to the outermost set of cantilevered Arabic numerals, indicating the hours by matching up the level of the liquid with the closest number. In the image above, the black and yellow liquid barrier can be seen at 2 o’clock. At the top of the fifth hour, the liquid jumps back in a retrograde action, indicating 7 o’clock. The hour numerals are also clad in Lumicast, a three-dimensional application of SuperLuminova, offering excellent depth and glowing like a torch.
The task of minute indication is left to a more traditional central hand, in this case skeletonised and tipped with white, reaching to an inner minute track marked with white Arabics. The remainder of the dial is skeletonised, with transparent discs indicating running seconds and power reserve. Branding is printed atop the box-domed sapphire crystal which gives the watch a unique look, almost reminding me of an astronaut’s helmet.
Space-age bronze
As you may have expected, the Hastroid Cosmic Hunter is a chonky boi, measuring in at 48mm across and 52.30mm lug-to-lug, while the thickness is a substantial 17.2mm. Having said that, this is one of those rare watches that justifies this size. It’s in the same space as the likes of MB&F – it’s big, but you wouldn’t want it any other way.
The construction of the case itself is a complex one. Sixty-four different components come together to make up its imposing stature, with openworked lugs, scalloped flanks and angular protrusions. The bronze-coloured portions are actually PVD-coated titanium, treated with a surface-stabilising agent to ensure no patina or discolouration. Other portions of the case are either black-coated titanium or carbon, making for a fairly lightweight experience on-wrist, one that I was surprised by when I had the chance to try on the Green Nebula colourway of this watch.
Unlike any other
The manually wound calibre 501 CM, initially developed for the H5, was conceived with the help of PURTEC and two talented watchmakers. Paul Clémenti (L’Epée, Parmigiani Fleurier, Bovet) and none other than Eric Coudray, father of the JLC Gyrotourbillon, MB&F Thunderdome and Louis Moinet Ultravox. As you may expect from such an avant-garde calibre, the decoration is contemporary too, with black bead-blasted bridges dominating the uneven landscape of the openworked movement, highlighted by mirror-polished screw heads and fluid-driving elements. Spec-wise, the movement offers a three-day power reserve, beating at 4 Hz.
HYT Hastroid Cosmic Hunter pricing and availability:
The HYT Hastroid Cosmic Hunter is a limited edition of 27 pieces, and is available now. Price: CHF 70,000
| Brand | HYT |
| Model | Hastroid Cosmic Hunter |
| Case Dimensions | 48mm x 52.30mm x 17.20mm |
| Case Material | Bronze-coated titanium and carbon case |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Box-domed sapphire crystal with AR coating |
| Dial | Black-coated brass and transparent plate, borosilicate tubes |
| Strap | Black rubber with green embossing and stitching, black-coated titanium buckle |
| Movement | 501-CM by Eric Coudray, Paul Clémenti and PURTEC, manual winding, 72-hour power reserve |
| Price | CHF 70,000 |