Moisture is the essence of wetness and nobody knows that better than HYT. This watchmaker has long used odd fluids and weird pumps to create unique works of horology and their latest, the H 2 O, is no different. The watch, which will probably end up costing more than your car, is limited to 25 pieces in multiple colors.

From the release:

The visible H20 timing concept is rooted in the continuous movement of a colored and a transparent fluid in a capillary. Like a flourishing river, time never stands still. This technology reflects that core philosophy. A cloche-like sapphire crystal offers an intriguing lateral view of time’s progress. It takes the memory to the pristine equipment of a science laboratory and the imagination to the protective display of a precious item, in this case time. Viewed from the side, the digits, markers and directive arrows appear to be floating. Yet their anchor is pure precision.

There are two limited editions of the H20, each comprising 25 numbered pieces. One is clothed in black and harbors a bright green fluid; the other has a silver-colored case and deep blue liquid. Their universal design language is transparency, accenting aesthetics and technical detail simultaneously. The angled positioning of the two bellows that propel time forward in the patented HYT micro-fluidic module is the gateway to an overall appearance with a distinctive 3D character. A jumping minute hand, crown position indicator and thermal indicator are further elements of this live performance in a meticulously constructed theater of time. The H20 traces and embraces the essence of flow.

The entire package is pretty overwrought – “One is clothed in black and harbors a bright green fluid” – but it’s a fun little piece and HYT is one of the few watchmakers actually doing something interesting with the art. If they weren’t all so wildly expensive – $61,000+ for some of their earlier models – I’d be wearing one right now.

ByJohn Biggs

John lives in Brooklyn and has loved watches since he got his first Swatch Irony automatic in 1998. He is the editor of WristWatchReview.

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