CONICAL TOURBILLON PANDA

HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda
The HYT Conical Tourbillon Panda is a collaboration between HYT and Prix Gaïa winner and Tourbillon Maestro Eric Coudray, who took inspiration from German watchmaker Walter Prendel’s oblique tourbillon of 1928, which featured a spring-balance inclined at 30° to horizontal, in order to improve timekeeping stability and regularity. Revised and reinterpreted by Eric Coudray, the invention has been brought up to date for the modern age, and is showcased on the dial of HYT’s latest unveiling.

Located at the centre of the dial, the conical tourbillon is elevated, with its balance wheel set at 30 degrees, its escapement at 15 degrees and the anchor at 23 degrees as it completes its clockwise revolution over 30 seconds. Here, three white agate spheres rotate at differing speeds; the first completes four turns per minute; the second, five turns per minute, and the third six per minute, with the unconnected rapid rotations of the trio purposefully demonstrating the stability of the rate of the conical tourbillon. Notably each sphere measures only 2.5mm diameter, with each complemented by a tiny white counterweight, and the contrasting effect of the immaculate white spheres against the deep black components is stunning.

The watch carries a complex casing of titanium with a white ceramic coating, sized at 48mm, with a height of 25.15mm. While the central tourbillon dominates on the dial side, HYT have revealed a new aesthetic for this 8 piece edition, and the addition of a white agate chapter ring complemented by 3D black indices coated with pristine white luminescence give added drama to the façade. The minutes are via a black matte hand, and finally, the endlessly fascinating motion of the retrograde liquid time display is showcased with black liquid within an elevated capillary glass tube. On the underside, a sapphire caseback reveals the proprietary manual wound Calibre 701-TC movement where one can see the workings of the bellows which enable the immiscible liquids to be pushed through the fine glass capillary tube on the dial side. An outstanding example of contemporary Haute Horlogerie, the movement displays fine finishing, while black coated components give it a modernistic character. Complex in the extreme, it comprises of 533 components, and fully wound it has a power reserve of 40 hours.

Introducing a bold monochrome aesthetic to this collection, the Conical Tourbillon Panda watch by independent watchmaking company, HYT is boldly styled and exceptionally complex. Limited to only 8 pieces the watch showcases HYT’s instantly recognisable mechanical retrograde fluidic display, an innovative complication that has been deeply engrained within the company’s DNA for ten years, yet one that still has a compelling impact. For this exclusive edition, the mechanism is paired with an incredible conical tourbillon created by watchmaking Master Eric Coudray, featuring chaotic animation via white agate spheres with counterweights, with the elements promoting an astounding dial side display beneath the pronounced domed sapphire crystal. The model wears on a white rubber strap and ias presented in a 48mm titanium casing with a white ceramic coating, and is powered by the manual winding 701-TC movement with retrograde fluidic hours, central minutes and tourbillon with chaotic animation.

Limited edition of: 8 pieces
Case material: Titanium, white ceramic coating
Case back: Sapphire crystal
Movement: HYT Calibre 701-TC manual winding 21’600 vib/h (3Hz)
Case Dimension: ø48mm, h 25.15mm
Dial Colour: 3D appliqués with white luminous coating, black matte minutes hands
Functions: Retrograde fluidic hours, central minutes hand, conical tourbillon with chaotic animation
Strap description: White Rubber
Power reserve: 40 hours
Water resistant: 50m
Watch style: Haute horlogerie
Warranty: 2 years manufacturer warrantya