HYT Changes the Perception of Moon Phase Displays

The third model by watchmaking phoenix HYT which rose from the ashes of bankruptcy was a big surprise for every fan of the brand.

That's because the first two releases — HYT Hastroid Green Nebula and Green Laser — were essentially versions of the same watch without added complications that used the brand's distinctive liquid-filled tubes to tell the time. According to HYT's new CEO Davide Cerrato, the watch unveiled by the company at Watches & Wonders can be seen as a barometer of the direction the company is moving in when it comes to style.

The Supernova Blue Moon Runner hasn't touched the capillary filled with liquid pumped by two bellows, which is blue in this watch, and the watch uses the same minutes hand. However, the central role is now played by another complication— the moon-phase display positioned right at the center of the dial.

Impressive central lunar spheres have already been seen on Arnold & Son's Luna Magna and Konstantin Chaykin's Lunokhod watch, but HYT's rendition of the Earth's satellite has a very refreshing appearance nevertheless. The Moon is made of royal blue and deep gray titanium hemispheres, and the current phase is shown by a circle looming over the dial which is supported by a V-shaped arm.

Another of HYT's innovations are the two black calendar disks encircling the Moon which are made of titanium. The date disk is nearer to the center while the outer ring shows the month. A bright marker beside the brand's logo at 6 o'clock is used to point to today's date. All of these indications are powered by the manually wound 601-MO movement which ensures 72 hours of power reserve.

It was developed by Eric Coudray who was behind the H5 movement which debuted in HYT's 2019 line. He's one of the most sought-after contemporary masters, who's worked on movements for pieces by MB&F, Purnell and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Coudray famously specializes in tourbillons, and not just ordinary tourbillons, but ones with multiple axes and highly complicated Gyrotourbillons.

The 601-MO movement is housed in a titanium case measuring 48 × 52.30 × 21.80 mm which is water resistant up to 50 meters. The novelty is limited to a 27-piece release.