In 2012, HYT made a splash in the watch industry with the H1. The H1 was striking, innovative, and unlike anything before it. This was quickly followed by the H2 in 2013. The H2, sleek yet ingenious, modernized the age-old bellows technology. HYT has not only survived challenging times for the luxury watch industry but has also experienced growth and expansion, now entering the Australian market.
This watch is a follow-up to the Iceberg 1, released in 2014, but with a richer blue. Designed to capture the blue of the ocean and the white of the clouds, it is limited to 50 pieces.
This watch features a 48.8mm titanium case with a thickness of 17.9mm. The longer I wear it, the more I appreciate it. The case combines brushed, satin-finished, and shot-blasted finishes. Despite its large size, the titanium makes it feel lightweight. For those unfamiliar with HYT cases, it's also smaller than 48.8mm, perhaps closer to some 46mm watches. Regardless, I didn't notice its size when I wore it.
Besides the retrograde blue fluid hour markers, the most striking feature of the Iceberg 2 is its blue Grand Feu enamel minute dial. This nod to traditional watchmaking craftsmanship seems at odds with the high-tech nature of the rest of the watch, but it actually works effectively, largely thanks to the bold blue color. The hour markers and minute hands are coated with luminescent material.
Similar to the H1 Iceberg 1, the Iceberg 2 features a small seconds wheel at 9 o'clock and a 65-hour power reserve indicator between 2 and 3 o'clock. It also features a blue screw-down rubber crown.
Powered by the watch is the manually wound HYT Calibre 101, visible through the caseback, which beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The bridges are hand-chamfered and decorated with Côtes de Genève patterns, while the caseback, with its famous waves, is rhodium-plated.
Naturally, for a watch of this appearance, it's presented on a white rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp, though a white calfskin strap is also available upon request. For everyday wear, most people will likely opt for the rubber strap, but for nighttime wear, a calfskin strap would also be a nice touch.
I know this is a large watch typically worn by men, but in my time with the HYT, I've seen it on various women, and given its lightweight design, I can safely say it's a watch that can be worn on both male and female wrists.