HYT Moon Runner Ghost and Desert
Inspired by lunar seas, these creations reinterpret the classic Moon Phase complication through a hyperwatch aesthetic, blending engineering and fluidic time with miniature painting. Share
HYT, the innovative Neuchâtel-based watchmaker, has once again broken the bounds of traditional watchmaking with the release of two new models: the Moon Runner Desert and the Moon Runner Grey Ghost. With these creations, HYT has given new meaning to the mystical connection between the Earth and the lunar world, reinterpreting the Moon Phase through a modern and hyperwatch aesthetic. These limited edition pieces, each capped at 15, manifest an intriguing fusion of engineering, fluidic time, and the delicate craftsmanship of miniature painting, transforming an age-old complication into a contemporary marvel.
The Moon Runner series draws inspiration from the lunar seas, expansive liquid expanses that early astronomers believed covered a third of the moon’s visible surface. While these seas have been scientifically revealed to be rocky plains of basalt, they still capture the imagination and have given rise to names like the Sea of Tranquility, where the first astronauts landed in 1969. HYT has distilled these lunar wonders into two contrasting editions, the Ghost and Desert, bringing new perspectives on the classic Moon Phase.
For the Desert edition, HYT’s artists have worked meticulously under UV lamps to capture the granular structure of lunar seas in a sandblasted effect. The model is set in a black DLC-treated titanium case, within which the moon phase appears as an artistic hand-painted masterpiece. The half-sphere, measuring 11.90 mm in diameter, presents beige pigments to achieve a striking resemblance to the moon’s surface, requiring painstaking patience, dexterity, and precision.
The Ghost edition presents a sleeker, more minimalist aesthetic. Nestled in a carbon fiber and titanium case, the hand-painted surface of the moon reflects a different face and perspective of the twilight. The Grey Ghost provides a more ethereal, modern, and reflective interpretation of the lunar seas, capturing the orb’s poetry in miniature form.
Beyond the aesthetic wonder, both Moon Runner models showcase HYT’s hallmark meca-fluidic mechanism for rendering the retrograde hours, as well as two titanium indicator discs for the days and months. The minute hand, with only its triangular tip visible, glows in white Super-LumiNova, ensuring legibility, while the month and day indicator discs are enhanced with Super-LumiNova as well.
A delicate miniature painting is performed by a master craftsman from MD’Art, the experts in the field. Using UV lamps, the artist paints the half-sphere to faithfully represent what the human eye would observe during a solar eclipse or twilight, creating two different patinas for each model. The anti-reflective coating on the domed crystal glass adds to the watches’ visual appeal, allowing a clear view of the exquisitely painted moon and intricate details.
The Moon Runner Desert and Grey Ghost are not merely timepieces; they are sculptures of time that juxtapose the ruggedness of the lunar surface with the finesse of hand painting. The bold contrast between fluidic time engineering and delicate artistry sets them apart in the world of watchmaking.
These creations are the epitome of HYT’s ethos, merging creativity, innovation, and mastery to redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in watchmaking. Whether capturing the mysterious glow of the moon or the textured shades of lunar seas, HYT’s Moon Runner models illuminate the wearer’s wrist with a slice of celestial elegance, merging space and time in a way that transcends the conventional and the expected.
