The Abyss has been Hysek's flagship series chronograph for ten years now. To celebrate, the firm has added four new models that combine gold and titanium, all featuring a sapphire bezel and a case with swivelling horns.
Hysek's mixed-type collection, in which the chronographs are the most emblematic models, has become a benchmark for new-generation luxury sports watches. With an imposing design featuring complications that are useful in everyday life, an edgy line, and a sturdy case, the Abyss is a watch for the twenty-first century. It came into being when the century was five years old, and has now been with us for a decade.
The Abyss has been a part of Hysek's history since 2005, with the collection mirroring the growth of the Swiss manufacture itself. Both have gone from strength to strength by staying true to the foundations of their original identity. Ever since, the Abyss has embodied the Hysek style, an enduring demonstration of the fact that a well-designed timepiece can constantly be reinvented, thus transcending fashions, continents, and even the passage of time.
To celebrate this trajectory, Hysek has added three new versions of the emblematic tri-compax chronograph to the Abyss collection, crowned by a fourth, numbered-edition model. They all use rose gold and titanium. The two materials – one noble and the other lightweight and technical – symbolize the twofold vocation of the Abyss as both a sports and a luxury watch.
To ensure the coherence and continuity of its collections, Hysek has based the new models on versions presented in 2014, the Abyss 44 mm Chronograph. They feature the same swivelling horns system developed by the manufacture, allowing the watch to fit naturally on the wrist, with no manual adjustment necessary. The four models also share the same rose gold for the horns and the side protections, at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock, for the crown protector.
Conversely, the variations in the finish focus on the sapphire bezel, available in anthracite, black or gold. The gold finish will have its own, specially designed anniversary plate, with "10th anniversary" engraved beneath the protection at 9 o'clock.
The dial will be available in either anthracite or black PVD. All versions will sport the same titanium case, except for one special variation: full black PVD treatment, adding a little more sense of power and making a particularly striking contrast with the rose gold.
All the models feature a Swiss Made automatic calibre, providing the timepiece with a 42-hour power reserve. The Abyss is designed for daily use, so a date window is located at 3 o'clock, on an expansive 44 mm dial graced by two broad hour/minute hands coated in Super-LumiNova.
Continuing the emphasis on detail and readability, each hand on the chronograph's seconds, 30-minute and hour counters benefits from the same luminous treatment. A broad, graduated flange boasts luminous five-minute markers, making it possible to tell the time immediately. The alternating polished and brushed areas of the dial finish result in an interplay of light that really brings the Abyss to life.
A single, secured crown is used for all timekeeping adjustments. For the wrist, Hysek offers three types of strap, covering all the various uses of the Abyss: leather; rubber with an additional H-shaped steel insert, emblazoned with the Hysek logo; or a combination of titanium and steel.