Liquid under the dial of a watch ? A crazy idea ! It would be unthinkable to show the inexorable progress of time with liquid. Yet the unthinkable has happened. Hydromechanics, in which a fluid is controlled by a mechanical watch movement, is writing a new chapter in the saga of exceptional timepieces.

Traditional enemies, liquid and the watch movement, now find themselves enclosed in the same display case in the colours of light. Although the Hydro Mechanical Horologists have overthrown centuries of tradition, we are nonetheless fervent upholders of the ideals of fine watchmaking. We might well employ hydraulic pistons, but they are driven by a purpose-built mechanical movement. Initially taken unawares, the watch blogosphere made no mistake in amplifying the impact of this new technology beyond the oceans.

The buzz spread at the speed of light, blasting though barriers of certainty. These dozen revealing pages outline an extraordinary adventure, telling how the careers of a few enthusiasts led them finally to create a world first.