The Two Redesigned HTD Hesagraph Models

HTD is a type of watch corporations that, occasionally, will pop up on individuals’s radars. The Italian model has proven an awesome eye for design over the 5 years it has been round. Nonetheless, with the 2 new Hesagraph 2025 fashions, HTD exhibits how far the watches have come. These two variations of the model’s in style chronograph have been redesigned to have fun the model’s fifth anniversary. It’s time to seek out out extra in regards to the HTD Hesagraph Cannoli and Hesagraph Variante B and uncover what makes them so good. I can already reveal that I fell in love with one among them.

My first expertise with HTD was 4 years in the past after we had the model’s Safarigraph within the workplace for evaluate. The watch instantly stood out due to its dial’s unbelievable appeal. Lex defined that the Safarigraph’s dial used shades of brown and beige with a touch of orange in vivid gentle, which he characterised as an awesome show of Italian sprezzatura. As he mentioned, “Casually swinging a brown-dialed watch on the wrist matches proper into that idea, particularly because it seems to be classic. And let’s face it: it’s based mostly on seems to be that you simply determine to purchase the Safarigraph.” The watch had a appeal and nonchalance that Lex and I adored, and that’s why it nonetheless comes up in dialog typically.

The story of the brand new HTD Hesagraph fashions

It’s a fond reminiscence that has led me to observe the model’s progress ever since. In all honesty, to say the Safarigraph was impressively properly made could be an overstatement. The watch’s retro appeal was not restricted to its seems to be. It additionally had a vintage-like construct that you simply wouldn’t anticipate from fashionable watches.

Let’s say that you would need to respect the construct high quality of classic Rolex watches to benefit from the appeal of the Safarigraph. Whereas I like that, I predominantly see it as a trait of classic relatively than fashionable watches. So you’ll perceive that I used to be curious to study extra in regards to the new HTD Hesagraph fashions that commemorate 5 years of the model’s existence.

The primary mannequin is the redesigned Hesagraph Cannoli. The unique model of this mannequin was a part of the model’s first drop in 2020. The second mannequin is the Hesagraph Variante B and was designed from scratch. It makes for an attention-grabbing duo of barely completely different HTD chronographs.

The Cannoli is a two-register chronograph with an off-white dial, black counters, and pink particulars. The Variante B has a darkish brown dial with three white subdials and small pink particulars. Each have a definite retro appeal that visually hyperlinks them to the nice Rolex chronographs of the Nineteen Sixties. Due to its dial configuration, the Hesagraph Cannoli brings to thoughts the Paul Newman Daytona. The Hesagraph Variante B jogs my memory extra of the ref. 6238, one among my all-time favourite Rolex watches.

The main points of the HTD Hesagraph fashions

Regardless of the retro-inspired dials, the redesigned case has a recent really feel, guaranteeing that the watches don’t fully really feel like retro reissues. An enormous a part of that’s as a result of flat bezel, which supplies it extra modern-day relevance.

Let’s go over some fundamental specs first. Each watches function the identical case, which is 39mm in diameter, 12.4mm thick, and 48mm from lug to lug. Fortunately, I discovered that comparatively lengthy lugs curved properly sufficient to observe the contours of my 18.5cm (7.3″) wrist.

The case encompasses a absolutely polished end, so the watches leap out at you as soon as the sunshine hits them appropriately. On the precise aspect of the case, you’ll find the 2 pump-style pushers and a fluted crown. They’re in excellent proportion to the case, making the general composition good and nearly acquainted.

Each watches come on a three-row Oyster-style bracelet with a fold-over clasp and a push-button launch. That’s additionally the place we get a primary style of the massive steps that HTD made by way of high quality. The absolutely brushed bracelet feels very properly made. It nonetheless has a little bit of retro appeal in among the sounds it makes, however general, it feels stable. It promised good issues when sporting the watch.

The HTD Hesagraph Cannoli

Earlier than we get into that, let’s shortly zoom in on the variations between the 2 fashions. The primary is the Cannoli, which has an off-white dial and two black counters. The registers function white numerals and markings (plus three pink ones) that make them simple to learn. The dial is graced by utilized hour markers that nearly appear to be floating.

That could be a little bit of visible trickery, although. The reason being that the black outer ring holding the pink minute monitor is considerably faraway from the markers. Nonetheless, a small spherical dot sits subsequent to each marker, guaranteeing there’s additionally a visible hour reference the place the sub-dials are situated at 3 and 9 o’clock.

The elegant hour and minute arms are crammed with lume, identical to the utilized markers, and the central chronograph seconds hand can also be executed in silver. The textual content on the decrease half of the dial consists of three traces.

The primary line mentions the mannequin identify in black. Then, the second line says “carica manuale” in pink, which is Italian for “handbook winding.” Lastly, the third line says “anti urto” in black, which implies “anti-shock” in Italian. As talked about, the mixture of colours instantly places the watch into the realm of the Paul Newman Daytona, regardless of the case design not resembling a Rolex Daytona in any respect.

The HTD Hesagraph Variante B

The second mannequin is the Hesagraph Variante B with a darkish brown dial and a light-weight sunburst sample. It’s an attractive dial that solely absolutely reveals the brown colour in vivid gentle. In most gentle circumstances, it performs together with your notion, typically wanting black and different instances showing deep, darkish brown. As you may know, I’ve a factor for brown dials, so I like this new dial variant. The way in which it performs with the eyes makes it even higher.

The three barely recessed white sub-dials distinction with the brown colour and black printing. The 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock has little pink markers for five, 15, and 25 minutes that boost the dial completely. Situated on the dial’s periphery is the white minute monitor with small luminous dots accompanied by the bigger utilized hour markers.

I want the Variante B over the Cannoli for a number of causes. First, I visually want a three-register chronograph over one with two sub-dials. Second, the dial of the Variante B seems to be extra balanced as a result of the hour markers don’t appear to drift. Lastly, you understand I like brown dials by now, which made selecting this variant even simpler.

The manual-winding Sellita SW510 M chronograph caliber

Each watches are powered by variants of the Sellita SW510 M however with completely different layouts. The manual-winding chronograph caliber operates at 28,800vph, has 23 jewels, and presents 63 hours of energy reserve. HTD selected the Elaboré grade of the motion, which was examined in three positions and controlled to a mean accuracy of ±5 seconds per day.

The SW510 is a generally used chronograph caliber by microbrands and has confirmed dependable. I like that HTD selected the Elaboré grade because it presents nice each day accuracy. Moreover, the chronograph begins, stops, and resets with agency, outlined clicks. I’ve mentioned this earlier than, however I don’t prefer it when the reset button doesn’t have an outlined click on. Fortunately, the caliber powering the HTD Hesagraphs feels tremendous stable and durable.

Sporting the brand new Hesagraphs

This brings me to sporting the watches. These two new Hesagraph fashions completely impressed me on the wrist. I do know it’s simple to fall in love with a watch’s seems to be, however that love must proceed as soon as on the wrist, particularly realizing that the Safarigraph needed to sway me based mostly on classic appeal.

However as quickly as I put the Variante B on my wrist, I used to be impressed by how stable it felt. The case sits comfortably on my 18.5cm wrist and, as talked about, curves properly round it. Whereas the 48mm lug-to-lug won’t essentially match a small wrist, most individuals within the Fratello workplace liked the scale of the brand new case.

With that solid-feeling case, you instantly know that HTD has improved the standard of its timepieces over these final 5 years. You can even really feel that with the bracelet and the clasp. Whereas it isn’t the most effective inexpensive Oyster-style bracelet — that honor goes to Christopher Ward’s Bader bracelet — it does really feel stable and properly made. What made me smile is that the bracelets nonetheless have just a little rattle typically as proof of not fully shedding their classic appeal. In all honesty, although, these bracelets are higher than many related bracelets that small manufacturers use these days.

Closing ideas on the 2 new HTD Hesagraph fashions

As you’ll perceive, I used to be impressed by these redesigned HTD Hesagraph fashions. They’re excellent proof of the massive steps that HTD has made to enhance the standard of its watches. In doing so, the model has not solely impressed me in comparison with its earlier efforts however has additionally surpassed lots of its rivals. I might go so far as saying that it’s arduous to seek out better-made chronographs than the Hesagraph Cannoli and Hesagraph Variante B at their value of €1,875.

The largest rivals are the Baltic Scalegraph (previously referred to as the Tricompax), the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster, and Farer’s Chrono-Sport fashions, such because the sensible Moritz Inexperienced. However I can say that the brand new HTD Hesagraphs can actually maintain their very own in opposition to watches like these. The brand new Hesagraph fashions have this particular appeal that makes them a winner for me. Let’s name it the magic of Italian sprezzatura, as Lex labeled it. Specifically, the brown-dialed Variante B fully swept me off my toes with its sensible type.

Simply once I determined I didn’t want any extra watches so as to add to my assortment earlier than promoting some, the HTD Hesagraph Variante B crossed my path. I had seen it within the pictures on the model’s web site and knew it was dangerously up my alley. Because it seems, it’s even higher than I anticipated. My hands-on time with it turned a lingering need into a powerful affection for the brand new HTD Hesagraph Variante B.

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