As a staunch supporter of French watchmaking and a brand with history, Yema constantly updates its collections, enriching them with watch content and design to delight vintage enthusiasts.
This combination of modern watchmaking and historical style formed the basis of the recently introduced Superman Slim CMM.20 - an iconic model equipped with an in-house micro-rotor caliber developed and assembled in France. Now it is the turn of Navygraf, another Yema diver's watch, which has been updated and refined with this beautiful mechanism. Meet the new diver's model Navygraf Slim CMM.20.
Most watch lovers should be familiar with Yema and its most iconic model, the Superman - possibly the most famous French watch... First released in 1963, the Superman was a so-called 300-meter Skin-Diver with one feature - a bezel-locking system to prevent errors and unintended manipulations of the 60-minute scale during a dive. To meet the needs of a growing community of amateur divers, Yema released the Navygraf in the early 1970s. It was a somewhat simplified model, with a 200m water resistance and no bezel-locking system, but with the brand's characteristic design. They were mainly recognizable by the "exclamation mark" markers and a Bakelite insert on the bezel.
Earlier this year, Yema released the Superman Slim CMM.20 - a modernized and refined version of its emblematic diver's watch, equipped with an in-house micro-rotor movement. Following the same strategy of blending modern watchmaking with retro-style design - a recipe that has proven very effective for Yema and many other brands - the French company now updates its other diver's watch, the Navygraf. Thinner, more refined, equipped with the CMM.20 caliber, and maintaining an affordable price, they may appeal to those who dislike the bezel-locking system (I know such people...).
As in the past, the Navygraf Slim is a less rigid vision of a water watch. More casual, more everyday... However, for the new edition, Yema has redesigned the case, making it robust and ensuring a 300m water resistance. With a fairly compact diameter of 39mm and an equally reasonable thickness of 9.5mm without glass (with it - about 11mm), the watch sits well on the wrist, and the visually elongated lugs are not so noticeable. At 46mm in length, the Navygraf Slim is short. More angular than the Superman Slim, the lugs and pointed crown add a polished bevel on the side for sophistication.
One of the main differences from the Superman is the classic unidirectional bezel of the Yema Navygraf without a locking mechanism. The insert, made of sapphire glass with a black coating, also features a simplified scale, only with markers (no numbers) and a luminous triangle indicating zero. The double-domed sapphire glass, 2mm thick, a screw-down case back, and a screw-down crown guarantee comfortable water resistance at 30 bar, despite the reduced profile (previous Navygraf models were about 2mm thicker). The overall finish of the case is sturdy and pleasant to the touch.
Moving to the dial, we see the same inspiration but with a more modern, less rigid vision of a diver's watch than the Superman. The glossy lacquered black dial is decorated with applied polished steel markers, including stylized hands at each quarter. All elements, including the faceted and polished hands, are coated with Super-LumiNova luminescent compound, with a yellow tint present on the second hand and Navygraf logo. And although these are not the most effective watches for avoiding reflections, the combination of the dazzling black gloss of the dial and bezel, enhanced by the two convex sides of the double-domed sapphire glass, and the relief markers adds a certain elegance.
Setting aside design questions, the most important element of these Navygraf Slim is their movement. Striving to become increasingly independent, Yema has created several movements, including this remarkable micro-rotor caliber CMM.20. First introduced in the context of the Wristmaster, it was conceived in Morteau (France) with the participation of Olivier Mory. All components are either produced in-house by Yema in Morteau (bridges and main plates) or by Swiss and French suppliers within a 72 km radius of Morteau, and then assembled at Yema. Unusual for a sports watch, the tungsten micro-rotor, mounted on ball bearings, winds the watch. It beats at a frequency of 4 Hz and boasts a comfortable power reserve of 70 hours. The sapphire case back reveals a neatly executed mechanism with matte surfaces and dark-coated bridges. The accuracy of the movement is -3/+7 seconds per day.
The Yema Navygraf Slim CMM.20 on a 19mm grained calf leather strap is released as a limited edition of 200 pieces and is already available for order (delivery - August 2024). The price is €1,990 or $1,990, which is quite fair given the overall content. More information can be found at yema.com.