Yema, the enigmatic watch brand, presents a unique identity. Founded in 1948 by the French watchmaker Henry Louis Belmont, it has consistently crafted exquisite timepieces infused with a distinctive French flair. Yet, it distinguishes itself by its limited production, crafting watches in small numbers. Regardless of whether you label it an independent or microbrand, the latest offering from Yema is bound to captivate your attention. This exceptional timepiece boasts one of horology’s most coveted and desired complications—the tourbillon. Join us as we delve into Yema’s latest creation, the Yachtingraf Tourbillon Mareographe 75th Anniversary.
Yema is set to introduce two distinct variations of its upcoming timepiece. The first version will be crafted from stainless steel, while the second will showcase an exquisite bronze construction. Each of these editions will be strictly limited to a production run of 75 numbered units. Both versions will showcase a 42.5mm case with a captivating combination of design elements, including alternating finishes that incorporate vertical brushing, polished bevels, and a finely detailed circular brushed bezel.
The unidirectional rotating bezel is meticulously fashioned from scratch-resistant sapphire with a subtle dome shape, necessitating a painstaking manufacturing procedure. This bezel is then adorned with an insert featuring a minimalist 0-60 scale and a luminescent marker positioned at the 12 o’clock position.
The dial draws inspiration from the design elements of YEMA’s iconic 1970s Yachtingraf model. It boasts a sunray black finish adorned with applied markers coated in Super-LumiNova, as well as a vibrant Maréographe sub-dial reminiscent of the vintage Yachtingraf’s regatta style. The dial is further enhanced with a tide indicator represented by a small hand adorned with the YEMA logo.
In the YEMA Yachtingraf Tourbillon Mareographe 75th Anniversary timepiece, this hand tracks high and low tides, completing half-revolutions every 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 7.89 seconds to signify the shift from high tide to low tide and vice versa. Additionally, it completes a full revolution every 12 hours, 25 minutes, and 15.79 seconds.
Positioned at the 6 o’clock position, the 60-second tourbillon creates a mesmerizing kinetic display within the partially open dial, captivating the wearer with its oscillations and rotations.
Inside the watch, behind a clear caseback, we find Yema’s CMM.30 – a hand wound tourbillon caliber, offering 105 hours of power reserve when fully wound.
Featuring non-magnetic components like a Swiss-made non-metallic alloy hairspring, a Glucydur balance wheel with an adjustment mass crafted in gold, and micro-components fabricated with LiGA technology materials, the CMM.30 exhibits remarkable resistance to electromagnetic fields, handling exposures of up to 2,000 Gauss—a remarkable achievement for a tourbillon movement.
The structural design of the tourbillon cage bridge, coupled with its free-sprung balance wheel and shock absorbers, renders the CMM.30 impervious to shocks, vibrations, and accelerations of up to 5,000 Gs in all directions. This tourbillon movement is purpose-built for everyday use.
Each and every part of the Yachtingraf Tourbillon Mareographe 75th Anniversary, including the watch case, dial, and hands, is manufactured within a 72-kilometer radius of Morteau, the home of Yema, extending across both France and Switzerland. The calibre bridges and mainplates are meticulously crafted within YEMA’s Morteau facilities, serving as the hub for the final assembly of all components as well.
As mentioned above, Yema will be offering this watch in two versions, both of them will be paired with a premium quality FKM Viton rubber strap. Both versions, the stainless steel, reference 37.33.66.SN.U6 and the bronze version, reference 37.33.66.ZN.U6, will be priced at 9,990 euro.
To Sum It Up
It’s no secret that Yema produces exceptional timepieces. Among the watches we’re eagerly anticipating is the Traveler Micro-Rotor Limited Edition, a sports watch with an integrated bracelet that’s already sold out. To this list, we can now add the company’s latest release, the Yachtinggraf Tourbillon Mareographe 75th Anniversary. This watch presents the tourbillon complication in a sporty-elegant design, boasting an incredibly attractive price point, especially for a European tourbillon timepiece.
While we ponder whether Yema should be classified as a microbrand or an independent manufacturer, we hope the company doesn’t hold back on creating more such outstanding watches.
