Yema is a brand of duelling dive watches with the sporty Superman on one side and the more miliary flavoured Navygraf on the other. However, like any good soldier the Navygraf also keeps its dress uniform looking spic and span with the launch of a new, elegant and refined model, the Navygraf Pearl CMM.20. Available in standard and limited edition versions.
At the core of this release is the fact that Yema have swapped from the CMM.10 movement to the CMM.20. The primary difference being that the CMM.10 uses a skeletonised rotor while the CMM.20 uses a micro-rotor, which has the impact of allowing the CMM.20 to be much slimmer as the rotor is better integrated into the design rather than being a bulky add on. In turn, the effect of this is that the Navygraf Pearl has had its case size reduced from the 39mm x 11mm of the Marine Nationale model to 39mm x 9.75mm (neither thickness including the sapphire).
Alongside its more streamlined proportions, the dial and bezel have been given a facelift as well. They’re now made from mother-of-pearl, giving them an iridescent appearance that is different for every watch. The limited edition features a light turquoise colour whereas the standard version is more of a black or navy tone – though you really need to see them side by side to appreciate the difference.
The newly elegant dials have been paired with the collection’s signature lumed hour markers and hands so that it still functions as a dive watch. The 200m water resistance helping keep the watch protected during recreational dives. You also don’t need to worry about scratching the mother-of-pearl as both the dial and bezel are protected by sapphire crystal. So, it’s still a practical tool watch if you really feel the inclination, though it’s obviously more of a desk diver now (a watch that uses a dive watch aesthetic for the style rather than for use in water).
That brings us back to the CMM.20 movement housed inside, which is produced in Yema’s Morteau workshop in France, near the border with Switzerland. It packs a 70-hour power reserve, which is impressive from a relatively small independent manufacture. The limited edition Navygraf Pearl does feature a higher level of finishing with radial stripes vs the matte finish on the standard model.
As such, the 200 piece limited edition is priced at £2,076 while the standard is a touch more accessible (not by a huge margin) at £2,031. Both of which are unsurprisingly about £500 more than their non-micro-rotor and non-mother-of-pearl cousin. However, I do find a certain charming quality to them in their more elegant design.
Price and Specs:
More details at Yema.
