Wristmaster Slim CMM.20 Cream

We all are familiar with countless exceptional watches made by the Swiss and Japanese that are dominating the market. Nonetheless, the French also displayed excellence in the fine art of watchmaking with the creation of many beautifully decorated haute d'horlogerie pieces and complex movements. While YEMA may not be a name that the masses are entirely familiar with, it is a brand synonymous with the production of fine French-made timepieces and an incredibly rich heritage.
 
Created by Henry Louis Belmont, a graduate from the National Watchmaking School of Besancon, YEMA was founded in 1948 and has been producing fine quality watches since. Along with some household names in the field of watchmaking, YEMA has concentrated on producing mostly emblematic and mechanical timepieces, including sports divers for pilots, racing drivers and underwater divers. Its repertoire includes reviving the YEMA Superman, commonly touted as France's legendary dive watch.

Yema Wristmaster Slim CMM.20 Cream

In the seventies, Yema went on to produced some of the most recognisable chronographs in the world. Word has it that Yema chronographs are often spotted gracing the wrist of Mario Andretti, a highly decorated racing driver with the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the Formula One World Championship under his belt. He had even crossed the finishing line to claim the champion trophy at the Indy 500 race in 1969 with a Yema Rallye chronograph strapped on.
 
Also, Yema's aviation theme watches - the Flygraf chronographs are crafted in close collaboration with pilot watch enthusiasts and professional pilots to reach the greatest heights in the watch industry. And to cover all of the sports prospects, Yema recently crafted its luxurious steel sports watch segment with the limited edition Yema Wristmaster series. In 2025, Yema continued the trend and today introduces the latest streamlined version of Wristmaster, Yema Wristmaster Slim CMM.20.

Iconic 1970'S Superman Hands

Right off the bat, the 316L stainless steel case of the YEMA Wristmaster Slim immediately grabs attention with its asymmetrical octagonal shape, offering a striking contrast to the usual round designs. YEMA has certainly mastered the art of crafting enthusiast-driven, vintage-inspired mechanical masterpieces. With a case diameter of 39mm, a lug-to-lug distance of 43.5mm, and an ultra-slim profile of just 9mm thick, the watch sits elegantly on the wrist, blending sporty allure with refined sophistication. It's the perfect balance of style and precision, making a bold yet polished statement.
 
Taking a closer look at the case, details in its finishing are executed pleasingly with a continuous alternation between fine satin brushing and highly-polished chamfers, bringing a tasteful pop of refinement while preserving the marked sporting spirit. These beautiful finishes carry through towards the steel bezel, showcasing a unique design with top and bottom bevels inspired by a YEMA Sous-Marine quartz model from the 1980s, an old-school design that aged well even by modern day standards.

Octagon case with raised sapphire crystal

The polished and vertical brushed finishes cohesively extend down to the retrograde integrated stainless steel bracelet, featuring slim links that closely hug and conform to the wrist for utmost comfort with an attractive sporty look to complement the timepiece. For a seamless fit, the tapered integrated bracelet is secured with a YEMA-signed double folding butterfly clasp.
 
On the dial of the YEMA Wristmaster Slim, we find a unique irregular striped cream-tone design that features a texture giving it a 3D effect, almost as if it's been carved in. Inspired by natural patterns, this dial evokes the essence of sea waves, desert sand ripples, or wind-carved formations. Staying true to the watch's design theme, the dial is adorned with applied markers, with the numeral '12' at the 12 o'clock position replacing the usual rectangular markers, and faceted hands treated with Super-LumiNova BGW9 for a vivid glow in low light. A printed YEMA logo sits proudly at 12 o'clock, and the dial is crowned with a slightly raised, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, adding a resolute vintage touch.

Super-LumiNova BGW9

After 2 years of optimisation, Yema has finally debuted the new In-House micro-rotor Caliber CMM.20 which is featured on this watch. It features self-winding with ball bearings rotor while beating at a higher 28800 bph or 4 Hertz with a 70h power reserve. Thus, this timepiece provides an accuracy of -3/+ seconds per day. YEMA's In-house Caliber relies on a new movement, hand designed to provide better resistance to shocks and vibrations.
 
Not stopping there, the true ingenuity that allows for such a slim and high functioning watch is the state-of-the-art micro-rotor caliber that represents a significant evolution from the brand's previous reliance on Sellita/ETA movements or the YEMA2000 caliber. The movement, developed with input from the renowned Olivier Mory and Patrick Augerau, is a testament to French horological craftsmanship, with its components produced either by YEMA in Morteau, France, or by local suppliers within a 72km radius. This movement features a tungsten micro-rotor on ball bearings, achieving a thinner profile which contributes to the watch's overall slimmed-down case design without compromising its dive watch capabilities.

Exhibition case back

A micro-rotor has to be fine-tuned and carefully crafted taking it's shape and aerodynamics into consideration in order for it to capture kinetic energy to power the watch. By minimising the space taken, the rotor is allowed to be moved back, remove a whole entire layer of the movement which makes it possible for a watch to be this slim. It cannot be said enough the ingenuity and the technology powering this horology piece. YEMA thoughtfully protected the movement with a sapphire crystal case back to allow wearers to appreciate the artistic movement in their watch.
 
Overall, the YEMA Wristmaster Slim reveals a state of the art, modern take on the 70s-inspired timepiece with an attractive modern design recalling past references. YEMA has been producing some really new outstanding watches from their iconic Superman CMM2.0 to various stunning collaboration models, however this latest integrated sports watch release has impressed us once again, proving time and time again how amazing the French are at making such phenomenal timepieces.

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