Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 - Ltd Ed 500pcs

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 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 Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 - Ltd Ed 500pcs

In the seventies, Yema went on to produce 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 2024, Yema continues the trend and introduce a new model under it's diving catalogue, Yema Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 – Limited to only 500 pieces.
 
Right off the bat, the 316L stainless steel case of the YEMA Skin Diver is heavily inspired from watches from the 1960s, integrating a robust design with distinctive elements. YEMA certainly knows all the right formulas to craft one enthusiast-driven vintage-looking mechanical masterpiece, with a case diameter of 39mm, a lug-to-lug distance of 47mm and an incredible thickness of 10mm, you can expect the watch to look incredibly sturdy yet thin on the wrist, exhibiting a sporty yet elegant appeal.

Ultra legible skin diver dial

The case is made to resemble YEMA's emblematic 1960s skin diver, exuding a vintage vibe and a distinct retro flair. The classic skin diver case is iconisized by the unguarded crown and incredible thinness. The brushed case compliments the vintage faded ghost appeal of the sapphire bezel. With a vintage-aged yellow pip for that slight touch.
 
Underneath the double domed sapphire crystal lies an ultra-legible skin diver dial. The dial base has a dark grey surface, reinforcing the old-school look, and contributing to accentuate the play of light of the polished steel raised markers and hands against the dark dial. Despite a complex layout, it still remains legible by showcasing triangular-shaped hour markers complete with Arabic numerals at cardinal positions; 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. The oversized applied markers extend into the center of the dial and are matched with a large, arrow-shaped minute hand, a long, pencil-shaped hour hand, and lollipop for the seconds. All the elements are generously filled with vintage-inspired, lime-coloured Super-LumiNova and outlined in polished steel, allowing for visibility under any lighting.

"Faded ghost” sapphire bezel

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 CMM.20, 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.

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. My 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. All of which is featured on an exhibition case back for full view, allowing for 300m of water resistance.

Micro-Rotor Caliber CMM.20

The Skin Diver comes paired with the classic Scales Slim bracelet made out of 316L stainless steel is a reissue of the iconic Yema Scales bracelet from the 1960s. It features a completely brushed finish for perfect harmony with the slim brushed case. The folding clasp adds style and comfort, and the "Yema" logo is embossed on the upper part. The bracelet clads an extension so that it can be easily and quickly adjusted over a diving suit.
 
Overall, the Yema Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 Limited Edition reveals an interesting take on a 60s-inspired timepiece with an attractive modern design recalling past references. YEMA has been producing some really outstanding watches from their iconic Superman to various stunning collaboration models, however this latest vintage sports watch release has impressed us once again, proving time and time again how amazing the French are at making such phenomenal timepieces.

Video is not available