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. Founded in 1948 by French watchmaker Henry Louis Belmont, YEMA has demonstrated remarkable mastery in watchmaking with the creative integration of innovative designs to their ever-dependable tool watches. Yema Pearldiver - Rubber The fans have been heard; YEMA produced their first ever model designed by fans via their collaborative platform YEMA CoLabs. With a love for vintage dive watches, project creator Marin Renevel created an all-new redesigned model based on one of YEMA’s heritage divers from the 1970s - The Navygraf II. Named after snorkelers who carry out pearl farming underwater, the YEMA Pearl Diver is a release that combines a timeless vintage design with a minimalist aesthetic that simply looks mesmerizing. YEMA introduced a remarkable French-made diver that absolutely captures all the right vintage elements for a captivating modern reinterpretation. Encased in a sweet 38mm stainless steel case with a thickness of 14mm and a lug to lug distance of 46mm, the YEMA Pearl Diver - Rubber presents a retro size reminiscent of many dive watches back in the day. The compact form factor exudes an understated confidence, fitting comfortably on most wrists. In line with the tool watch nature of the piece, well-defined satin brushing is seen throughout the case for a rugged appearance. Yema2000 In-house Caliber The YEMA Pearl Diver - Rubber houses a jet black aluminium unidirectional diving bezel. Bezel operation is an enjoyable experience as a result of substantial grooves for a confident grip, rotating with a satisfying smoothness. Above all, the aluminium bezel insert exhibits a charming neo-vintage vibe that complements the overall look. In the dark, the bezel comes alive with C3 Swiss Superluminova treatment on the triangle marker on the 12 o’clock position, as well as the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock position, glowing a bright green hue. The dial is where the YEMA Pearl Diver - Rubber showcases its true beauty. On the deep matte black dial, the hands and hour markers are treated with cream hue C3 Swiss Superluminova lume that achieves a pleasing look of aged radium used on divers from the past. Additionally, a black PVD treatment is applied to the hour and arrow-shaped minute hands to contrast wonderfully with the white lollipop sweeping seconds hand. Without numerals on the dial and the bezel, the watch flaunts perfect vertical symmetry, a unique design trait seldom seen in dive watches. On top of that, the dial is protected by a 3.5mm thick piece of hesalite superdome crystal, embracing a true vintage appearance as the crystal provides exciting distortions in different angles. 3.5mm double domed Hesalite crystal As a capable diver with a water resistance rating of 660 ft (200m), diving prowess is uncompromised as a result of its screw-down crown and screw-in case back which are proudly signed with YEMA’s historic rest. The oversized ‘big crown’, which bears no crown guards, is a tribute to the design of classic 1950s dive watches. This incredible dive tool watch is supplied with a 20mm 1960s vintage style tropic rubber strap set for your underwater diving adventures. The YEMA Pearl Diver - Rubber is powered by the second-generation in-house Caliber YEMA2000 automatic movement, a stepped-up variation of the MBP1000 Caliber. This magnificent movement yields slightly enhanced precision and durability with optimized components, giving the movement a healthy power reserve of approximately 42 hours. This 29 jewel movement beats at a rate of 28,800 beats per hour with thorough accuracy checks by YEMA watchmakers. On top of that, movement is gorgeously decorated with stripes and stunning perlage finishing that reflects on their fine craft in producing an in-house movement. Super-LumiNova offers perfect readability in low light conditions Vintage-inspired watches have gained a huge following in recent years, the YEMA Pearl Diver - Rubber is a solid offering that illustrates a cohesive design harking back on YEMA’s deep heritage. With skilful French watchmaking and impressive diving capabilities, this is definitely a piece that vintage dive watch lovers would enjoy.
