New: Yema Yachtingraph Tourbillon Mareographe

Yema celebrates their 75th Anniversary with a new in-house tourbillon set at the very attractive price of USD 9,999.

Press release information with commentary in italics.

New: Yema Yachtingraph Tourbillon Mareographe

The retail price for the Yema Yachtingraph Tourbillon Mareographe is USD 9,999. Both steel and bronze cased versions have the same price. Pre-orders are available on the Yema website now for delivery end January 2024.

Commentary

We have been following Yema for a while. And have had a growing impression of the “little” French brand. Their Traveller micro-rotor which was introduced in end of 2022 was the first stamp of technical virtuosity in the modern history of the brand. We covered some of the design and manufacture savoir faire in our commentary on the release of the Urban Traveller. They followed up this year with a new calibre – the Calibre Manufacture Morteau 30 CMM.30 with tourbillon and mareographe. Though the split of in-house vs outsourced is not revealed in this novelty movement, we assume that it will be like the Caliber Manufacture Morteau 20 which is 80/20 in-house/outsourced. The Yema documentation states the origins of the calibre, see the section within the Press Release below entitled “ORIGINS”.

Two references are released, one in a steel case, and the other in a bronze case. Both have the same retail price and are identical except for case material. Both have a water resistance rating of 100m, not quite for diving, but as the name implies, it is designed for Yachting. The tide indicator is also a nod to this intended use case. The juxtaposition of a tourbillon in a sporty watch is sometimes counter indicative, but we love this “iron fist in velvet glove” genre of watches.

What is interesting of this new calibre is that it boasts of some rather impressive technical features. Of course, the most prominent is the one minute tourbillon with a free-sprung balance wheel, but also the watch keeps track of tidal cycles (the Mareographe). It also has a 105 hour power reserve and good magnetic resistance of 2,000 Gauss. The escapement uses a high tech manufactured LiGa anchor and escapement wheel.

And also as impressive is the target retail price of just shy of USD 10k. Giving other Swiss made tourbillons like Horage and Ba111od a run for the money. We have requested for a review loaner but Yema has told us that they do not have samples to spare. This is a pity, especially as the images sent by Yema look like they are computer renders rather than actual photographs of the real watches. The images look absolutely beautiful.

Release information

YACHTINGRAF TOURBILLON MAREOGRAPHE 75TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION

Entirely designed and manufactured in Morteau and the Franco- Swiss Jura valley around our workshops, this collector’s timepiece with high-end finishes available in steel and bronze editions and limited to 75 numbered copies each, marks the 75th anniversary of YEMA and its gradual transition towards a vertically integrated watchmaking Manufacture.

This masterpiece is powered by an exceptional hand-wound tourbillon caliber designed by Olivier Mory, a renowned French Watchmaker Developer based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, which offers unprecedented performance and complications.

MARÉOGRAPHE COMPLICATION

The Maréographe consists of a tide complication placed in an elegant register. To make this magnificent phenomenon of nature visible, an elegant small hand indicates high and low tides by making gradual half- revolutions every 6h 12m 7.89s (change from high tide to low tide and vice versa) and a full revolution every 12h 25m 15.79s.

A DYNAMIC REGIONAL WATCHMAKING ECOSYSTEM

YEMA workshops are based in Morteau, the cradle of French watchmaking, a few steps from the Swiss watchmaking region. This cross-border watchmaking community concentrated along the Jura mountains has gradually transformed into a true regional ecosystem recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO in 2020.

All tourbillon movement components, including the watch case, dial, and hands, are manufactured in France and Switzerland within a range of 72km from Morteau by recognized craftsman in fine watchmaking.

The caliber bridges and mainplates are manufactured in YEMA’s workshops in Morteau where final assembly of all components takes place.

ORIGINS

Movement: SWITZERLAND

Movement components: FRANCE + SWITZERLAND

Case, Dial, Hands: SWITZERLAND

Assemblies: FRANCE

TOOL WATCH REVOLUTION: LUXURY MEETS FUNCTIONALITY

“ The Yachtingraf Tourbillon Maréographe has been designed for purpose, a true tool watch able to withstand the harshest conditions. It features a double dome sapphire crystal, a unidirectional count-up sapphire bezel, 10 ATM water-resistance, high anti-magnetic resistance (2,000 Gauss) and shock-resistance (5,000G) as well as an innovative tide indication complication animated by an exceptional and precise tourbillon caliber offering over 4 days power reserve. This unique set of features is uncommon since tourbillon watches are mostly designed as watchmaking art pieces that are delicate in their utilization. This is one of the rarest tourbillons built for daily use, a luxury timepiece that is as rugged and functional as it is beautiful and refined, a tool watch in the lineage of YEMA watches. “

Christophe Bôle, CEO & Head of Design

“With the latest CMM.30 tourbillon and CMM.20 micro-rotor calibers, YEMA aims to display its watchmaking savoir-faire in its quest for transitioning towards a watchmaking Manufacture operating model. Leveraging from the advanced manufacturing and production methods implemented during the past two years, YEMA will soon release its upcoming 3-hands Manufacture caliber, the CMM.10.”

Olivier Mory, Watchmaker Developer