I’m not alone here at Time+Tide in being a big fan of the resurgence of French watchmaking in recent years. They seem to execute style and function in a way that only the French can, creating timepieces that manage to sacrifice neither. Yema has exemplified this with several recent releases, in particular, the new Navygraf Pearl CMM.20. With this hands-on, we’ll go into how this updated Navygraf makes for an elegant, stylish, and functional timepiece in ways that one wouldn’t expect from a tool watch.
The case
The one attribute of this watch that contributes most to its elegance is the case design. Re-designed from the original Navygraf, the case now measures 9.75mm thick, excluding the double-domed sapphire crystal with inner anti-reflective coating. Still boasting 200 meters of water resistance, 9.75mm thick is damn impressive. The case measures 39mm in diameter at the bezel, has 19mm lugs, and measures a compact 46mm lug to lug. The polished screw-down crown is knurled for easy operation and is embossed with the Yema logo.
The short lug-to-lug definitely makes this case wearable on a wide away of wrists, and I actually think the 19mm lug width is a plus, as a narrower bracelet often helps with a more svelte feel on the wrist.
The front and back of the case are brushed, and there is a polished bevel on each side of the case. The right side of the case features crown guards, with the polished bevelled edge flowing to the tips of the crown guards. The unidirectional rotating bezel is stainless steel with a mother-of-pearl inlay covered with a sapphire crystal. Sapphire bezel inserts are nothing new, but seeing one combined with mother-of-pearl is uncommon, and definitely makes the Navygraf Pearl stand out in the crowd of dressy divers.
The triangle at 12 o’clock is also lumed, maintaining the full functionality one would expect from a dive watch, with dots for the five-minute markings, and double stick indices for the quarters of an hour. Unfortunately, these indices are not lumed, but that crucial lumed triangle gives you all the information you need.
The dial
The real star of the show here is the natural mother-of-pearl dial. As it is a natural material, no two dials will be exactly alike, each with its own unique combination of silver, violet, and blue tones that will also shift in the light. The hands and indices are made of polished steel and are filled with Grade A Super-LumiNova. The seconds hand is fully lumed, maintaining specifications to make it a truly usable dive watch. The upper portion of the dial features the brand logo and Navygraf text, accompanied by “Micro-rotor” and a 200-meter depth rating indication in the lower portion. The outer minute track features printed indices, with “Manufacture Française” at the bottom.
One detail that stood out to me and really makes the overall dial design feel cohesive is the use of shapes. The minute hand features a triangle-shaped tip, which is split in two, making a smaller triangle towards the outer edge. The three, six, nine, and twelve o’clock indices feature an additional triangle index to the rectangles at three, six and nine, and the double rectangle at twelve. This is in addition to the lumed triangle indication on the rotating bezel. The double rectangle quarter-hour markings on the bezel mirror the double rectangle twelve o’clock index, too. Similarly, the circular five-minute bezel markings mirror the remaining hour indices.
This dial configuration is seen on other Navygraf models, but it seems more playful against the mother-of-pearl dial instead of being purely utilitarian. Regardless, the varying shapes definitely make it easy to read the time at a glance, especially in low-light situations and against the inherent iridescence of this watch’s wide expanses of mother-of-pearl.
The strap
The bracelet featured on the Yema Navygraf Pearl is a H-link style 316L stainless steel bracelet. Measuring 19mm wide, the clasp features a tool-less micro-adjustment that allows for on-the-fly adjustments. There is also an FKM Viton rubber strap option that features curved integrated ends that fit flush with the case. The large perforations and tapered design make for a comfortable experience on the wrist, with the bracelet secured via a brushed stainless steel pin-buckle with polished bevels.
The movement
Possibly one of the most exciting aspects of modern Yema timepieces is the in-house movements that the brand has developed. The Calibre Manufacture Morteau 20 inside the Navygraf Pearl is an automatic winding, micro-rotor movement that operates at 28,800 bph, has a 70-hour power reserve, and is adjusted to -3/+7 seconds a day. The micro-rotor movement is a big part of how the case is able to be so thin for a diver, while maintaining the ease of use one would expect from a modern automatic tool watch. The movement is developed in-house and made with partners in both France and Switzerland that are located within 72km of Yema’s workshop.
The Navygraf Pearl’s movement is finished in a contemporary fashion, with a matte black finish with bevelled edges on the bridge and mainplate, with a brushed silver finish on the branded micro-rotor. There is also a limited edition version of the Yema Navygraf Pearl with a more highly decorated movement, featuring sunray-patterned Geneva striping on the bridge and mainplate.
The verdict
Dressy divers can be a bit polarising. On one hand, there is the obvious pragmatic focus of both the design and expected functionality one expects from a dive watch. When more dressed-up divers are released, they sometimes lose some functionality in favour of aesthetics and visual refinement. To make a dressy diver that maintains all of the functionality of a typical dive watch yet manages to put style towards the top of the priority list is a delicate balancing act that is difficult to achieve. I think Yema has managed to achieve this in spades with the Navygraf Pearl CMM.20, especially since the Navygraf is the brand’s more function-forward diver.
While mother-of-pearl isn’t for everyone, I think the Navygraf Pearl is best suited for those whose tastes lean more towards elegant and/or fun watches, looking for a dive watch to add to their collection that isn’t so serious. Again, I think Yema has achieved creating a watch that balances function and style in a way that the French do so well.
Yema Navygraf Pearl CMM.20 pricing and availability
The Yema Navygraf Pearl CMM.20 is available now from Yema retailers. Price: US$2,190 (on rubber), US$2,490 (on bracelet)
Brand
Yema
Model
Navygraf Pearl CMM.20
Reference Number
22.25.20.66.SN.M
Case Dimensions
39mm (D) x 9.75mm (T) x 46mm (LTL)
Case Material
316L stainless steel, mother-of-pearl bezel insert covered by sapphire layer
Water Resistance
200 metres, screw-down crown
Crystal(s)
Sapphire front and back
Dial
Natural mother-of-pearl dial
Lug Width
19mm
Bracelet
Three-link steel bracelet with micro-adjust folding clasp
Optional FKM rubber strap with steel pin buckle
Movement
CMM.20, in-house, micro-rotor automatic
Power Reserve
70 hours
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, unidirectional diving bezel
Availability
Now
Price
US$2,190 (on rubber)
US$2,490 (on bracelet)