The Yema Navygraf Forces Sous Marines (FSM) steel is a simple, robust and efficient daily tool watch. A Must have! Lets’ discover why.
Winter is there. Cold. Grey. Depressing. Wish you were somewhere else. Your face and whole body warmed by the sun. Close your eyes. Open them. Here you are! Clock Me Tender make your dreams come true. Don’t forget my tip when you leave…
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the French Navy Submarine Forces, Yema, launched to new models. The Navygraf Heritage Bronze (read the review here), and the FSM. I have had the pleasure to test the later during a few days vacation in a heavenly place last summer.
Readability first.
Look at this dial. Everything is designed to facilitate and immediate reading of the time. Matte black. Big luminous white markers. Simple stick white hands with a phantom black matte neck. And that’s all! No date, no useless marketing literature to distract the eye.
But, because there are however a few information, the most characteristic and original detail of this Yema Navygraf dial is the dark grey color of the information, which blends in the black dial. This color is a request of the Marine Nationale military staff in order to have a “phantom” dial. Thus, this latter looks much more wide and opened. I have been truly surprised about how much these design choices, and specially the phantom black open dial, enhance the quick reading of time.
The hands and marks shape are respectively a legacy of the very first Yema Navygraf I and Yema Navygraf II designed by Jean Müller. Yema teams bet they would fit together. And they fit.
You don’t have read it yet ?! Discover the true Navygraf Saga here (Part 1) and there (Part 2)
The red second hand brings to this watch its unique touch of color. It is supposed to evoke the red light used inside submarines during the night, in order to keep a day and night alternation for he crew. Good idea. But what about the readability of this hand in a dark environment?
Unfortunately null as you can see on the picture below. As far as I’m concerned I would have tried to keep a luminous dot on this hand, such as, for instance, on the 1970 Navygraf II lolipop second hand. This detail is the only weakness I found about this watch design, which prevented me to write “a perfect tool watch” in the title of this review.
The case
Well. The Yema Navygraf has a very basic and simple case. A cylindric bloc. 4 lugs. And that’s it. Is this a critic? Not at all. This quite rough design gives to the owner a feeling of robustness and reliability.
The 2,5mm thick flat sapphire glass presents low risk of lateral shock as it’s surface is at the same level as the bezel sapphire insert one. Despite it has no anti reflection coating, the readability remains excellent, thanks to the matte dial, even when the light is low-angled
Nothing to reproach to the crown guard, here again with a basic design, but very efficient and reassuring
A thick watch. The Navygraf case is 12,15mm thick (1 more than the Superman, sapphire dome crystal excluded) and 47mm long from lug to lug (1 less than the Superman).
Thick, but comfortable : despite these measures may not seem to be at the advantage of the Navygraf, the watch is very comfortable. Maybe even more comfortable than a Superman in my opinion.
The Crown
Warning : please note that this section has nothing to do with the eponymous Netflix series… I would be sorry that you feel disappointed after irrelevant expectations…
Here, we are talking about this crown:
At first glance, it is easy to understand that the Navygraf crown is perfectly protected against shocks by two thick and large crown guards.
The crown face is decorated with the anchor of the French Navy’s crest. If you have read “Hurray for the Navy” the review concerning Yema Navygraf produces in partnership with the French Navy, you may have in mind that the anchor embossing was not as precise as we could have expected, with deformation at the periphery. This time there is really nothing to reproach to the crown machining.
The screw down crown allows a use in any humidity condition. The watch is 300m waterproof. I will not share the information with your wife or girlfriend, but you will have no longer any excuse for not doing the dishes or shampoing her wonderful little dog.
The Caseback
No Yema logo in this caseback, but he crest of the French “Force Sous Marine”, and, proudly engraved, the name of Morteau, small Juras’ town where Yema watches are assembled.
In house movement
The Yema Navygraf is animated by Yema’ own automatic movement, The YEMA 2000. Don’t miss reading YEMA 300 GMT, and audacious challenge for the french brand if you wish more technical information about it.
Conclusion: the Navygraf FSM might be the toolwatch you’re looking for
Simple, robust, a strong presence, built to be used almost every condition… The Yema Navygraf is a watch to have on your wrist to go everywhere without any fear. As far as I’m concerned, its my favorite Yema for 2022.
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Take care!
Jerry
