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Being interested in the design of a brand is not only about the external aspect of its watches. It is above all trying to understand what the brand wants to achieve.
The functionality of a watch must be coupled with the rules of design in order to convey its information, but also to please our eyes.
But what about Yema’s design?
In a previous article, we went to meet the people who are the brand to help you discover it. In this process of discovery, they shared with us the brand’s objective: to become a French reference for affordable technical watches.
This goal has a particular link with the history of the brand. Indeed, during the 60’s-70’s Yema was the French reference in this area.
It is with this goal in mind, which the teams set for the brand, that we can begin to understand the design. We know where it should go.
On top of that, keep in mind the brand’s slogan: Time of Heroes. Yema watches are for those ordinary people who decide to do something extraordinary, and during their quest they will need tools. Tools that will help them achieve the extraordinary.
So far, everything seems coherent between the objective and the target. I reassure you, you don’t have to swim across the Atlantic or dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench to wear a Yema
With no less than 74 years of existence, Yema has a history that the teams use to preserve and keep it alive. Each of the new products presented can be traced back to a model that existed and to which a modern touch has been added.
This connection with the past can be seen in several ways. The first is the publication of a book when the Wristmaster collection was released. Like a bible, it was a great help in the elaboration of this article and it allows us to make a link with the next point. The logo, found on modern Yema watches, was used by the brand in the 60s and 70s. It brings a slightly vintage touch to the dial, as do the case backs, which incorporate the brand’s historic crest.
Finally, there is the use of hands. For example, on the Superman Maxi Dial Full Lume, the Pelle second hand was already in use on the Superman in the 70s.
All these nods to the brand’s past demonstrate the visceral desire of the teams to preserve its heritage and keep it alive.
In a way, the first stylistic elements to be found on a Yema will be these connections with the brand’s past.
However, and if we take into account the Wristmaster Traveller, its general design is not directly inspired by the Wristmasters that were released during the launch of the collection in the 60s. This shows that the design teams led by Christopher Bôle are not limiting their creativity, the next releases will not be simple copy and paste of old models that have gathered dust.
Comment une marque avec 74 ans d'histoire telle que Yema fait-elle pour rester actuelle ? Voilà la mission de Christopher Bôle. Pour répondre à cette question et vous plonger encore un peu plus dans la marque, nous sommes allés à sa rencontre.
Since Yema watches are aimed at heroes, a set of specifications is a natural choice.
The heroes must not be slowed down in their quests, so the watch must be robust. A robustness allowed thanks to the use of steel for the case. Added to the steel is the ergonomics of the watch that perfectly dresses our wrist, which goes through the work on the lugs and the opening of the dial.
This opening is a crucial element for the next element of the specifications: the legibility. This last one will pass by several points: the indexes and the hands. They are detached from the dial and by being charged with luminescent material, they allow a reading in the darkest spaces. With this work of detachment which is made on the hands and the indexes, the general reading of the hour is facilitated.
A Yema watch is a style at the crossroads of vintage and modernity. For example, the Yema Superman Maxi dial Full Lume Limited Edition is directly inspired by a luminescent Superman II that appeared in the 90s. However, its ultra-phosphorescent ice blue color gives it a fresh and modern touch.
As previously explained, the Wristmaster Traveller is inspired by the spirit of the collection that originated in the 1960s. However, its styling, while neo-vintage with the use of an Old Rhodium style SuperLuminova, is not inspired by the Wristmasters of the 1960s. Christopher Bôle has redesigned it into a sporty yet elegant everyday wearer.
Finally, there are the Meangraf Submarine R60 or Y60 which are also directly inspired by the Meangraf of the 70s. This is reflected in the choice of colors black, white, red or yellow, typical of those years.
So what is Yema’s style?
It is a technical watch style that has to be robust and readable while keeping a link with the history of the brand. With that in mind, take a look at your Yema and discover the stylistic elements that will take you on a journey through the history of Yema.
