YEMA Yachtingraf – THE COMPENDIUM
Yema – a wellknown brand in France, got a eventful history with some take-over. In the 60s Yema produced 300.000 watches per year.
1963 was launched the “Superman”, a 300m water-resistant Watch for professional diver.
1966/67 sold about 400.000 Yema watches. 1968 they constructed the 200m water-resistant Yachtingraf, with Valjoux movement.
The company still exist in other hands till today and produced Yachting watches with Quartz movement in the 80s till now. The Team of the Americas Cup (Marc Pajot, 1991) took the time with Yema watches for example.
But here is the overview of the Yachtingraf watches with real movements. Feel free to send all comments, facts and things about them if you can add some information please!
There are 7 different main executions of Yachtingraf:
1. 1966 Yachtingraf Valjoux 92, the first, very rare to find
Difference to the later Valjoux 7730/7733 executions:
– yachting subdial on aluminium base instead of white base with royal blue parts (different blue to the later ones)
– smaller triangle on the sweep hand then later execs
– 2 dials variants known: typo YACHTINGRAF under the Yema logo and the other got that over 6 under the subdials
– LeJour as North-America brand exists, there is mounted a bridge signed with “Contental Times Co”
2. 1966/67 Yachtingraf 2Compax
– inside works a Valjoux 7730, later 7733
– most seen Yachtingraf, more then 100 known till now
– different case executions
1st execution case: the “straight lug”
– straight lug case with drill through wholes for the springbars
– most seen with bakelite bezel
– all known got a reference number engraved on caseback: 566737 (same as Dato!)
– only 3 known till now (01/2017)
2nd execution case: the “normal”
– serials known in different batches: 319xxx / 57xxxx / 81xxxx
– rare to find with PARIS on the dial
– LeJour as North-America brand exists
– most seen Yachtingraf, more then 100 known till now
– all with Aluminium bezel
Different casebacks:
a) early – Yema-Logo “crest” caseback
b) “plain” caseback with engraving 100%waterproof – All Steel and in the middle:10 Atmospheres and reference number
c) special colored insert with sails and french rooster
3. 1966/67 Yachtingraf Date
– straight lug case with drill through wholes for the springbars
– with Valjoux 7734, a very rare bird too, less then 10 known till now
– same smaller triangle on the sweep hands as the early V92 execution mostly seen on this
– all known got a reference number engraved on caseback: 566737
4. 1969 Yema Yachtingraf Croisière Valjoux 72
– the special sign: the white subdial on the left, with the cross over 6
– a very rare bird, less then 10 known to the community (09/2016)
– only LeJour ones have signed bridges
5. 1969 Yema Yachtingraf Croisière
– black left subdial instead the white as the V72 have, with the cross over 6
– equipped with Valjoux 7736
– big triangle sweep second hand and arrowed small registerhand in the cross-register
– different dial variants known: PARIS under Croisiere and LeJour with SUPER typo between LeJour and Yachtingraf above the subdials
– LeJour executions known with unsigned bridge or signed “France LeJour” bridge
– serial numbers on caseback again in batches: 13xxxx / 81xxx-82xxx for “normal” cases | like the dato are some known with “straight lug” cases with 566537
1st execution case: the “straight lug”
– straight lug case with drill through wholes for the springbars
– most seen with bakelite bezel
2nd execution case: the “normal”
Signed Bridge on a LeJour Croisiere SUPER
6. End 1969 / early 1970 Yachtingraf Régate
– developed the modell “Régate”, builded with a modified Valjoux 7733: the Valjoux 7733S, got a modification to shows the Regatta-Countdown with a colored code and counting numbers
– ship with white sails in a white circle printed over 6
– only case with crown guard
– casebacks engraved with the numbers 850737 or 930036 only
– around 25 known till now
7. End 1969 / early 1970 Yachtingraf Régate “blue ship”
– the last prdouced of the not-digital Yachtingrafs is the so-called “Jumbo” with 40,7 mm diameter
– recognizable on the small ship in the blue circle on the dial over 6 – sometimes called “the 7th Yachtingraf”
– it seems there are 2 executions of cases of the “blue ship” Jumbos:
1st execution case
– straight lugs case, number engraved in the “waterresistant – antimagnetic – all steel” typo circle
– number engraved on caseback: 5667370
– only a few known
2nd execution case
– mostly known of the Jumbos with blue ship logo are the c-shape case
– number on caseback engraved in the middle of the caseback, all known with 670745 or 810745
2nd execution logo
– 2 different logo types found: the YEMA-Logo (later one with the not-round “Y”)
– later got a straight sweep second hand, not sure about that
Here are some pictures including the 6th model with Valjoux 7733S and the “Jumbo-Version” of it – the blue ship over the 6 makes the difference to the 6th.
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Yachtingrafs with differend brand on the dial
Some dials are known with different brands printed on.
LIDER
Interesting one found on eBay in Uruguay – Yachtingraf with brand LIDER. Serial doesn´t fit in the line of 2compax Yachtingrafs.
Lider seems to be a brand of Borel Fiels & Cie. SA from Neuchatel, Switzerland or Montres Leader SA. Keep on research.
Bridge is unsigend, number inside caseback says 93012.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Vintage-Swiss-Lider-Yema-Yachtingraf-Chrono-Valjoux-7733-S-Steel-39mm-1969-s-/162512475325
PUERTO AZUL
This one was found by Mark.
RERIS
Another eBay find is a Croisiere with brand RERIS. Never heard, never seen.
WINGO
Another one popped up on Chronotrader this year branded with WINGO, driven by a Valjoux 7730.
Yachtingraf with co-branded dials
ALSTA LeJour
The brand seems to owned by Alstater Watch Corp. which was located in N.Y. since 1948. 2-3 are of that co-branded ones seen till now.
LeJour O´day
Justin found this cool 2Compax Yachtingraf with a co-branded dial from O´day Corporation.
O´day was one of the most successful sailboat builders in the US. (source: wikipedia read here)
Luckily Justin found the commercial ad for the cmpaign to “get a free racing watch” with a purchase of a sailing boat.
LeJour KENT Yachting Timer
Just by chance found this LeJour with KENT Yachting Timer on the dial.
Watches with similar dials but in different cases, not really derivates of the Yachtingraf.
Credits all by Mark or from ebay. Different brands used the dials: Thermidor, Technos, Jaques Droz, Dichiwatch, Sigel and some more.
About the quality and known issues of Yema Yachtingraf watches
Just my point of view, please. Feel free to send my comments if you know something better.
Just in case you looking for one to buy these points may help you.
The Yema Yachtingraf watches got mostly problems on:
– pushers (not available, normaly screwed in but mostly glued with metall glue)
– lumen (uneven made) and many are bad relumed
– cases often polished to death
– glasses not to find as NOS, no good substitutes
– hands are not to find if there are not the original ones
– dials could have paintloss or paint bumpinesses (subdials left too!)
– bakelitbezels are mostly losses the paint (but that´s not a yema thing alone)
– Alubezels are mostly sold as NOS on ebay from France as 70s, they fit perfect and looks good. You can see if it is a “NOS” one on the green triangle at 12, it looks different to the old ones
– numbers on the casebacks: different, earlier seems to be upcounting, later ones got mostly the same numbers, unsure about some numbers too (Yema seems to put the numbers on other models too, still to prove)
– unbranded bridges / movements – maybe an advantage for doing the service but you will never know if the movement is original built in the watch, only some LeJour got signed bridges
About the different mounted regattahands on the subdial
Wonder why 50% of all bubbles looks to 12 and the other half looks to 6?
Simple explaination but very good usability for different types of the regatta countdown (5/10 or 15 min) you find here at the Club Yema, Jerry found out!
About the movements
Just to know: Valjoux 7730 is the 1966 following movement to the Venus 188 (built from 1948-1966) after the take-over of Venus from Valjoux in 1966. The main difference is the cheaper cam-switching instead of high-end column wheel. Yema was one of the first that uses the Valjoux 7730/7734/7736 as substitute for Valjoux 92/72.
Variants: height: 6,00/6,65 mm | diameter 14 line (31mm) | 45 hrs power reserve | 17 rubins | 28.900 A/h (4Hz) – all variants were built over 2Mio. pieces
7730: basic version, built 1966 – 1973, 175k pieces
7731: like 7730 but with new balance piston
7733: redesigned 7731 in 1969 with different reset hammers
7733S: 7733 with regatta-module disc drive
7734: date wheel, not quickset
7736: chronograph with 12 hrs counter (built 1969-1978)
7737: with 10min regatta countdown (for example in Memosail)
Trying to specify the production years with movements for the Yachtingrafs. Help is needed here for the research.
first to last:
1966 – ???? V92
1966/67 – ???? V7730 (following V92) and later 7733 (starting when 1969 with launch of the movement – ????)
1966/67 – ???? V7734 Date
1966/67 – ???? V72 Croisiere
1969 – ???? V7736 (following the V72 Croisiere)
1969/70 – ???? 7733S Regate “white ship”
1970 – ???? 7733S Regate “blue ship”
About YEMA
Next to the Yachting Chronographs there are the well-known Car-Racing Chronographs – the Rallygraf and the Chronograph for the pilots Flygraf (1970).
milestones of YEMA
- 1948 formation of YEMA by M. Henri Louis BELMONT
- 1950 Introduction of the anti-shock wrist-watch
- 1953 launch of the first water-resistent watches
- 1956 automatic watch Sous-Marine
- 1957 first Chronographs
- 1960 300.000 watches per year selled
- 1963 build the SUPERMAN, professional diver watch with 300 meters
- 1967 the french brand with the most exports
- 1968 launch of the YACHTINGRAF (sailing watch)
- 1969 500.000 watches in 50 countries selled
- 1970 market launch of RALLYGRAF and FLYGRAF
- 1974 started with YEMA quartz
- 1975 YEMA FAIRCHILD, diodewatch
- 1982 Sale of the SPATIONAUTE I, weared by Jean-Loup CHRÉTIEN, first french astronaut
- 1985 launched the SPATIONAUTE II, weared by Patrick BAUDRY (french astronaut)
- 1986 NORTH POLE by Jean-Louis ETIENNE, worst selling watch
- 1989 Re-edition of FLYGRAF
- 1990 Launch of the Bipôle
- 1997 Sale per year of 140.000 watches – CAP HORN starts
- 2002 watches branded by Dolce&Gabanna, Nike and Breil