Vuclain Skindiver GMT

Vulcain has 3 variations using their Skindiver case: the standard Skindiver, a Chronograph version, and this one, the Vulcain Skindiver GMT. It takes the same 38.3mm case used for the diver, but adds a new dial, a GMT complication with date, by the way of a Soprod C125 automatic movement, and its available in a few different color ways, black with white, black with beige, and a white with beige, as well as two limited edition models, a purple dial, and this one, the blue dial, the only one to have a sunray dial instead of a matte low gloss dial. What’s interesting is that, because this started as a dive watch, it still retains a screw-down crown and 200m of water resistance, and of course, there’s a domed sapphire and a ceramic bezel insert. MSRP for this LE of 100 is $2,330. 

Specifications

Limited Edition Blue Dial

38.3mm Stainless Steel Case

12.2mm Thick

44mm Lug to Lug

6.3mm Screw Down Crown

78 Grams

Domed Sapphire Crystal

Ceramic 24 Hour Bezel Insert

Soprod C125 Automatic GMT Movement

Blue Tropic Rubber Strap (As reviewed)

Swiss Made

MSRP $2,330 USD

https://vulcain.ch/products/skindiver-gmt-bleue

A little less than 2 years ago, I took a look at the Vulcain Skindiver and was blown away with the overall look, the case design and finishing, and that vertical brushed dial. This Vulcain Skindiver GMT retains that same case but loses a bit of that vintage aesthetic with this sunray dial, vibrant ceramic 24-hour bezel insert, coupled with white indices and numbers, instead of the beige. Some will, of course, like the modern approach here; others will yearn for the vintage appeal of the standard Skindiver. 

Immediately, even though it’s on a sporty tropic rubber strap, I felt this Vulcain Skindiver GMT has more of a casual/dress watch look and feel, and would probably look right at home with a nice leather strap, and there are bracelet options, but more on that in a bit. The sunray dial is one of the big highlights here, and while a sunray dial isn’t really anything special in the watch world, it does differentiate this model from the others in the lineup. 

All the other Skindiver GMTs use a matte dial, and from what I can tell from pics on their website, it has a fine eggshell texture. This blue limited edition uses a beautiful sunray dial that, of course, shimmers in the light, bouncing between a radiant and then a darker shade of blue. In contrast with the white indices, the polished steel hands, and the lighter blue GMT arrow, it really is a striking dial. The GMT text is in that lighter baby blue to match the GMT hand, and this version of the Skindiver does get a date wheel, which is nicely framed in a blasted and polished steel border. 

Initially, there were some glitches on the Vulcain website concerning pricing, and I thought this model was priced much more than the other models, even more than the Purple LE. While the pricing seems to be rectified for the most part, I was trying to find justification for the higher price tag. 

While the Purple and Blue are both Limited editions and $110 more than the standard versions, only this blue dial comes with a sunray patterned dial, and it also has a matching blue ceramic bidirectional bezel insert. The purple has a black bezel. Action is sufficient for a bi-directional bezel, never as fun as a dive bezel, but it does click nicely on each number and has a nice solid feel about it. 

Same with that crown, a screw-down crown, along with that 200m of water resistance, for a dressier GMT watch. I know this is using the same case as the diver, but Vulcain could have easily gone with 100m of water resistance or a non-screw-down crown, as so many do. The crown operates both the standard and GMT arrow, and because of the Soprod C125 GMT movement, it’s pretty much the same as an ETA or Sellita GMT, a caller’s GMT if you will. You will set your time, and then push back to the first position, and you can adjust both your date and the GMT hand. 

The case is very finely brushed, with a polished chamfer that runs the top of the case, and this is just beautiful finishing, very much in line with the price tag. The case has a cutout under the bezel as well, so the bezel actually sits into the case, not on top, allowing for a thinner case overall, which is nice considering how thick that domed sapphire is.

You can see the aforementioned Soprod C125 movement through the sapphire case back, unlike the black and white dial models, which have the same solid case back as the dive watch. Both the Purple and Blue Limited editions get the sapphire case back, showing off the movement, with a nicely decorated rotor and that blue enamel Vulcain logo. 

The Vulcain Skindiver GMT comes on a 20mm blue vulcanized rubber Tropic-style rubber strap, but does not list a bracelet option. Apparently, early on, there was a BOR bracelet option, but that is no longer available. You can purchase the Acier bracelet for $400. Where it gets odd is that if you click on the other versions of the watches that do offer the Acier bracelet as an option, there are different prices. The Purple shows at $2,450 if you choose the bracelet, but the others at $2,671. Seems there is still a glitch going on with the website. 

The blue tropic rubber is a really nice rubber strap, the color matches pretty well to the dial and bezel, and of course, has quick release pins like most straps do these days, and I had no problem fitting it to my 7 1/2 inch (19,05cm) wrist. And on that note, yes, 38.3mm does feel a little small for me; actually, it is small for me as I do prefer a watch 40mm or larger. I will admit, I do love how it looks and feels on my wrist, despite my wishing it were slightly larger. 

And just because it’s a GMT, it doesn’t mean Vulcain forgot about the lume. Sadly, the bezel numbers are not lumed, and that is not needed, but it would have been a nice touch. The indices and hands do glow brightly and last about a good 4 hours. 

I very much do have an affinity for these Skindiver models from Vulcain. I love the case design and finishing, and they seem to get everything right, down to the small details. I am not sure why a bracelet is not offered directly on the site as an option; hopefully that will be rectified soon, but this Vulcain Skindiver GMT is a really nice example of a vintage case style with a modern-style dial and bezel. It is about $500 more than the regular Skindiver, but it, of course, has a more expensive GMT movement, a blue sunray dial, and a sapphire case back, as well as being limited to 100 pieces. The only thing I would change? Make one in 40mm. 

Vulcain

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Victorinox Concept One

One of the reasons I love reviewing and writing about watches is not only the diversity of all the types of watches, but also when a brand branches out and produces a watch with a few things they have not done before. Today, that watch is the Victorinox Concept One, a 39mm stainless steel sports watch. The case may be similar, using the design of the Journey 1884, new Inox, and others, 39mm is not a size Victorinox has done often, and this new model has two distinct versions. The automatic that I am reviewing today, and there’s a solar version as well, and both are firsts for the iconic Swiss brand. The automatic is the first Victorinox to use a La Joux Perret movement, and the solar version is the first time they have used a solar movement, ever. This one has a vertical brushed center dial, 100m of water resistance, and comes on a very comfortable green rubber strap, and retails for $1,450.

Specifications

39mm Stainless Steel Case
21mm Lug Width
46mm Lug to Lug
12mm Thick
108 Grams
Sapphire Crystal Front and Back
Push Pull Crown
La Joux-Perret G100 Movement
100m Water Resistant
Rubber Strap as shown
Possibly Optional Bracelet

Price $1,450

https://www.victorinox.com/en-US/Products/Watches/Men’s-Watches/Concept-One-Automatic/p/242058/

The Victorinox Concept One is somewhat interesting, and I do like a lot about this watch, but I did question why they did not choose to just make a 39mm version of the Inox, seeing as new Inox models use this same case design. But then I started to look at those new Inox models, and started looking at this Concept One even more, and while at first glance many may think this is an Inox light, they are two different watches and serve a different purpose.

The Inox, at least in most of its iterations, is a very rugged and capable watch, one that can be used while hiking, rafting, or in the ocean, and also has extreme shock protection. The Concept One is more of an everyday watch; no crown guards, only 100m water resistant with a push-pull crown, a more artistic (yet still functional) dial design, and this watch just gives off a different vibe, even if at a glance the two watches may look similar.

The overall design, I would say, is a modern everyday type of watch; it’s not what I would call a field watch, and it’s definitely not a tough or extreme watch, yet it still does have a bulky and angled case. The case itself is basically the new Inox case, but sans crown guards, and Victorinox has really been getting their mileage out of this case with all their sport and dive watches the last few years, with the basic case design being introduced with the Journey 1884 model. The vertical brushed case sides, angled lugs, and the integrated lug piece, which gives the strap a more fitted and cohesive look, and the markings on the sides of the case, the steel type on the non-crown side, and the water resistance above the crown.

Speaking of the crown, one criticism I have is that this Victorinox Concept One does not have a screw-down crown. While I am glad that there is 100m of water resistance, I prefer a screw-down crown on my watches; it gives peace of mind that the crown doesn’t accidentally get snagged or pulled out, and while it may not impact water resistance as it’s more about gaskets and fit, in my mind, it’s just an extra layer of security.

The bezel has a similar look to the Inox, but the bezel is polished for the angled or hexagon look, rather than being carved into the bezel. It gives the bezel a faceted look, creating a contrast with the all-brushed case, and both the bezel and crown are highly polished. The bezel does have a scratch-resistant coating applied to it, presumably a clear DLC.  I am guessing this was done to make the Victorinox Concept One less tool watch in appearance, and there’s the white arrow that points to the crown. I still have not figured out what VSA is doing with these arrows; there’s one below the date wheel as well.

But my favorite part of the Victorinox Concept One is the dial, specifically the dial on this automatic version as while the Solar model does share the same overall look and bowl-shaped dial, it has a more transparent dial to allow for solar charging. Here on this automatic model, the center dial is vertically brushed, and I love the way this looks. You can see in the various pictures in this review, and in viewing the video above, that depending on the light and angle, this olive green dial can look olive green, but then shine a light on it or turn it a little, and it is a much lighter shade, almost a yellowish/green look about it, and it creates a two-tone dial.

There are other colors available, but I really do love this green, and I also do love the dial shape here. Call it a bowl shape, a stadium dial, whatever you call it, it is somewhat unique and not a dial you see often. I love how the indices are inset into the bowl edge, and I like the brushed vertical center, which seems to be a separate piece on the dial, though I am not sure if it is, in fact, a two-piece dial. It’s a clean, simple, and easy-to-read dial, with the date located at 6 o’clock, and while the case design is shared with other VSA models, this Victorinox Concept One does not share the same blocky, square skeleton type hands as the other models, opting for more straightforward, thin sword hands.

Victorinox has many models in their lineup where you can choose either a quartz or automatic version, and it’s one of the things that sets a brand like VSA apart from other mainstream brands and micros as well. But this time around, Victorinox chose to go with a solar movement for the less expensive model. I did not get my hands on the solar model, but it does show it to have a 7-year rechargeable battery, and it will run you about $500 less than its automatic counterpart shown here.

This is another first for Victorinox, though, as this is the first time they have used a La Joux Perret movement, this one being the G100 with date. This is the second watch in a row I have reviewed with this movement, the Straum Jan Mayen having the dateless version, and like the Straum, you can see the 68-hour power reserve movement through the glass case back, though on this Concept One, it is obscured a bit by the use of the laser-etched Swiss Army Knife on the glass. These are solid movements, though, and I appreciate the longer power reserve.

39mm is another first for Victorinox, ar least in recent history. Im sure at some point in time, they made 39mm watches but unless we are talking womens watches, Victorinox, especially when it comes to the sport and dive watches have been producing at least 40mm watches, if not 41 and higher, and at one point were making 45mm Inox watches. So, for those that prefer a sub 40mm watch, made for a gentleman, (though I would argue this can definitely be a unisex watch as well),  its here in the Concept One.

As Victorinox tends to do, there is a stainless bracelet version; the bracelet is relegated to the black dial (both automatic and solar). The rest of the colors are on rubber straps. Now these are very nice rubber straps, both in appearance and comfort, and have quick-release pins and a push button deploytant clasp, which goes on as a standard buckle would with a prong, but you get to set it once basically and put it on like a bracelet. No cutting to fit here, which is the way it should be, and while no microadjustments in the clasp, I find there are plenty of holes to get a good fit, at least with my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist. Note, I did have to wear it one hole up than I probably would normally, as the clasp and strap can slide around a bit otherwise, due to the weight of the watch head, but I never felt it was too tight on my wrist, and wearing it for a week, I really enjoyed how it wore and how it looked on my wrist. If you want to change out the strap, though, be aware that it’s only 21mm.

Yes, there is lume on the Victorinox Concept One, and I knew just by looking at the dial and the smaller indices that this was not going to be the best lume, and it’s not. It does light up nicely initially and the logo lumes as well, but don’t expect it to be glowing very brightly, if at all, 3 hours later.

There’s a lot to like with the Victorinox Concept One, and while I know Victorinox is a large company and has a long history, I am still in awe at how they can produce different variants of the same model, with different movements and different price points, to attract different types of buyers. The solar, I am sure, is a good option for those wanting a watch that is very care-free, no winding, no power reserve, and a 7-year lifespan on the battery/capacitor.

This La Joux Perret automatic version is targeting the watch enthusiasts, of course, and as always, VSA makes a well-finished and solid-feeling watch, but it’s not without its quirks, such as the push-pull crown, a 21mm lug width, and why can’t I have a choice of bracelet or strap on every color? The bracelet, which is available in their accessories section, sells for $285, which would put the automatic version over $1,700. I guess if you really love a bracelet, it may be worth it, but the need to start offering a choice of bracelets or straps for each model.

I do think it was smart of them to start offering 39mm men’s watches; the market is there for it, and that is a very popular size at this time. While I do prefer a slightly larger watch, I did find this watch to wear well on my wrist, and it is attractive, but again, quirky as usual.

Victorinox

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Jan Mayen Titanium Aurora Sky

I can’t believe it’s been four years since I reviewed the Straum Opphav, the debut model of the Norwegian brand. Since then, they have been releasing these Jan Mayen models, and twerking both the dials and the case along the way. Now they have new Arctic dials and have put them in both steel and titanium watch cases, and today I have one of the latest models in titanium, the Straum Jan Mayen Titanium Aurora Sky. This gorgeous watch has a 39mm blasted and polished Grade 5 titanium case, with a dial patterned after the colors of the Northern Lights, the La Joux-Perret G101 no date movement, and a very unique quick-release strap system. There are other colors availbe and hopefully a titanium bracelet at some point, and the starting price is $2500.

Specifications

38.7mm Grade 5 Titanium Case

41mm (9-3) Including Crown

45.7mm Lug to Lug

11.5mm Thick Excluding Crown

82 Grams 

100m Water Resistant

Screw Down Crown

Double Domed Sapphire

Super-LumiNova hands and indices 

LJP G101 Automatic Movement

Custom FKM Rubber Strap System

Price $2500 Including Taxes and Duties Included 

https://straum.co/collections/jan-mayen-arctic-titanium

I was very enamoured with the Straum Opphav when I reviewed it, and at the time, it was quite a bold move for a debuting microbrand to hit the scene with a watch such as that, and that original model had a price tag of around $800. In the last four years, Straum has evolved even more with the Jan Mayen models, and this latest collection is really impressive.

The case on this Straum Jan Mayen Titanium Aurora Sky is all titanium, of course, grade 5 titanium. and it has an absolutely exquisite micro-blasted finish. This is an extremely smooth, blasted finish, with an almost satin feeling to the touch. To offset the light grey case finish are polished accents around the bezel area, on top of the crown, chamfers running the top and bottom of the case, and on the first link area below the lugs. Another improvement over the Opphav model-a screw down crown. While many may not care for a 100m watch like this, for me, this makes this watch with an art dial a piece that I can daily wear.

This case is also 39mm, a somewhat big departure from the Opphav, which was 41mm. I know I usually discuss the size and how it wears towards the end of the review, but being someone who does prefer a watch over 40mm, primarily in that 41-42mm size range, I was really surprised how well this watch wears. The Jan Mayen wears larger and measures 41mm east to west, including the crown, and at no point did I ever feel this watch looked small on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist. This watch felt right at home the moment I put it on.

And while Straum is definitely more than just striking, out-of-this-world dials, their dials are still a huge part of what attracts so many to their watches. With their new Arctic dial collection, they have taken their dials even further, with more colors, more gradients, and new textures. The Straum Jan Mayen Titanum Aurora Sky dial mimics the night sky of the Northern lights with robust greens and blues and deep blue, almost black at the bottom of the chipped rock texture dial. While I love a basic diver or field watch, wearing this watch makes me feel like I have a $50,000 watch on my wrist. It’s just so beautiful, and I love how the dial plays with the light.

They also went ahead and made these dials as clean as possible. No text except the brand name, below the beautifully applied S logo, and there’s no date to interfere with this incredible dial texture. The indices curve from almost the underside of the dial, a unique concept, though I do miss the floating indices that they did on the Opphav. And while the dial is a work of art, the hands are bold, as are the indices, and there’s still a minute/second track running around the edge of the dial. Beauty meets function.

Straum has been using the La Joux-Perret movements since the introduction of the Jan Mayen models around three years ago, so more of an early adopter for this movement, as it seems like many brands are now using these calibers. This is the G101 example, Soigné grade, and it’s a nice enough looking movement, and overall I do like the case back, but feel something is missing. I think the movement could have used some blue screws or a little more decoration to the rotor, something to make this pop a little more. While the Opphav had a basic Sellita SW200-1 powering it, I loved the case back on that model, and was kinda hoping it carried on to the Jan Mayen models.

I’m sure I am in the minority on this, and either way, it’s a great movement, and has a 68-hour power reserve, meaning you could not wear it for a day, leave it on your nightstand or in your collection box, and pick it back up 2 days later, and it will still be running.

In the photo of the case back above, you can see the strap of the Straum Jan Mayen Titanium Aurora Sky is removed, and yet, there’s still something attached in between the lugs. That would be a first link, as Straum calls it, and it’s their adapter for a unique quick-release strap system. The adapter can be removed, as there are drilled lugs on the sides of the case, though you wouldn’t be able to use an off-the-shelf strap due to the inner lug size. This type of case really needs the fitted flared strap, in my opinion.

On the front, it looks like the first link part would be the button, but actually, it’s on the back. Your thumbnail, or at least mine, should be all you need to press on that little thin rectangle, and the strap with prongs just releases. And it’s even easier to put the strap back on, as there’s no need to press anything; just insert the prongs back into the adapter, and it locks in. Unfortunately, optional colored straps (this is the green) will run you around $100, and that is a strap only, no adapter or buckle, and currently, there is no timeline for the proposed titanium bracelet.

There’s more to this FKM strap, though. Firstly, it’s a very attractive strap, and feels substantial while still being pliable, and it’s got quite an odd length,  100mm x around 190mm including the buckle. But if you have a smaller wrist and don’t want to have a lot of strap left over to slide into the keepers, Straum has engineered this strap to be cut. There are two spots on the strap that they label medium and small, where you can cut, then put the buckle back on through the provided holes, and you have made the strap a better fit for your wrist.

I did not cut the strap of the Straum Jan Mayen Titanium Aurora Sky, but as you can see above on my wrist, I probably could cut it to the medium spot, as I am quite far up on the strap, but I like a good amount of tail left over, and didn’t find it to be an issue. As I said, I found this watch to be very enjoyable on my wrist and extremely comfortable.

And even though this watch has a striking dial, and some would consider it to be more of an occasional piece, Straum makes their watches to be worn, and even in the dark, you can easily tell the time with a strong amount of Super-LumiNova, and it will last about a good four hours or so.

I think it’s safe to say that I am pretty enamored with this Straum Jan Mayen Titanium Aurora Sky. The evolution from the Opphav is evident, and while this is a $2500 watch, expensive for what most will consider a microbrand watch, there’s just so much good here. The dial is incredible, the case design, reminiscent of Genta designs, is beautifully machined and finished, and the whole strap mod quick-release system is great as well. I am disappointed, though, that there’s no titanium bracelet yet. It’s in development on the Straum website, and they do have one for the steel version, but there are many who will prefer a bracelet and will probably hold off until one is available. That mistake aside, this is a lot of watch for the money, but not everyone’s money, as it may be too niche for them with these dials.

Straum

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Citizen Tsuyosa Shore

Citizen has added a rotating bezel and bolder dial to the very popular Tsuyosa, and this one is dubbed the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore. While at first glance it looks like a dive watch, it’s more what one would call a dive-style watch, or maybe a sports watch. Why not a true dive watch, and why bother with the bezel at all? My guess is just another variation of the Tsuyosa, as it’s been quite a big seller for Citizen since debuting in 2022 as an extremely affordable homage to the Rolex Datejust and Oyster Perpetual. This Shore model has the look of a dive watch, without being a true 200m diver, but let’s face it, many who buy dive watches never dive, and this Tsuyosa Shore is quite an attractive watch. While not a diver, it does have 100m water resistance along with an automatic movement and a sapphire crystal.

Specifications

40mm Stainless Steel Case

22mm Lug Width

45.3mm Lug to Lug

12.5mm Thick

164 Grams

Sapphire Crystal 

Aluminum Bezel Insert

3 Link  Bracelet (3.4mm Thick)

Push Button Clasp

Miyota 8210 Automatic Movement

Blue Green Color

Price from Sakura Watches: $304

MSRP $495

https://www.sakurawatches.com/citizen-collection-tsuyosa-nj0231-56l

This Citizen Tsuyosa Shore is based on the original Tsuyosa model, sized at 40mm with a 45mm lug to lug, and a barrel-shaped case and integrated bracelet/lugs. It currently comes in 4 colors, shown below, and I believe Citizen refers to this color as green blue, and in certain stock pics online, it can look more like a turquoise or aquamarine color, but it’s actually more of a subtle blue green, and I call it ocean blue. It definitely is lighter than the navy or standard model they sell. At this time, these are the only four colors.

The 4 colors of the Tsuyosa Shore

Case design and finish have remained the same on the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore. The barrel-shaped case, brushed steel on top, but the case sides are highly polished, as well as the edge of the rotating bezel and the push-pull crown. The crown remains unsigned, but I have to say the finishing here for a watch that is selling for the $300 pretty regularly, is really well done. Nice brushed lines, while high polish is prone to picking up marks and scratches more easily, this Tsuyosa model does not look all marred up, at least not with the time I spent with it. I love the case shape as well, especially from the side profile; it’s a flat slab with unique downturned ends, which flow nicely into the integrated lugs.

Of course, the big change here from the regular Tsuyosa model is the rotating bezel, and the dial has more sporty style hands, bolder and thicker polished hands, and thick applied rectangular indices. It has a gorgeous sunburst dial, really grabs the light, and because of that, the more light that is on it, the more it can give the dial that greenish hue. The carryover from the original Tsuyosa is the date magnifier, not my favorite on any watch, but it doesn’t look horribly out of place on this piece.

The bezel insert is aluminum, more than sufficient at this price point, and it really matches the dial well, both in color and material. And more interestingly, is the action of the bezel. Unlike the Citizen Promaster Dive, which has a 6o click unidirectional bezel, Citizen gave this Citizen Tsuyosa Shore a 120 click bezel, and the action is better in my opinion compared to the aforementioned dive watch.

The Shore has a budget movement, the same movement as the standard Tsuyosa, the Miyota 8210, and this is the latest version of the movement, which hacks, a big improvement over the older versions. And you can see the movement through the exhibition case back, though I believe the crystal here is mineral, not sapphire.

While there is lume applied to the dial indices and hands, the hands will glow a bit longer than the indices, and of course, the triangle on the bezel is not lumed at all. There’s lume, it’s decent, but don’t buy this watch for the lume at all.

The bracelet is solid, a good heft to it, matter of fact, I feel the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore is a solid feeling watch throughout, and more solid than I was expecting for a watch like this. The center links and high polished as well as the bracelet sides, the links are held together with the pin and collar system, and the links are 3.5mm thick. The clasp is pretty basic, a push-button style, though it does have a machined hinge opening, and is not stamped.

The fit of the Citizen Tsuyosa Shore is excellent. Even though it’s only a 40mm watch with a short lug to lug, I don’t find this watch to look small on my 7 1/2 inch  (19.05cm) wrist at all, and from the factory it should fit up to an 8 inch wrist. The bracelet flows perfectly from the case, and it’s extremely comfortable while looking good.

At full retail of $500, there are a lot of options out there these days from factory brands, microrands, and of course, buying grey market. At $304, its current price from Sakura Watches, this Citizen Tsuyosa Shore is not a bad deal at all. It has the look of a dive watch, has enough water resistance for day-to-day activities, and the design is suitable for both casual and dress, especially if you opt for one of the two-tone versions.

I was mostly surprised by the heft and overall build quality of this watch. For whatever reason, I was expecting a watch that was lightweight and rattled, and this is anything but. I’m still not sure what to classify this watch as; it looks like a dive watch, but it’s clearly not. It’s much better built than most fashion watches. Whatever the category, I do really like this Tsuyosa Shore, much more than I thought I would.

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Yema Navygraf Phantom

The Yema Navygraf Phantom is a limited edition of 200 pieces, which takes the standard Navygraf and gives it a stealth look with an all-black IP case and bracelet, a vertical brushed dial, a black matte ceramic bezel insert, and the Yema Manufacture Movement CMM.10, which can be seen through a tinted sapphire exhibition case back. It retains the iconic yellow hands that the Navygraf has become known for, and this is a more straightforward, and some would say sleeker, dive watch than the Superman Diver. With the Yema movement and only 200 pieces being made, it’s not exactly cheap, and it brings up $1000 more than the standard Navygraf at $2,099.

Specifications

38.5mm Case IP Black Plated

46mm Lug to Lug

19mm Lug Width

11..05mm Thick (excluding crystal)

2.5mm Double Dome Sapphire

132.5 Grams

Matte Ceramic Bezel Insert

300m Water Resistant

CMM.10 Manufacture Movement

H- Link Black IP Bracelet

Price $2.099 USD

https://yema.us/products/yema-navygraf-phantom-cmm-10-limited-edition-21-26-10-66-snl-m6

I have always had a fondness for the Yema Navygraf, as I love the vintage aesthetic to it, which is, of course, intentional, as it’s a recreation and redesign of the Navgraf model from the 70s, and this modern collection serves as an official partner for the French Navy. While the Superman diver is unique in its own right, I have always liked the classic and slim lines of the Navygraf and just always found the case and dial to be a very pleasing design, a design that can easily be worn daily, while also being 300 meters water resistant and ready for the sea or ocean, if one chooses to do so.

This Yema Navygraf Phantom takes it up a few notches, more so than I originally thought, and there are more differences from the Heritage model than I realized, which I guess justifies the $1000 price difference between the two models. The Heritage has a date window, an SW200-1 movement, a Hesalite domed crystal, and the bezel inset is enamel, and has a pretty standard flat painted dial.

This Phantom model, beyond the all-black case and bracelet, has no date due to the CMM.10 movement, for more dial symmetry, a vertical brushed black dial similar to the Superman Skin Diver I reviewed a few months ago, a double dome sapphire crystal, and a matte black ceramic insert.

I really admire the overall look of the case; it has a very industrial look about it, sharply defined lines, an all brushed case, vertical brushing on top with horizontal brushing on the case sides, and just a hint of high polish with a thin chamfer running down the top edge of the case. I also love the integrated crown guards and the taper from the lugs to create said crown guards, and the fact that this case is just a touch over 11mm, especially for a watch that is rated 300m. Despite this only being a 38.5mm case (more on that in a bit), the crown is still large enough and easy to grasp with my medium to large-sized hands, and has a great feel about it.

Same with the bezel. This is a steel bezel with the matte black ceramic insert, and while there are numbers and hash markers engraved on the bezel, Yema chose to stay with the phantom theme and only lumed or colored in the triangle 60 mark. This bezel, unlike the Superman divers, does not lock, so it’s your standard 120 click bezel, and yet I find it to be a great bezel with great action, easy to turn but not loose, and very crisp and precise.

The dial of the Yema Navygraf Phantom retains the now iconic yellow hour and minute hand, and has a tapered stick second hand, as well as the exclamation point marks, which are not exactly old radium lume paint colored, but more of a pale yellow. No date window here, which I personally like because it does not interrupt those markers, and I am just a sucker for no-date dials anyway. The big upgrade with this dial is vertical brushing, which I could just stare at all day, and looks great with that 2.5mm thick double dome sapphire above it. The dial is a definite upgrade over the standard Navygraf.

Turning the watch over, though, things start to get a little wierd. Yema chose to show off their CMM.10 movement here, which I understand as they are proud of their movement, and with great accuracy and a 70 power reserve,  they should be. That said, for some reason, they chose to do a black-tinted crystal, which I show in the above video, just how much this blacks out everything, unless you get just the right light and angle to see the movement. It’s called an exhibition case back for a reason, so this had me scratching my head.

I also have an issue with the size of the case in proportion to the bracelet. This Yema Navygraf Phantom is listed at a compact, refined 38.5mm case, yet I measured it with my calipers at 39.3 from 10-4, and since my calipers were correct in measuring the lug width and bracelet, I am not sure how they came to that measurement.

And that brings me to the bracelet, which has a few issues. The lugs are 19mm, and the bracelet starts out at 19mm and then tapers immediately to 18 and then 16mm towards the clasp. My preference for larger watches aside, I just feel the bracelet is much too thin for the size of the case and feels really off balance.

My issues with the bracelet, unfortunately, do not stop there. This is a sample piece from Yema, and as such, I am not sure if it was not finished to the same standard as the production models. The coating is listed as black IP, not DLC, which I do find disconcerting, but the coating and finish do look good until you get to the inner links, which were clearly not coated separately; they were coated with the bracelet assembled, as you can see the rainbow mark between the links. This is not something I would expect to be on a $2000 watch.

It doesn’t end there, though, as this is a very basic clasp, functional with an old school dive extension, yes, but again, considering the price, and that it is limited, I expected the new Yema quick adjustment clasp, which is available on the Pearl Navygraf, which retails for $2500.

And because it was a sample piece, it did not come with any extra links, and was extremely tight on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist, and with issues I described above, along with not really being able to wear this Yema Navygraf Phantom for more than 5-10 minutes, I really did not enjoy how this Yema Navygraf Phantom looked on my wrist. I really like this design, but the thin bracelet width, coupled with the short bracelet, made it awkward-looking on my wrist. While this is a smaller watch, I do hope that production models come with more links; it would only fit up to a 7 1/4 inch (18.42cm) wrist.

On a brighter note, pun intended, the Super-LumiNova is pretty good on this Phantom model, especially considering these are painted markers instead of applied, and the thin area where it is applied to the hands. The second hand does not glow well at all, but it looks great in the dark with a nice bluish-green hue and lasts for around 4-5 hours.

The Yema Navygraph Phantom does have a lot going for it, and it has a lot of upgrades over the Heritage edition, more than I initially realized. I love all black cases and think the blackout theme works well for the Navygraf model, and I love the touch of color and contrast with the yellow hands and markers. The vertical brushed dial looks fantastic, and while I would prefer a bigger case for my wrist, this may be perfect for others. Everything is subjective at the end of the day. I do hope the bracelet links are evenly coated on production models, though, as I would be disappointed with an $800 watch with links like that, let alone $2100.

Yema 

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