Back in 2011, we first took a look at a watch from Yema, with John’s review of the Yema Rally Chronograph. Then, things were radio silent until I caught wind of the brand in 2020, when I wrote about the Yema Spacegraf Zero-G. That opened the floodgates, and since then, I’ve become familiar with what I consider to be their icon – the Yema Superman. Back at the end of 2023 they released a limited-edition with a new movement, and now the production version is here – meet the Yema Superman Slim.
Yema Superman Slim: what’s new?
For the Yema Superman Slim, it’s all about that brand-new movement, the CMM.20. This stands for Calibre Manufacture Morteau 20, indicating that it’s a movement designed and developed completely in-house at Yema’s Morteau facility. The obvious star of the show is the micro-rotor. As viewed through the absolutely massive exhibition caseback (which still maintains a 300m WR rating), this looks like a luxury movement. By this, you’ve got the larger plates, all with a darker finish applied. This keeps the eye on the rotor, and the balance wheel, which retain their original finishes.
This new movement also delivers a delightful 70-hour power reserve, inherent anti-magnetic capabilites (due to the materials being used), runs a 4 Hz, and has an adjusted accuracy of -3 to +7 seconds per day. Given that the whole package is just 3.7mm thick, this means that the overall case thickness is able to be just under 10mm tall, which is just delightful for a 300m dive watch. If you’ve been looking for a diver that can easily pull double duty as a dress watch, this is the one to slip under a cuff.
What remains the same?
For the Yema Superman Slim, this is the view you have from straight-on. You’ve got the classic dial with bars and pips for indices (plus the elongated, inverted triangle at 12 o’clock), the large arrow hand for the minutes, and always-appreciated sword hand for the hours. Additionally, you’ve got the unique-to-the-brand bezel-locking mechanism. On dive watches, we’re used to bezels being bi-direction. For the Yema Superman line, though, they’re unidirectional. So, how do you keep from knocking the bezel and throwing off your timing?
That’s via the bezel lock. At the crown, you’ve got a thin piece of metal that forms a windo on the bezel. To set the bezel, you unscrew the crown, and that loosens the crown lock. Then, you can freely adjust the bezel. Once set, you screw the crown back down, and two flanges grip into the teeth, firmly setting the bezel in place. It’s very unique to the brand, and is as clever as it is simple.
Wrapping things up
Given the historical roots of the Yema Superman line, it’s not surprising that the Yema Superman Slim has that vintage vibe. This comes from the dial, of course, and is further reinforced by the 2mm double-domed sapphire crystal that sets on top of things.
To truly finish it all off, you’ve got that bracelet. To me, it looks like a stretched hexagon, and the brand calls it a scale bracelet. Scales probably make more sense, given that this is a water-oriented dive watch. For me, it gives us something that is different from the usual 3- or 5-link bracelet, and alludes to the idea of a grains-of-rice bracelet while still making it fresh. I think if they came out with a version that alternated some polished finishes in on the links, well, then it would truly make the watch dress-up capable.
If you couldn’t tell, I am definitely smitten by the design. Keeping it as a simple three-hander with no additional complications hews back to the roots of what these sorts of watches were meant to be – durable, reliable, tools. Yema has brought it fully to the present day, and created something that, from what we’ve seen in the photos, is more than the sum of it’s parts (and yes, we’ll be inquiring about a review loaner). If you’d like to order your own, the Yema Superman Slim is available now – with either a blue or a black dial – for $2,490 on the hexagonal steel bracelet, or $1,990 on a leather strap. yema.com
Yema Superman Slim Tech Specs
CALIBER
- Micro-Rotor Caliber Manufacture Morteau 20
- Self winding with ball bearings rotor
- 70h Power reserve
- 28 800 A/h
- Hours, minutes, seconds
- Maximum rate of -3 /+7 seconds per day
CASE & CRYSTAL
- Material: Vertical brushed 316L stainless steel with polished bevel
- Diameter: 39mm
- Thickness: 9.95mm
- Lugs: 20mm
- 2.00 mm double domed sapphire crystal
DIAL & HANDS
- Lacquered enamel
- Printed markers and polished stainless steel hour and minute hands treated in Super-LumiNova C1 Grade A
- White sweep seconds hand treated in Super-LumiNova C1 Grade A
BRACELET
- 316L stainless steel bracelet with brushed finish
- Double security folding clasp with diving extension
- OR tapered grained calf-skin with thumbnail buckle
BEZEL
- Unidirectional diving bezel with sapphire insert with 0 to 60 graduation
- Marker at 12 o’clock (luminescent) in Super-LumiNova C1 Grade A
- Mechanical bezel-lock patented since 1967
CROWN
- Screw-down crown with embossed YEMA logo
WATER RESISTANCE
- 30 BAR / 990 feet / 300 m
