What We Know:
Among a sea of tool watches, Yema has always stood out. Since 1948, the company has built out an identity with a distinctly French flair. From space to sea, from Superman divers to the Yachtingraf, Yema’s legacy is full of wacky French utility and unique panache, like big-eye subregisters, digital readouts, and crown tube-mounted bezel locks.
The new Yema x seconde/seconde/Yachtingraff (that’s “graff” with two F’s) takes the regatta-ready tool watch and drags it through a back alley of Parisian mayhem. At first sight, it appears to be a reference to the rare and charismatic Yachtingraf Croisière from 1968, but things gradually deviate on purpose. Romaric André, the one-person creative power behind seconde/seconde/, known for his irreverent, meme-ready adaptations, adds a street-art twist to this old classic.
The large regatta countdown subdial remains at the core of the design. However, it has been moved from three o’clock in the original to nine o’clock in the later incarnations. Instead of the neat printing we’re used to, seconde/seconde has gone with a hand-painted finish that looks like graffiti. The bright paint is applied thickly so that it appears wet, with white drips at the bottom. The nine o’clock register, which has a dual 15-minute countdown capability, is functional and graduated for regatta timing.
The chronograph hands are painted to match, and the central hour and minute hands are coated in SuperLuminova to match the hour indices. The printed “Yema Yachtingraf” phrase at noon has been marked with the extra “F” because, as the company says, “rules are made to be sprayed over.”
The pushers that connect the dial to the remainder of the watch have been cleverly altered to resemble red and blue spray paint cans. The sturdy caseback is also etched with “La Croisière, ma muse” — French for “The cruise, my muse.” This is a play on “La croisière s’amuse,” or “The cruise is having fun,” the French title of the American television series The Love Boat, which ran in the 1970s and 1980s, and André’s “manifesto” for the project.
Beyond the second/seconde/ touches, the Yachtingraff is essentially the same watch as the normal Yachtingraf Croisière, which was released in July 2024. The casing is 38.5mm in diameter and 10.53mm thick, and the crown is circular and brushed with a polished Yema logo. A Seiko VK63 meca-quartz movement hides inside, providing smooth chronograph activity.
The Yachtingraff, priced at €449, is available for pre-order beginning today, June 25, 2025, with delivery expected to begin in September 2025.
What We Think
It’s easy to dismiss personalization as a gimmick, but seconde/seconde/ demonstrates that when done correctly, it’s something else entirely. His work expertly navigates the gap between art and humour, nostalgia and disruption. His changes appeal to a wide range of watch aficionados, from new collectors searching for something approachable to seasoned collectors who know the rules well enough to relish breaking them. Its appeal is sarcastic without being cynical.
The partnership between two authentically French labels simply works. There is something that will make you smile, whether it is the spray can pushers or the comical drips on the dial. And it helps that the starting point is an excellent, utilitarian-focused tool chronograph.
The Basics
Brand: Yema
Model: Yema x seconde/seconde/ Yachtingraff
Diameter: 38.5mm
Thickness: 10.3mm
Case Material: 316L stainless steel
Dial Color: Black with customized sub-registers
Indexes: Applied
Lume: SuperLuminova
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Black Tropic-style rubber with pin buckle
The Movement
Caliber: Seiko VK63 hybrid meca-quartz.
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, and chronograph.
Winding: Meca-quartz powered.
Yema Watch Pricing and Availability Details
Price: €449.
Availability: Pre-orders commence on Wednesday, June 25th, 2025, at 4 PM CET / 10 AM EST.
Delivery: Beginning September 2025.
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