First Look: The Yema Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 Limited Edition – Monochrome Watches

French brand Yema keeps pushing the quality of its watches higher and higher, and the recently released updated and refined Superman Slim CMM.20, featuring a proprietary automatic micro-rotor movement, rightfully received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Today, the watchmaker from the Morteau region presents a new interpretation of the brand’s emblematic 1960s skin dive watch series, the Skin Diver Slim CMM.20; we take a first look.

If the bezel-lock system, an emblematic yet slightly controversial element of this collection, has ever deterred you from buying a Yema Superman, rejoice! Here is a stylish Yema dive watch with 300m water resistance, housed in a 39mm stainless steel case that’s just 10mm thick (excl. crystal) and measures 47mm lug-to-lug. It features a unidirectional rotating bezel, without the lock! 

This watch looks and feels great on the wrist, exuding a vintage vibe through various design elements such as the 2mm thick double-dome sapphire crystal, the faded ghost grey sapphire bezel insert with a 0 to 60 timer scale, and the Super-LumiNova C3 Grade A applied to the hands, indices, and 60-minute dot-mark on the bezel, all contributing to its distinctive retro flair. The case is mainly brushed, with polished bevels for contrast that we are accustomed to associating with luxury watches. Looking good, wearing nice, performing as expected and nicely executed.

The lacquered dark grey dial complements the case design and finishes beautifully. The sizable steel trapezoid indices, a distinctive element already on previous Superman Skin Diver editions, enhance legibility, while the imprinted numerals at the cardinal positions add an original and fun touch. The minutes/seconds track is crisp, and the dial’s balance is maintained by the Yema Superman logo, the water-resistance rating, and the indication of a micro-rotor movement – the latter visible through the sapphire caseback.

The titular automatic micro-rotor movement, CMM.20, created in collaboration with Olivier Mory, was first introduced by Yema in the Wristmaster limited series in 2022 and featured in this year’s Superman Slim and Navygraf Slim. The bridges and mainplate are manufactured by Yema and combined with Swiss components, the calibre is assembled in the Morteau manufacture. The golden-coloured balance and tungsten micro-rotor stand out against the blackened backdrop of galvanized bridges. While there’s not much to see in terms of inner workings, the overall image is pleasing and suits the timepiece perfectly, offering a contrasting retro-look and the present-day performance – this calibre boasts a 70-hour power reserve, a 4Hz frequency and an accuracy of -3/+7 seconds per day, which is commendable.

Another sure feature of the Yema Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 to draw attention is the Scales Slim stainless steel bracelet, inspired by a heritage design from the 1960s. This bracelet features a pattern of elongated hexagons that tessellate together, resembling a snake’s skin. The bracelet, brushed to match the case’s finish, secures with a double-security folding clasp that includes an extension, allowing for easy adjustment if you want to wear your Yema Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 over a diving suit.

The Yema Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 is presented as a limited edition of 500 pieces. The watch comes with a 5-year warranty and is priced at EUR 2,249. For more, please visit yema.com.