The New Yema Flygraf Flieger FAF Takes To The Skies

Since the 1970s, Yema has been partnering with various branches of the French defence force as an official supplier of timing instruments. This longstanding partnership encompassed various iterations of Yema’s iconic Superman dive watch, which could be found on the wrists of Helicopter Rescue Divers as well as French Air Force Pilots. Expanding its collection, Yema now once again collaborates with the French Air Force (or FAF) for the design and development of the Flygraf Flieger FAF. Let’s take a look at this sensible pilot’s watch.

Yema is mostly known for its Superman, which comes in many guises but has remained true to the original design of the 1970s for the most part. Of course, in modern interpretations of the Superman, you will find modern materials and mechanics, but the essence is very much there. But it’s not the brand’s only forte, as families such as the Navygraf and Flygraf cater to different military requirements.

The 40mm wide by 9.40mm thin case comes in grade 2 titanium with a satin-matte finish, to give it a lightweight and tactile look and feel. The oversized pull-out crown is easy to grip, even with gloves on. The stainless steel caseback is decorated with the FAF’s logo. On top, a double-domed sapphire crystal and a rather narrow bezel give way to the dial as much as possible. The water resistance is rated at 100 meters, so you don’t have to worry about taking this pilot’s watch for a splash. A 46mm lug-to-lug size also keeps things in check when it comes to its wearability.

The dial for the Flygraf Flieger FAF comes in three colourways; black, blue or green. This gets some sense of depth thanks to the sandwich triangular 12 o’clock marker, the raised hour markers and the raised minute track on the outer perimeter. For all three colours, these details come in a mix of white and cream. The central hour and minute hands as well as the hour markers are finished with BGW9 Super-LumiNova, emitting a blue glow. The date window at 6′ has a disc that matches the dial. The finishing touches are the Yema logo and name, and the FAF logo.

Movement-wise, Yema has opted to install its proprietary Calibre Yema2000 automatic, which is conceived and assembled in Morteau, in the French Jura. This runs at a rate of 28,800vph and has a power reserve of 42 hours. Driven by a central rotor, it’s regulated in 4 positions to achieve a precision of -/+ 10 seconds of deviation per day. This movement comes in date and no-date configurations, but it’s quite obvious which one we’re dealing with here.

The new Yema Flygraf Flieger FAF collection is fitted with a military Canvas strap in blue, black or green to match the dial, and secured to the wrist with a pin buckle. All three models are available to pre-order as of now, for a price of USD 990, and deliveries are scheduled to commence in May 2024.

For more information, please visit Yema.com.