YEMA Goes Full Stealth With The New Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20
When a watch brand celebrates a military partnership, the temptation is often to slap a commemorative logo on the dial, engrave something on the caseback and call it a day. Thankfully, YEMA has taken a far more interesting route.
To mark 400 years of the French Navy, the French brand has launched the Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition, a dive watch inspired by France's latest generation of Barracuda nuclear attack submarines. And unlike plenty of military themed releases, this one actually feels like it belongs beneath the waves rather than behind a display cabinet.
Inspired By The Silent Service
As the official watchmaking partner of the Marine Nationale, YEMA has plenty of naval heritage to draw upon. The Barracuda is named after the French Navy's formidable submarine programme, with several subtle design touches borrowed directly from life below the surface.
The forged carbon dial and bezel create a unique marbled finish, meaning no two watches are exactly alike. It gives the Navygraf an unmistakably tactical look while keeping the weight down and adding a thoroughly modern twist to a watch with roots stretching back to the 1970s.
Then there are the flashes of red.
Normally we'd assume it was simply there to make the watch look a bit sportier, but every splash of colour has a purpose. The oversized minute hand, Barracuda logo and first 20 minutes of the countdown bezel reference operational timing procedures used aboard submarines, where precision matters rather more than catching the parking meter.
A Caseback That Actually Tells A Story
Flip the watch over and things get even cooler.
Instead of a conventional sapphire display back, YEMA has fitted a red tinted sapphire crystal. It sounds like something dreamed up by the marketing department after one too many espressos, but it is actually inspired by the red lighting used aboard submarines, allowing crews to read instruments without sacrificing their night vision before surfacing.
It's one of those wonderfully nerdy details that most people will never notice, but watch enthusiasts absolutely will. The engraved insignia of the French Navy's submarine forces finishes the look perfectly.
Small On Paper, Big On Capability
One of the biggest surprises is the sizing.
At 39mm across and under 10mm thick without the crystal, this is a remarkably slim dive watch, especially considering it still manages 300 metres of water resistance. Add the 46mm lug to lug measurement and you've got something that should wear comfortably on just about any wrist.
Other highlights include:
39mm brushed stainless steel case
Forged carbon dial and unidirectional bezel
Double domed sapphire crystal
Screw down crown with Marine Nationale logo
300 metre water resistance
Choice of NATO strap or steel bracelet with tool free micro adjustment clasp
The Movement Continues To Raise Eyebrows
If you've followed YEMA over the past couple of years, you'll know the real headline isn't actually the forged carbon. It's the CMM.20.
Designed, manufactured, assembled and regulated in France, the automatic micro rotor movement delivers an impressive 70 hour power reserve while running to an accuracy of between minus three and plus seven seconds per day. It's slim, beautifully finished and arguably one of the strongest arguments that YEMA deserves far more recognition than it often receives.
For a brand once pigeonholed as purely vintage inspired, the CMM.20 has quietly become one of the most interesting manufacture movements available anywhere near this price point.
Limited To 400 Pieces
Appropriately, production is capped at just 400 examples, matching the French Navy's 400th anniversary. Buyers will also receive an exclusive commemorative anniversary patch, making this feel like a genuine collector's piece rather than another arbitrary limited edition.
Winding Things Up
YEMA has been on a bit of a roll lately, and the Barracuda might just be one of its strongest releases yet.
It doesn't rely on nostalgia alone. Instead, it blends genuine military heritage with modern materials, clever storytelling and one of the best in house movements currently coming out of France. The forged carbon gives it a fresh personality, the submarine inspired details feel authentic rather than gimmicky, and the restrained 39mm case makes it refreshingly wearable.
Let's be honest, plenty of dive watches claim to be "built for adventure" before spending their lives timing pasta in the kitchen. The Barracuda at least has the backstory to convince you it could survive something a little more exciting.
And if nothing else, that red submarine caseback is worth showing off every chance you get.
