Introducing The Yema Superman Bronze GMT

Two new in house movements and four new models, who is excited?

France is as important as Switzerland when it comes to the art of watchmaking. Many brands over the years can attribute a portion of their history to France with brands such as Breguet, Cartier, Bell and Ross and Jaeger LeCoultre all with French heritage. Nowadays watchmaking in France still has a growing presence with many brands keen to bring attention back to France. Yema is one such brand, who have recently announced a Kickstarter project launching mid-October that brings with it not just new models but brand new movements. Oh, and said movements are developed in-house...

The New Yema 3000 Movement

For the past few collections Yema have offered new watches with in house movements. There has been little information available online about these movements with many people speculating and assuming these movements are simply slightly modified ETA or Sellita movements. But some digging below the surfaces reveals that Yema actually are owned by a company in France called Ambre Group. Yema was added to their arsenal in 2009 and since then the brand has been going through a rebuild process.

Yema has confirmed that although they’re a part of a group, they do have dedicated watchmakers assigned to purely develop Yema’s movement offerings which is where we see this new GMT movement.

This new movement (the YEMA 3000) is not just being rolled out to existing models, Yema has taken this opportunity as a chance to extend their range with new additions to ranges as well. The model we have with us today is the Superman Bronze GMT in 41mm; acting as another sign of the brand's fondness for bronze.

The Superman Bronze GMT 2020

The case of this new release is extremely familiar as it is the same we saw on the standard Yema Superman reviewed previously, however, this is the first time we’ve had some hands-on time with a 41mm piece from the brand. When checking out the 39mm Superman we mentioned how the 39mm width is a solid option for people who tend to wear watches around 40-41mm thanks to its generous lug to lug distance.

You might expect then that the 41mm Superman actually wears a few millimetres bigger as well then, right? Well, the 41mm Superman throws a bit of a spanner into the works as most of that width seems very much planted into the dial. This naturally means legibility goes through the roof which is only enhanced further thanks to the presence of a thin bezel width as well. A contributing factor to this interesting wearability as well is also thanks to the bronze.

The warm glow invites light in rather than bouncing it away like stainless steel can do meaning the watch feels much more connected to you when wearing it.

That warm glow is also translated to the hands and surroundings of the hour markers and date window. This watch has one more main aspect to it and that is the use of blue. Blue never really seems to not be having a moment in the watch industry, but when it's combined with the lovely tones of a bronze case it feels like it hits slightly differently. This royal like combination is only enhanced further thanks to the fumée style dial and ceramic bezel.

Bronze is a good way of hinting at a brands history and its something clearly Yema see themselves using more in the future, as the other models coming with the new in house movements all have bronze in one way or another…

These 3 hander models also come with a new movement, the Yema 2000.

Watch Straps For The Yema Superman Bronze

as this is the 41mm version of the Superman, the lug width is increased from 19mm on the 39, to 20mm. This opens up a lot more doors when it comes to strap options...

Leno Handmade Genuine Calfskin Leather Watch Strap in Blue

First up is a new strap in our Italian handmade collection called the Leno Handmade. This blue option made the most sense here due to the darker tones and the way they match the dial of the watch. This combination simply makes perfect sense as the straps thickness provides day long comfort. Oh, and as this strap tapers by 2mm to the buckle, you’ll be able to swap out the bronze buckle on the standard Yema strap to complete a new, balanced look.

Naphill Genuine Nubuck Leather Quick Release Watch Strap in Camel

From one newer strap to another and the Naphill in Camel. The Yema Bronze GMT already comes fitted to a dark brown leather so we knew this combo was always going to work however the Naphill offers continuous stitching throughout the design in beige, making for a great option to pick up on the lume colour. As this strap uses nubuck leather it is incredibly soft to touch making it ideal for prolonged wrist time. It is also available in dark brown and different grey tones so you can really have some fun with this one.

Flyboard Leather/Rubber Water-Resistant Watch Strap in Blue/Black

Last but by no means least is the Flyboard Rubber in Black / Blue. This strap combines the best of leather with the best of rubber in a stylish, unique way. Of course we’ve gone for the blue here as (much like the Leno) it picks up on the dark blue tones found in the dial. A great practical option if your GMT plans to do some adventuring.

Final Thoughts

Yema is a brand that has their ear to the ground hearing both their customer demands but also expectations of the industry. An in house movement (albeit via the group that owns them) is another compelling tick for Yema to help them stand out in a growly competitive market. Although travel at the time of writing isn’t on the cards for all of us at the moment, GMT watches continue to be up there with diving watches as some of the most popular as well.

Yema will be offering these watches as of the 15th October 2020 via Kickstarter so be sure to click here to register your interest. To find out more about the brand in general head over to the Yema site. We’d like to thank Yema for sending the Superman Bronze GMT in on loan ahead of its launch mid-October 2020.