Introducing The Yema x seconde/seconde/ Yachtingraff

Amidst a sea of tool watches, Yema has always been unique. Since 1948, the brand has carved its identity with a flair that feels inherently and confidently French. From space to sea, from Superman divers to the Yachtingraf, Yema's archive is rich in eccentric French utility and unique panache, featuring big-eye subregisters, digital readouts, and crown tube-mounted bezel locks.

The new Yema x seconde/seconde/ Yachtingraff (yes, that's "graff" with two F's) takes the regatta-ready tool watch and drags it through a back alley of Parisian mischief. At first glance, it's a nod to the rare and charismatic Yachtingraf Croisière from 1968, but things quickly veer off-course, on purpose. Known for his irreverent, meme-ready customizations, Romaric André, the one-man creative force behind seconde/seconde/, gives this vintage classic a whole street-art spin.

Front and center is the oversized regatta countdown subdial, still very much the heart of the design, albeit relocated from three o'clock on the original to nine o'clock on the modern iterations. As opposed to the clean printing we know and love, seconde/seconde has opted for a hand-painted finish that mimics graffiti. The colorful paint is applied in a thick manner to appear as though it remains wet, complete with white drips at the bottom. The dual 15-minute countdown capable nine o'clock register is functional, though, and graduated for regatta timing. The chronograph hands are painted to match, and the central hour and minute hands are applied with SuperLuminova to match the hour indices. The printed "Yema Yachtingraf" text at 12 o'clock has been tagged with the extra "F" because, as the brand puts it, "rules are made to be sprayed over."

Tying the dial tweaks the rest of the watch are the pushers, which have been smartly customized to appear as red and blue spray paint cans. And the solid caseback is engraved with "La Croisière, ma muse" — French for "The cruise, my muse." This is a spin on "La croisière s'amuse" or "The cruise is having fun", the French title of the American TV series The Love Boat that aired in the '70s and '80s, and André's "manifesto" for the project.

Beyond the seconde/seconde/ touches, the Yachtingraff is essentially the same watch as standard Yachtingraf Croisière, launched in July of 2024. The case measures 38.5mm in diameter by 10.53mm thick, and the crown is circular, brushed with a polished Yema logo. A Seiko VK63 meca-quartz movement hides inside, offering smooth chronograph action.

Priced at €449, the Yachtingraff is available for pre-order starting today, June 25, 2025, with deliveries estimated to begin in September 2025.

It's easy to write off customization as a gimmick, but seconde/seconde/ proves that, done right, it's something else entirely. His work skillfully walks the line between art and humor, nostalgia and disruption. His tweaks appeal to all kinds of watch enthusiasts, from new collectors looking for something approachable to longtime collectors who know the rules well enough to enjoy breaking them. Its attraction is ironic without being cynical.

From two unapologetically French brands, the collaboration just works. There's something that will make you smile, be it the spray can pushers or the cartoonish drips on the dial. And it helps that the starting place is an already great, utilitarian-focused tool chronograph.

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

Caliber: Seiko VK63 hybrid meca-quartz
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph
Winding: Meca-quartz powered

Price: €449
Availability: Pre-orders open Wednesday, June 25th, 2025 at 4PM CET / 10AM EST
Delivery: Starting September 2025

For more, visit Yema online.