Yema Marks 400 Years of the Marine Nationale with a New Navygraf Collection

Four centuries is a rare milestone, even in a watch world that often trades on long memory.

For the Marine Nationale’s 400th anniversary, Yema has created a commemorative Navygraf collection that ranges from a limited mechanical diver to two more accessible quartz models with a naval-inspired finish.

The standout is the Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition, a 300-metre steel diver with a forged carbon dial, a countdown bezel and Yema’s in-house micro-rotor automatic movement.

At a glance

A naval anniversary with real watchmaking weight

The Marine Nationale was founded in 1626 by Cardinal Richelieu, giving France’s state navy a history that predates many of horology’s oldest surviving names.

Yema’s modern partnership with the Marine Nationale gives this anniversary collection a clearer reason to exist than a simple commemorative dial.

Rather than producing one celebratory watch, the French brand has split the release into three Navygraf references.

At the top sits the Barracuda CMM.20, while the Navygraf Marine Nationale 400th Anniversary Edition arrives in 39mm and 34mm formats at a much lower price point.

The Barracuda CMM.20 is the technical centrepiece

The Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition takes its name from France’s submarine programme and is the most capable watch in the anniversary line-up.

Its 39mm stainless steel case is rated to 300 metres and fitted with a screw-down crown, keeping the proportions compact while giving it genuine dive-watch credentials.

The dial is forged carbon, with irregular fibre patterning created by high-pressure compression, and it’s matched by a carbon composite bezel insert.

Yema has used red accents and Super-LumiNova for contrast, while the caseback continues the anniversary character with a translucent red exhibition window.

The bezel is arranged as a countdown scale rather than a conventional elapsed-time diving insert.

That makes it useful for timing a mission start, a surface interval or a fixed amount of remaining time, with the zero marker acting as the point of action rather than the beginning of a count.

Inside is the Yema Manufacture CMM.20, an automatic calibre built around a tungsten micro-rotor and offering a 70-hour power reserve.

The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and is rated to -3/+7 seconds per day, which places the watch firmly in enthusiast territory rather than souvenir-watch territory.

Bronze-toned Navygraf models bring the anniversary to a wider audience

The two Navygraf Marine Nationale 400th Anniversary Edition models take a different route, trading the Barracuda’s mechanical specification for quartz reliability and lower pricing.

Both use stainless steel with a bronze ion-plated coating, giving the cases a warm maritime tone without moving into a full bronze case construction.

The 39mm version has a blue radial-gradient dial and is rated to 200 metres, making it the sportier of the two quartz references.

The 34mm model uses a white mother-of-pearl dial and carries a 100-metre rating, with a softer visual character and a more compact case.

Both are powered by the Seiko VH31 quartz calibre and use applied luminous hour markers for low-light legibility.

The 39mm model is priced at £460, while the 34mm model is priced at £370.

Unlike the Barracuda, these two anniversary editions are not limited editions, although the accompanying Marine Nationale patch will be supplied only while stocks last.

Details & Specifications

Release timing and commemorative details

All three Marine Nationale 400th anniversary watches are scheduled to go on sale from July 14 at 6am BST.

The date is neatly chosen, landing on French National Day and giving the release an additional national connection beyond the naval anniversary itself.

Each watch comes with a commemorative Marine Nationale patch, though only the Barracuda carries a fixed production number of 400 pieces.

For collectors, the Barracuda is the obvious draw thanks to its limited run, in-house micro-rotor movement and more serious dive specification.

For buyers who want the Marine Nationale link without the mechanical premium, the quartz Navygraf models keep the design language accessible and still feel purposefully tied to the occasion.

Yema has resisted making the collection feel like a simple logo exercise, and that’s what gives the release its appeal.