Yema Meangraf Ladies Sports Watches
In the early seventies, Yema recognized that their sports watches would also be appealing to many women who wanted a robust watch beside their conventional dress watches.
Therefor they produced a couple of smaller watches with a diameter of 30mm and often an accurate derivative of the larger male models.
The ads from 1971 on the left and right show four of such Yema Meangraf Junior ladies sport watches. It states: 'Developed for men and adjusted to your size. Real sports watches They were only available to men. This could not last. Yema has repaired this injustice.' So one can say that Yema was a front runner in a conservative and male model dominated watch market. Especially when it concerned weaterproof and more rugged sports watches.
Yema Meangraf Junior
Ref. 64.019 | Calibre FHF 36 hand winding | Diameter 30mm
Yema Meangraf Junior Racing
Ref. 65.103 | Calibre FHF 362 hand winding | Diameter 30mm
The smaller sports models have a manual wound FHF 36 and FHF 362 (Date) movement. The Fabrique d'Horlogerie Fontainemelon (merged in 1925 with Landeron and in 1982 absorbed by ETA) introduced a low-priced mechanical movement which became the standard grade in 1955. Notice the subdial @7 on these Yema watches. Not your average position for a sub second register.
Ouch, missed out on this one
This Yema Ladies Sport watch with reference 65.105 I just missed out on at Catawiki. Would have been a lovely addition to my collection. Look at the beautiful original Yema metal bracelet it came on. Ouch! Missing this watch. That hurt.
Moving forward. On every opportunity you miss, there come another. Just bought a NOS Yema Ladies watch. Aparently the same model but with an 'elapsed time' diving bezel.
Yema Meangraf Junior
Ref. 65.105 | Calibre handwinding | Diameter 30mm
Case only NOS Yema Meangraf ladies sports watch
Ref. | Calibre ..... handwinding | Diameter 30mm
A beautiful addition to the collection with a special story. It was offered at eBay France as a NOS 'boitier' which means case in French. Here we have a Yema Meangraf Junior in pristine condition with the original sticker which partly covers the case back. However, without the movement. The inside of the case is filled with paper.
Aparently this was the way the watches were stored. I imagine that when they were sold en were sent off to the customer or juweler, only then the movement would be fitted into the case. Or, this was just a sample watch the Yema sales representatives used to pursuade the juwelers to buy their magnificent watches. Anyway, it is nice to have this Yema Meangraf Junior in the collection and I am inclined to leave it as is.
Yema Meangraf Junior Automatic
Ref. 59.062 E | Calibre AS 1780/83 automatic | Diameter 30mm
The only model in this Yema Meangraf Ladies Sports series powered by an automatic movement. The AS 1780/83 calibre.