Yema Meangraf: what does its owner think?

The Yema Meangraf, commercially introduced in 1969, is one of the most original families in the history of the French brand because it was not created simply as a sports watch but as an instrument capable of relating distance travelled to elapsed time in order to determine average speed. The Meangraf name refers directly to this idea of graphing or reading an average. The earliest watches were not all chronographs: some used a three-hand display and a specially graduated bezel, whereas the Meangraf Super watches of the early 1970s added genuine chronograph movements and substantially strengthened the connection with motor racing.

The family then disappeared for several decades before being reinterpreted in the twenty-first century as meca-quartz chronographs, unusual Meangraf Sous-Marine dive watches and, more recently, automatic chronographs using the ETA Valjoux 7753. This diversity means Meangraf should be understood as a historical lineage rather than one model with fixed specifications.

Design & legibility: a watch built around average speed

The first special characteristic of the Meangraf is its speed-reading system. Unlike a conventional tachymeter that normally uses a chronograph to measure speed over a known distance, early Meangraf watches place a distance scale opposite a scale corresponding to elapsed time. The wearer positions the bezel according to the journey data and then reads the average from the appropriate scale. The average-speed calculation bezel is the original distinguishing feature of the Meangraf and directly explains its name. The function is extremely specialised but perfectly matches the growing interest in motor racing at the end of the 1960s.

Historical dials also use an aesthetic directly inspired by motoring. Several versions feature a stylised representation of a road disappearing towards the horizon, sometimes horizontal and sometimes vertical depending on generation. Contrasting lines, checkerboard motifs and touches of red or yellow reinforce the impression of a dashboard or racing instrument. The perspective-road graphic allows certain early Meangraf watches to be recognised even before the name on the dial is read. The signature is distinctive enough for Yema to have reused it in several modern reinterpretations.

Meangraf Super models from the early 1970s push the racing inspiration much further. They adopt tonneau or cushion cases, integrated bezels and bi-compax or tri-compax dials depending on the movement fitted. Colours become stronger and the subdials immediately evoke competition chronographs from the period. The move to the Meangraf Super transforms the average-speed instrument into a genuine driver’s chronograph. This generation, more than the earliest three-hand watches, directly influences modern reissues and the present perception of the Meangraf name.

The bezel on Super versions is partially integrated into the case and almost appears to extend its lines rather than simply resting above a conventional round middle case. This construction creates a silhouette very different from that of a traditional Rallygraf or Daytona-style watch. On modern versions, Yema deliberately preserves this continuity while making the bezel slightly thicker to improve grip. The visual integration of bezel and case has become the second major identifying feature of the Meangraf Super. It contributes substantially to the strong 1970s character of the design.

The B70, R70 and Y70 meca-quartz reissues reintroduced racing colours, twin central stripes and a bi-compax dial in 2021. The B70 uses a predominantly black dial with red accents, the R70 receives twin red stripes and the Y70 uses twin yellow stripes. Contrasting counters and hands preserve reasonable readability despite the abundance of graphic elements. The B70, R70 and Y70 use colour as the principal way of creating different personalities without changing the basic architecture. The overall design remains deliberately more expressive than a conventional sports watch.

The 2022 Meangraf Sous-Marine is a much more unusual case. Yema takes the name and several visual details inherited from the 1960s and 1970s but applies them to a 39 mm dive watch capable of reaching 300 metres. R60 and Y60 versions continue to use contrasts reminiscent of motoring while adding large luminous markers and a diving bezel. The Sous-Marine deliberately combines two historically distinct Yema worlds, motor racing and diving. This hybrid explains its unusual appearance within the wider family.

Cases, bezels and comfort: from the 1960s to contemporary 39 mm models

Historical Meangraf watches exist in several constructions, including chrome-plated or steel cases and round, tonneau or cushion forms. A reference 61.006 documented in Yema’s 1969 campaigns uses a case around 38 mm, a relatively generous measurement for the period. Meangraf Super chronographs from the early 1970s frequently reach approximately 39 mm. The family therefore adopted sportier dimensions relatively early compared with many contemporary French civilian watches. Their width is further emphasised visually by external bezels and elongated case shapes.

Vintage cases nevertheless require particular attention on the collector market. Certain references use chrome-plated metal rather than solid stainless steel, and wear can eventually reveal the underlying material around the edges, lugs or crown. Bezel inserts are likewise exposed to scratches and loss of paint. The condition of plating or chrome is often more important than ordinary micro-scratches on a historical Meangraf. Excessively aggressive restoration can also remove the characteristic definition of the case.

The modern meca-quartz Meangraf Super returns to a 39 mm 316L stainless-steel case. Its bidirectional rotating bezel uses a black aluminium insert, the crystal is domed mineral glass and water resistance reaches 100 metres. A 20 mm lug width makes strap changes straightforward. The 39 mm diameter allows the meca-quartz reissue to preserve the substantial presence of the original without becoming excessively large. The profile nevertheless remains relatively prominent because of the domed crystal and integrated bezel.

The mechanical Meangraf Super Japan Limited Edition also uses 39 mm but raises the construction to a higher level. Its case is vertically brushed 316L stainless steel, official thickness is 13 mm and the crystal becomes a 2.30 mm double-domed sapphire. Water resistance remains 100 metres. The move to sapphire and an automatic Valjoux movement significantly changes the perceived quality of the modern Meangraf. The case nevertheless retains the proportions and overall form that make its historical inspiration immediately identifiable.

The bezel on this edition is bidirectional and uses an aluminium insert. This bidirectionality is not problematic in the way it would be on a genuine diving bezel because its purpose here is average-speed calculation rather than securing elapsed dive time. The wearer combines the outer graduation with dial information in order to read average speed. The bezel should be understood as a motoring calculator rather than an aquatic safety device. This distinction is essential when comparing the Meangraf Super with the Meangraf Sous-Marine.

The Sous-Marine Y60 and R60 also uses a 39 mm case but is only approximately 11.6 mm thick and 45 to 45.5 mm long. Its case receives a screw-down crown, screw-down back, helium escape valve and 300 metres of stated water resistance. The bezel is protected by a sapphire insert and rotates in both directions. The comparatively compact proportions of the Sous-Marine are one of its principal advantages beside technical dive watches that are often considerably larger. It can therefore be worn every day without feeling like an oversized instrument.

Movements: France Ébauches, Valjoux, meca-quartz and the return to automatic mechanics

Early Meangraf watches use several French movements depending on reference and production period. Collector archives notably mention different France Ébauches and Jeambrun families, while auction catalogues document a Meangraf 61.006 from around 1969 with a French mechanical movement. The variety of configurations makes it risky to assign one calibre to every early Meangraf. Historical mechanics vary significantly by reference and should always be identified watch by watch. This diversity is typical of a period during which Yema worked with several French and Swiss movement suppliers.

Meangraf Super chronographs subsequently adopt manually wound Valjoux calibres. A documented reference 721122 from around 1970, for example, uses a Valjoux 7734 providing chronograph and date. Other historical variants are known with 7730, 7733 or 7736 movements depending on configuration. The Valjoux 77xx family gives the Meangraf Super the genuine chronograph function associated with its racing aesthetic. These mechanisms are now familiar to specialists in vintage servicing, although their condition can vary greatly after more than half a century.

The affordable modern reissue takes a completely different technological route through the Seiko VK64 meca-quartz. This movement uses quartz for basic timekeeping but mechanical architecture for selected chronograph functions, notably the smoother movement of the central timing hand and its instantaneous return to zero. The VK64 provides much of the tactile character of a mechanical chronograph with significantly lower purchase and maintenance costs. It is well suited to the accessible positioning of the B70, R70 and Y70.

Meca-quartz should not, however, be confused with a fully mechanical automatic movement. Power comes from a battery, basic timekeeping is electronically regulated and the owner does not need to wind the watch. Only the chronograph behaviour provides a more mechanical sensation than conventional quartz. Ease of ownership is the main advantage of the VK64 compared with historical or modern Valjoux movements. It naturally provides less appeal to someone whose primary interest is traditional mechanics.

The Meangraf Sous-Marine instead uses the automatic YEMA2000 calibre. This movement contains 29 jewels, operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides approximately 42 hours of power reserve. It supports manual winding, hacking seconds and a date at 3 o’clock. The YEMA2000 returns the Meangraf name to mechanical watchmaking while moving away from its historical chronograph purpose. Here it serves a three-hand-and-date dive watch rather than a motor-racing timing instrument.

The Meangraf Super Japan Limited Edition finally returns to a traditional automatic chronograph through the ETA Valjoux 7753. The movement contains 27 jewels, runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and Yema currently states approximately 44 hours of power reserve. Its configuration allows a bi-compax presentation visually closer to older racing chronographs than a standard 7750 layout. The Valjoux 7753 is the contemporary mechanism most directly aligned with the chronograph heritage of the Meangraf Super. It inevitably brings greater thickness, mass and servicing cost than the VK64.

Chronological milestones and main models (1969–2024)

(1969) Yema Meangraf Average-Speed Instrument:

The Yema Meangraf 61.006 is documented in Yema advertising campaigns from 1969 and represents one of the earliest clearly identified expressions of the concept. Its case measures around 38 mm and its black dial combines applied markers, a date display and graphics directly inspired by roads and motor racing. The bezel allows elapsed time and distance travelled to be related in order to obtain an average, the function that gives the watch its name. Unlike the later Meangraf Super, this generation is not necessarily a chronograph. Vintage examples can show variations in dial, case and movement, making precise identification of each individual watch more appropriate than treating every 1969 Meangraf as technically identical.

(1970) Yema Meangraf Super Move to the Genuine Chronograph:

The Yema Meangraf Super 721122 illustrates the family’s evolution towards a genuine motor-racing chronograph at the beginning of the 1970s. Its tonneau case measures approximately 39 mm and combines a rotating black bezel with a two-register dial to create a substantially more technical appearance than the earliest Meangraf watches. The documented reference uses a manually wound Valjoux 7734 with date. Its colours, silhouette and subdial layout are fully consistent with competition chronographs from the period. This generation becomes the principal source of inspiration for contemporary reissues, particularly through the integrated case, racing stripes, contrasting colours and bi-compax display.

(2021) Yema Meangraf Super Y70 Meca-Quartz Reinterpretation:

The Yema Meangraf Super Y70 YMHF1576-CU31 belongs to the modern revival of the Meangraf Super in an accessible version powered by a Seiko VK64 meca-quartz calibre. Its 39 mm stainless-steel case is water-resistant to 100 metres and receives a bidirectional aluminium bezel, domed mineral crystal and bi-compax dial with twin yellow stripes. The chronograph uses a central timing hand with a smoother movement than conventional quartz and a rapid mechanical reset to zero. B70 and R70 variants apply the same principle with different colour combinations. Meca-quartz makes it possible to offer an aesthetic closely related to the 1970s without the costs and maintenance associated with a genuine vintage mechanical chronograph.

(2022) Yema Meangraf Sous-Marine Y60 Fusion of Motoring and Diving:

The Yema Meangraf Sous-Marine Y60 edirects the Meangraf name towards a 39 mm automatic dive watch. Its stainless-steel case measures approximately 11.6 mm thick and receives a screw-down crown, screw-down back, helium escape valve and stated water resistance of 300 metres. A sapphire-protected bezel and BGW9 Super-LumiNova address underwater readability while the dial retains graphic details inspired by racing. Automatic calibre YEMA2000 operates at 4 Hz and provides approximately 42 hours of reserve. The R60 uses a more strongly contrasted red-and-white palette whereas the Y60 adopts more subdued tones.

(2024) Yema Meangraf Super Japan Limited Edition Return to the Automatic Valjoux:

The Yema Meangraf Super Japan Limited Edition YMEAN24JP-AA33LS reintroduces a genuine automatic chronograph and strengthens the cultural connection between the Meangraf and Japan, where the model is notably known for appearing on the wrist of the hero of Lupin III. The series is limited to 500 pieces and uses an ETA Valjoux 7753 automatic movement operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The case retains its 39 mm diameter and characteristic integrated styling while the black dial, red accents and racing graphics revive the codes of early-1970s watches. This version represents a clear step upwards from the meca-quartz Meangraf watches and repositions the model as a mechanical collector chronograph.

Choosing the right version: vintage, meca-quartz, Sous-Marine or automatic Valjoux

A historical Meangraf primarily suits a collector attracted to French watchmaking from the 1960s and 1970s. Its dials, bezels and cases possess a personality that is difficult to reproduce completely in a reissue, but condition can vary enormously. On an early Meangraf, authenticity of the dial, bezel and case should matter more than an artificially new appearance. The movement should also be inspected by a watchmaker familiar with vintage mechanisms.

The meca-quartz Meangraf Super is considerably simpler for everyday ownership. It preserves most of the racing style, costs less to maintain and offers 100 metres of water resistance. Meca-quartz is the most rational choice when design matters more than mechanical prestige. It also allows regular use of the chronograph without needing to keep a mechanical movement wound.

The Sous-Marine follows an entirely different logic. Its 300 metres of water resistance, helium valve, sapphire construction and available FKM rubber make it far more suitable for water than a Meangraf Super. The Sous-Marine is relevant for someone who appreciates Meangraf aesthetics but primarily wants a genuine automatic dive watch. It does, however, abandon the chronograph and average-speed calculation historically central to the name.

The Valjoux 7753 Japan Limited Edition is aimed more directly at someone wanting to combine historical styling with a genuine automatic chronograph. Its thickness and weight exceed those of the meca-quartz model and servicing costs will naturally be higher. The Valjoux 7753 nevertheless provides the mechanical experience most consistent with historical Meangraf Super chronographs. Its limitation to 500 pieces also strengthens its collector appeal.

Finally, the Meangraf name alone should never determine a purchase because the family covers extremely different watches: historical three-hand models, manually wound chronographs, meca-quartz pieces, automatic dive watches and modern automatic chronographs. The exact reference and movement are therefore essential to understanding what is actually being purchased. Other customers’ opinions are essential.

Conclusion

The Yema Meangraf is aimed at enthusiasts attracted to one of the most original expressions of French sporting-watch heritage. Its historical average-speed calculation, road-inspired dials, streamlined cases and Meangraf Super chronographs give it an identity clearly distinct from Rallygraf or Superman models. The diversity of the lineage is both its main attraction and its principal difficulty: a 1969 Meangraf, a meca-quartz Super, a 300-metre Sous-Marine and a Valjoux-powered Japan Limited Edition provide completely different ownership experiences. Selection should therefore focus as much on function and movement as on appearance.

To compare accuracy, comfort, bezel operation, case quality and the real-world experience of the different generations, Dialicious customer reviews provide a particularly useful complement.

(Updated October 2026)