Choosing a Bronze Diver
My Ongoing Debate Between the Oris Carl Brashear Bronze 401 and the Yema Superman Heritage Bronze
When thinking about a bronze watch for a collection, it seems to me that a diver is about perfect if patina is the desired look, since being in the water helps to accelerate the oxidization process. The first bronze watch that I purchased several years back was a Yema Superman Heritage Bronze diver with the 41mm case. I was smitten with the bronze finish from day one and have enjoyed the gradual discoloration of the case. Having something different from the typical steel case in the collection is also part of the appeal.
My wife who pays little interest to watches actually liked the Yema with its bronze case, blue dial and leather strap. I’ve talked to some other collectors who say that their wive’s like their bronze watches best too so maybe that’s common (word to the wise). Combining my own tastes and my wife’s rare interest, here’s what appeals to me in a bronze watch; (1) a diver, (2) blue dial, (3) around 40mm for all around use, and (4) a bronze bezel so that it discolors with the patina around the rest of the case.
Since I’m a watch collector and we collectors can’t seem to resist looking for the next watch, I looked around the market for other bronze divers and noticed the Oris Carl Brashear bronze limited edition releases. Initially, I was attracted to chronograph until I realized that it was over 16mm thick. The second Carl Brasher featured a date but it’s still a bit large with a 42mm diameter and at over 13mm thick. The most recent Carl Brashear release with the small sub-seconds featured the newer Caliber 400 in-house movement and better proportions with a 40mm case and 20mm lug width. I decided to try this one out and compare it directly to the Yema and here’s what I’ve noticed so far.
Colors
The bronze on the Yema has a little more of a yellow/gold tint to it while Oris bronze is more red. I can't decide which of these colors I like best but both seem to work great. The dial on the Yema is a lighter blue which I prefer slightly over the dark blue on the Oris but both pair nicely with the bronze cases.
Movements
This particular Oris features the in-house movement with the 120 hour power reserve, 10 year maintenance cycle and 10 year warranty. The Yema also features an in-house MBP100 Caliber with a 45 hr power reserve rated for +-6 seconds per day. Yema’s in-house offerings are more or less Sellita/ETA clones from what I can tell. Obviously, the movement advantage goes to the Oris but the Yema can be acquired for at least $1k less than the Oris when buying preowned and more so when buying new.
Bezels
Both watches feature a fully bronze bezel which will make the patina more visible. The numbers on the Yema bezel are recessed while I like how the ones on the Oris stand up off the bezel. I think it makes the numbers more legible while creating a place for extra oxidization to set in.
Crystals
The sapphire crystal on the Oris is more domed and you can see this in how it reflects in pictures. This adds a nice vintage-style element to the watch but the Yema is much easier to photograph. I tend to prefer flat crystals but in a watch like this that is designed to call back to historic models, a domed crystal gives a nice effect.
Indices
The indices on the Yema are printed while on the Oris they are applied. The outlines of the applied indices stand out and give the watch a look of dimension when glanced at from various angles. I definitely think that the indices elevate The Oris.
Price
The Yema Superman Heritage Bronze featured in this article is a release from 2019 which sold for $1300. Since Yema originally sold it through a Kickstarter, however, it was not uncommon to find it for around $700-800 closer to where the backers paid. The Oris is listed at $4,200 but along with their other in-house releases, you’ll find that the preowned value for Oris is still closer to their previous prices than to some new spot upmarket. These seem to sell closer to $2k on the preowned market, keeping the Yema at a much more affordable price but the preowned Oris as a great value.
Conclusion
I’m currently leaning toward the Oris, (although my wife still likes the Yema better). I do like the blue dial on Yema better but prefer the applied indices on the Oris. Part of my reason for leaning toward Oris is that I’m thinking of narrowing down the number of brands in the collection in favor of multiple pieces from the same brands (with Oris being the brand of these two I’m most likely to stick with). Collecting decisions keep the hobby interesting. If you were to choose one of these two, which would it be? I would love to see why you would make your choice in the comments!