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A Pretty Rare Vintage Yema Rallye - Alpine-Renault Logo

  1. matthew_VA Oct 19, 2017

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    Recently acquired this rare Yema Rallye. Instead of 'Yema' on the dial, it has the logo of the French racing and sports car manufacturer, Alpine-Renault. It also has the 45min sub-dial, which is pretty rare too.

    I haven't been able to find a lot of information about this dial variation but someone on a French watch forum mentioned that these watches were made for the drivers and mechanics of the Alpine-Renault racing team. I'm hoping to try to find out more information about it--how many were produced, when were they made, etc.!

    yema.jpg

    yema-alpine.jpg


    5775459-8609567.jpg
     
    dubois, Baz9614, mappleluna and 14 others like this.
  2. morningtundra Oct 19, 2017

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    Very cool. 1980s?
     
  3. matthew_VA Oct 19, 2017

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    Thanks! I actually believe it is from the late '60s or early '70s but trying to get confirmation...

     
  4. Overgrower Oct 22, 2017

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    Wow awesome watch! Congratulations, love the light blue Alpine logo
     
  5. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Oct 22, 2017

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    Your alpine?
     
  6. Just Livin Oct 22, 2017

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    Wonderful dial, congrats on the find. Dibs please :)
     
  7. Just Livin Oct 22, 2017

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    I would say that someone at sometime swapped out the hands.
    The hands look as though they have come from the Yema 'Big Eye' Sous Marine. Am guessing whoever did it liked the fact it matched up with the red lines on the dial.

    Hands from Sous Marine:
    b4d4d811f00b6b2188b3a727ebdf69a5.jpg


    Hands seen on the variations of Yema Rallye (thin white and lume filled) dials:
    Septa-LeJour-Yema-Rallye-watch.jpg

    Non the less it is a rare dial for sure.
    Quite how many, who knows. But cant be that many if made for the racing team.
     
    noelekal likes this.
  8. dodo44 Oct 22, 2017

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    Dibs. It is beautiful!
     
  9. dodo44 Oct 22, 2017

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    PS. I am not sure what the association was, other than the Alpine was featured in some ads by Yema.
     
  10. matthew_VA Oct 23, 2017

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    Yes, I acquired it a couple weeks ago. Had been wanting a Yema Rallye for a while and couldn't pass up this unqiue dial variation!

     
  11. matthew_VA Oct 23, 2017

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    Thanks, I appreciate it!

    The hands are interesting... I have actually seen these on acouple other Rallyes (and Yachtgrafs). Some (on a french watch forum) have speculated that they are 1) service hands, 2) requested by customer at order, or 3) what Yema had at the time of constructing the watch (temporarily ran out of the narrow pointed ones). In any case, it is pretty cool that they match up with the red lines on the dial!


    Screen Shot 2017-10-02 at 5.55.38 PM.png

     
    dubois likes this.
  12. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Oct 23, 2017

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    Enjoy you lucky sob!!! ;)

    That’s a bucket list car for me to drive.
     
    dubois likes this.
  13. kippyk Nov 2, 2017

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    Very cool watches. Unique and very "vintagey".
     
  14. Ninja2789 Nov 2, 2017

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    First time I've actually seen a differently signed dial. Anyone know if there have been other variants?
     
  15. jhross98 Nov 2, 2017

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    i am no yema expert
    this is super interesting. i also thought they were swapped hands at a later date, but if they are on that many examples likely one of the 3 theories is right