# Yonger & bresson - YBH 8311K



## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

Hi guys,










First, a bit of history 

I'm always looking for a French watch brand, and as it's not for soon I'll be able to afford a _BRM_, so I have to do with YEMA, LIP and very recently&#8230;
YONGER & BRESSON.

To make a long story short, I'm a fan of YEMA & LIP (before 1974) for a long time, but Yonger & Bresson never interested me, mainly because the brand was making cheap quartzes in the 80s' and had an especially cheesy advertising campain every french person in their late 30s' remember with terror :-d






Believe me guys, the lyrics are&#8230; well you really don't want to know ! :-d

Yesterday afternoon, I was seeking informations about YEMA, recently bought by AMBRE&#8230; owner of&#8230; Yonger & Bresson \o/

I took a look at Y&B site, 
http://www.yonger-bresson.fr/
and discovered their current line isn't that bad, really, with many auto movements, and even manual winding *TOURBILLONS* :think: I was intrigued, to say the less.

I looked for retail places, and saw that their was an AD in Versailles, very near from the road I take everyday. It was settled, I had to see for myself, and took the direction of the shop right away.

It was a very small shop, in a funny little street. The watchmaker was very kind, and we began to talk about watches... Unfortunately, all the Y&B he had were quartzes&#8230; except one, a sporty 3-hands and here it is :










It didn't really catch my attention, yesterday, especially because of the price (230€ :-s ) much, much too expensive for what I believe is a chinese movement :think: but I don't know why, I've been thinking about this watch all day long and finally, in the middle of the day, I called back the watchmaker and asked him if he was OK to sell it to me for 170€ (a bit more than 25% off), that he agrees in the end \o/

So I get back to the shop after work, and bought it.
I know it's too expensive for what it really is, but I really like it, and you guys know how these things happen&#8230; we're weak, all resistance is useless :roll:

This model is romantically baptised "YBH 8311K" :-d
It exists with black dial (this one), white & cream.

A bit of datas :

The dial has "clou de Paris" finish.
The numbers are white, applied, with steel all around.
The seconds hand is red with W&B crown at one end (nice :-! )
Great white lume on numbers + hours & minutes hands |>
The date window (with cyclops) is at 6h ; I don't think I ever owned a watch with this configuration :think:
See-through case (mineral glass both front & back) antireflective glass
The movement is nicely finished, with a golden sundialed & Y&B branded mass,
18 jewels
Metallic spacer
"_Besançon_" stamp on the back (it can be seen between "Étanche 50 mètres" and "Verre anti-reflet" markings).
The crown is signed
All writings are in french.

- It's an automatic movement (I think it's probably chinese, but it's really, really nicely finished and it looks "heavier" than my other mushroom watches :think: if someone can identify it, I'd be pleased 








- the case is 40mm without the crown, 42mm crown included, 11mm high
- 48mm lugs to lugs
- the lugs are 20mm wide
- the case is "levelled", rather nice

The strap is a black leather with white stitchings with a nice buckle, nothing spectacular, but quite OK. One thing, it's unusually long :think:

And now, enough with the long talk, here are the PICS ! (to avoid long dowloading times, I'll post again after this page)

PART I

I - Packaging :
Nothing fancy, a black metallic box, no papers/instructions&#8230;





































II - General overlook :
































































I'm not sure the "Fabriqué en France" is 100% true, but&#8230;

And now, let's move to Part II ---->


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*PART II - Yonger & bresson - YBH 8311K*

III - The back























































IV - Side view
(sorry for the fingerprints)




























We can see the cyclops on the left :









let's move to Part III ------>


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*PART III - Yonger & bresson - YBH 8311K*

V - Strap




























VI - Wristshots





































I'm really happy tonight, the watch keeps great time since 18h30 (it's currently 21:54) and I'm thrilled to have this "francochine" thing on my wrist 

Hope you like it too !


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## Nighthawk (Feb 11, 2006)

Great pictures of a very good-looking watch! Enjoy it! :-!


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

Nighthawk said:


> Great pictures of a very good-looking watch! Enjoy it! :-!


Thanks Nighthawk, I certainly will


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## delaguer (Oct 14, 2008)

Yeah!! I like review with lots of pictures like this!!! 

Thanks for taking the time to write this Reno! I really enjoy reading your review and looking at the pictures! b-)


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

delaguer said:


> Yeah!! I like review with lots of pictures like this!!!
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to write this Reno! I really enjoy reading your review and looking at the pictures! b-)


:thanks delaguer !

I was quite enthusiastic, yesterday evening ;-)
And I'm still am, today  I love the watch !! ^_^


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## aladin_sane (Mar 22, 2008)

Looking good Reno. Enjoy the watch. I don't think you need to tell the rest of your countrymen about where you think the watch really comes from.


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## gigfy (Apr 13, 2007)

Very nice review Reno. Your pictures are extraordinary!!

If I'm not mistaken, you are correct in assuming the movement is Chinese. I believe it is a Sea-Gull ST16. ST1612-6 to be exact. I have a ST1612-3 in my M177s but it doesn't have the blued screws or as nice of a rotor. The rotor on your Y&B is awesome.

Wear it in good health,
gigfy


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

aladin_sane said:


> Looking good Reno. Enjoy the watch. I don't think you need to tell the rest of your countrymen about where you think the watch really comes from.


Thanks Aladin !
:-d Yes, I think you're right.
But can you believe such a stupid behaviour in 2009 ? :think: Being that chauvinistic ?
And buying at such ridiculous high price, something because it says it's from the _motherland_ ? :roll:
Damn, I'm an idiot, I know it, but I do it anyway :-d



gigfy said:


> Very nice review Reno. Your pictures are extraordinary!!
> 
> If I'm not mistaken, you are correct in assuming the movement is Chinese. I believe it is a Sea-Gull ST16. ST1612-6 to be exact. I have a ST1612-3 in my M177s but it doesn't have the blued screws or as nice of a rotor. The rotor on your Y&B is awesome.
> 
> ...


:thanks gigfy ! I really enjoyed taking these photos, yesterday evening.
I'll probably make another session with daylight, but not this week-end I'm afraid.

Thanks a lot for your input on the movement ; yes I believe too it's some kind of _enhanced_* ST-16*. It took me some time to realize the rotor was far thicker than on my other germasians... they did a _really_ good job there


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## Redrum (Sep 17, 2008)

Looking really good!
The most important part is that you like it

Take care Reno

RRDJ


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## R/T Hemi (Feb 14, 2009)

Very nice addition to your collection Reno! I would say if you really like the watch then it was worth what you paid for it. Enjoy it in good health!


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## nhoJ (Mar 14, 2008)

Looks nice Renault. I like the font of the numbers on the dial.

What do you mean by this word..."francochine"? Would I call this French-lite?

I think there is a French word for that patterning on the dial. It starts with a "G" and ends in a "tte", but I can't remember the letters in between 

Is this a real French watch company or more of a labeling of a Fashion watch?

I was going to guess SeaGull also as that is the only one I can recognize.


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

R/T Hemi said:


> Very nice addition to your collection Reno! I would say if you really like the watch then it was worth what you paid for it. Enjoy it in good health!


Thanks Hemi !



nhoJ said:


> Looks nice Renault. I like the font of the numbers on the dial.
> 
> What do you mean by this word..."francochine"? Would I call this French-lite?


Thanks John,
Actually, I was reading a thread about Y&B a few days ago, and Loddonite proposed the word "francochine" as a parallel to "germasian" for german brands with chinese movements.
https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=1397809&highlight=francochine#post1397809



nhoJ said:


> I think there is a French word for that patterning on the dial. It starts with a "G" and ends in a "tte", but I can't remember the letters in between
> 
> Is this a real French watch company or more of a labeling of a Fashion watch?
> 
> I was going to guess SeaGull also as that is the only one I can recognize.


Do you mean "guilloché" ? Actually, "guilloché" is something like this :








(not my pic)(alas !)
On my Y&B, it's a "clou de Paris" (I don't know the english word for it :think: ) like that :










Well Yonger & Bresson used to be a real french brand in 1975 near Besançon&#8230; it sold cheap watches in the 80s' quartz era&#8230; but the brand never really made it.
It seems for a few years now, they try to go upscale&#8230; their marketing policy seems a bit strange though, with commercial quartz watches offered with magazine <50$ to tourbillons >20.000€ :think:
I'll keep an eye on them, for sure&#8230; the watchmaker to whom I bought the YBH 8311K yesterday told me he'll have tourbillons back in stock at the end of April, for about 2000€
I may very well fall for this one 










PS : My name is Renau*d* ;-)

This is a Renau*lt*








:-d (not my pic)


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## nhoJ (Mar 14, 2008)

Sorry Renaud. I did not mean to confuse your name with that of a car manufacturer. My name is confused all the time with that of a toilet and a male customer of prostitutes.:-d

Yes, guilloché is the word I was thinking of. I didn't realize that meant a specific pattern of texture rather than a general word for any textured dial. I guess the more square or diamond pattern is the clou de Paris? I'll have to remember this as I have watches with both patterns.


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

nhoJ said:


> Sorry Renaud. I did not mean to confuse your name with that of a car manufacturer. My name is confused all the time with that of a toilet and a male customer of prostitutes.:-d
> 
> Yes, guilloché is the word I was thinking of. I didn't realize that meant a specific pattern of texture rather than a general word for any textured dial. I guess the more square or diamond pattern is the clou de Paris? I'll have to remember this as I have watches with both patterns.


No sweat pal 

I found another example of "clou de Paris"










Catena is another brand owned by Ambre (Y&B, Yema&#8230


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Yonger & bresson - "Red Sword" (YBH 8311K) - Afternoon pics*

moved


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

I promised you guys daylight pics, so here they are :


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

With some fellow _french_ watches ;-)
































































The two YEMAs :


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Ybh 8311k - bracelet 1/3*

I received tonight the polished bracelet for the Red Sword.


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Re: Ybh 8311k - bracelet 2/3*

Movement


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Re: Ybh 8311k - bracelet 3/3*

Wristshots


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## TicTocTach (Nov 18, 2008)

*Re: Ybh 8311k - bracelet 1/3*

OK, so tell us... where did you find that spectacular bracelet? It's perfect on this watch!

Clair


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Re: Ybh 8311k - bracelet 1/3*



TicTocTach said:


> OK, so tell us... where did you find that spectacular bracelet? It's perfect on this watch!
> 
> Clair


Hey Clair, glad you like it ! b-)

Here is the link :
http://www.watch-band-center.com/watchstrap-p5685h689s691-Watch-band-20mm-stai.html









Agreed, it's a really cool combo. Not at all what I had in mind in the first place :roll: but cool. I was looking for a dual-tone bracelet, with silicon insert, but couldn't find what I was looking for :-(
I realized that a bracelet as polished as the case could be a good option.

The whole process :
https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=2243146#post2243146









Boy am I glad :-d


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## lvt (Sep 15, 2009)

Nice review & wonderful photos :-!


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

lvt said:


> Nice review & wonderful photos :-!


:thanks lvt !


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## asadtiger (Jun 23, 2008)

thats a lovely watch..had never heard of this brand before...great thickness...lovely...you have a very pretty watch there...congrats


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

asadtiger said:


> thats a lovely watch..had never heard of this brand before...great thickness...lovely...you have a very pretty watch there...congrats


Thanks Tiger, glad you like it ! 

*Yonger & Bresson* is a french brand from the 80s'... they specialized on unexpensive quartz watches (and sold tons of them).

An example :








(Those watches can still be found with magazine subcriptions.)

For a few years now, they aim higher, they even have tourbillons in their line.
http://www.yonger-bresson.fr/

Mine is from the 2008 _*Diderot*_ line.


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Week-end pics !*


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## skyrider007 (Nov 3, 2009)

*Re: Ybh 8311k - bracelet 1/3*

Cool watch! I love the fact that it's made in France! Very rare.


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Re: Ybh 8311k - bracelet 1/3*



skyrider007 said:


> Cool watch! I love the fact that it's made in France! Very rare.


:thanks skyrider007

Well, to be honest, I believe the "Fabriqué in France" label is even more _lax_ than the "swiss made" ;-)

The movement is a sea-gull ST-16 (nothing wrong with that, but I seriously doubt its _frenchness_ ;-) )


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Yonger & bresson - LUME SHOTS*

Just realized I never took any lume shots of this watch&#8230;


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## nikolai (Aug 11, 2009)

*Re: Yonger & bresson - LUME SHOTS*

Very cool watch.


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*Re: Yonger & bresson - LUME SHOTS*



nikolai said:


> Very cool watch.


:thanks nikolai

I fell in love _again_ now it's on steel


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

*YBH 8311K on rubber band*

A quick update&#8230;























































From the same "_Diderot_" line&#8230; the *8316*


















Crocodile vs rubber ! :-d 









Altogether :


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## David8b (Feb 16, 2013)

*Re: PART III - Yonger & bresson - YBH 8311K*

Great looking watch. I will be looking into this brand!


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## GZQT2005A (Jul 4, 2010)

Nice photos.
I like the bezel. 2 waves.


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

GZQT2005A said:


> Nice photos.
> I like the bezel. 2 waves.


Thanks GZQT2005A. And welcome to WUS


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## rkmontana (Jul 14, 2018)

Great review!


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

rkmontana said:


> Great review!


Thanks, rkmontana


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