Yema
Besançon, France · Est. 1948
Founded by Henry Louis Belmont
Yema is a French watch brand founded in Besançon in 1948, with a proud history of supplying watches to French military forces. After acquisition by Montres Ambre de Morteau in 2009, the brand relaunched with modernised heritage models and went direct-to-consumer via successful crowdfunding. In 2021 Yema opened its own manufacture in Morteau, producing in-house CMM calibres — making it one of the few independent French watchmakers with its own movements.
- Founded
- 1948
- Headquarters
- Besançon, France
- Group
- Independent
- Price Segment
- Mid
- Status
- Active
Key Collections
- Superman — Iconic dive watch launched in 1963, one of France's most celebrated tool watches with numerous variations over six decades.
- Yachtingraf — Sailing chronograph introduced in 1966, designed with a regatta countdown function and adopted by the French National Sailing Team.
- Rallygraf — Motorsport chronograph from 1966, famously worn by Formula One champion Mario Andretti.
- Spacegraf — Space-qualified watch worn by French astronaut Jean-Loup Chrétien aboard Salyut 7 in 1982, the first French watch in space.
Timeline
- 1948 — Henry Louis Belmont, a graduate of the National Watchmaking School of Besançon, founds Yema in Besançon, France.
- 1963 — Launches the Superman dive watch, which becomes Yema's most iconic collection.
- 1966 — Introduces the Yachtingraf sailing chronograph and the Rallygraf motorsport chronograph.
- 1970 — Becomes official supplier of the French Sailing Federation, equipping the team for the 1972 Olympics.
- 1982 — The Yema Spacegraf travels to space on the wrist of astronaut Jean-Loup Chrétien aboard Salyut 7.
- 2009 — Acquired by Montres Ambre de Morteau, relaunching with modernised versions of heritage models.
- 2015 — Successfully crowdfunds the Superman Heritage, launching a direct-to-consumer model and reigniting collector interest in the brand.
- 2021 — Opens its own manufacture in Morteau, France, becoming one of few French brands producing in-house movements (the CMM calibres).
- 2023 — Expands the in-house CMM movement range with GMT and chronograph calibres; launches the Navygraf Marine Nationale for the French Navy.
- 2025 — Releases the Yachtingraff Croisière in collaboration with seconde/seconde/, the Flygraf Bi-Compax French Air Force, and expands the Granvelle CMM collection with new colourways. Brand now offers over 150 models across dive, military, aviation and motorsport lines.
Frequently Asked Questions about Yema
- Is Yema a French brand?
- Yes. Founded in 1948 in Besançon, France, Yema became the largest French watch manufacturer by the 1960s, producing over 500,000 watches annually.
- What is the Yema Superman?
- Launched in 1963, the Superman is Yema's flagship dive watch and one of the most recognised French tool watches, still produced in updated editions today.
- Has Yema been to space?
- Yes. In 1982, the Yema Spacegraf was worn by Jean-Loup Chrétien aboard the Soviet Salyut 7 station, making it the first French watch in space.