Yema
Ambre France · France
Yema is a French watch manufacture founded in 1948 by watchmaker Henry-Louis Belmont in Morteau. Owned by the family group Ambre France since 2009, it is known for dive, motorsport and aviation watches and for developing its own in house movements.
| Founded | 1948 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Henry-Louis Belmont |
| Headquarters | Morteau, France |
| Owner | Ambre France (since 2009) |
| Website | yema.com |
What is Yema?
Yema is an independent French watchmaker founded in 1948 by Henry-Louis Belmont in Morteau, a town in the heart of French watchmaking. In the late 1960s it was a major French watch exporter, selling to more than 55 countries.
History
Yema was owned by Matra from 1982 to 1986 and by Hattori Seiko from 1986 to 2004, before a management takeover in 2004. Since 2009 it has belonged to Ambre France, a family owned watchmaking group in Morteau run by the Bôle family.
Products and positioning
The brand is known for tool watches with a strong heritage:
- Superman, a dive watch first rated to 300 m in 1967 and used by French Air Force rescue swimmers
- Rallygraf, linked to Mario Andretti's 1969 Indianapolis 500 win
- Flygraf aviation chronographs, first released in 1970
- Navygraf, Wristmaster and Yachtingraf lines
Yema has developed its own movements, including the MBP1000, the YEMA2000 and YEMA3000 calibres introduced in 2021, and the CMM.20, released in 2023 as the first French micro rotor movement.
Distribution
Watches are sold through regional online stores, including a dedicated US store, as well as boutiques, manufacture visits and watch fairs.
Why it matters
Yema is central to the revival of industrial watchmaking in France, pairing heritage designs with domestically developed movements.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Yema watches made?
Yema watches come from Morteau in eastern France, where the brand was founded in 1948.
Who owns Yema?
Since 2009 Yema has been owned by Ambre France, a family owned watchmaking group based in Morteau.