Yema was founded in 1948 by Henry Louis Belmont in Besançon, France. The French brand has had a focus on motorsports, diving, sailing, and space exploration since its inception. Richard Mille was responsible for international development of the brand in the 1980s and had helped develop two watches associated with North Pole expeditions, before Yema was acquired by Seiko in 1986. Yema has since become a French-owned brand again after the 2009 acquisition by French watchmaker group Montres Ambre de Morteau.
Mario Andretti
Yema has a longstanding association with 1978 Formula One champion Mario Andretti, who famously wore a Yema-made Wesley’s Rallye chronograph when he won the 1969 Indy 500. Yema released the Rallye Andretti Limited Edition in 2019, which was a re-issue of the historic timepiece. While most vintage details were retained, the dial features an updated logo and design elements while an automatic ETA Valjoux 7753 replaced the original hand-wound movement. The caseback features the text “Yema Rallye Mario Andretti – Worn at Indianapolis 1969” along with Andretti’s signature. The exclusive chronograph was limited to 1,969 pieces.
The Yema Rallye Mario Andretti Special Edition offers a more general option for Andretti fans. The mechaquartz version is a more relaxed homage with white subdials and “Mario Andretti” on a somewhat more modern dial. The case back simply says “Yema Rallye Mario Andretti” with signature, with no outright reference to the Indy 500.
Related Pages
Resources
https://yema.com/pages/our-story
https://www.watchtime.com/featured/vintage-eye-for-the-modern-guy-yema-rallye-andretti-limited-edition/
https://deployant.com/review-yema-rallye-andretti-limited-edition/
https://www.watchgecko.com/blogs/magazine/yema-rallye-mario-andretti-special-edition-review
https://www.neueuhren.de/yema-rallygraf-meca-quartz-kollektion/