The Yema watch company was founded in Besancon, France, in 1948. Yema became James Bond's first movie watch (Dr. No, 1962).

It was for the 1989 International Transantarctic Expedition that Dr. Jean-Louis Etienne, team leader (with Will Steger), commissioned Yema (of France) to manufacture a wristwatch which would allow the explorers a way to find their bearings via the sun; the watch displays mean as well as sidereal time.

Only 1500 units were made, at an original retail price of US$1500.