1909 – 1945: A born pioneer

William Mosset was born in the village of Hölstein on 3 June 1909. He went on to complete his training as a precision mechanic in the same small settlement. Young William spent what little spare time he had tinkering and experimenting in the simple workshop he had established for himself in the cellar of the family home.

It wasn’t long before William made his first invention. In spring 1929 he developed a tool that could punch 32 holes cleanly, precisely and simultaneously into a pillar-plate. He put his new expertise at the disposal of his then employer; but the invention also enabled him to found a company of his own.

Putting his further education plans on hold, William joined the Oris company to learn the skills of watch manufacture. At the age of just 22, he was appointed Head of department “Assortiment”, the department responsible for production of the movement’s assortment (escape-wheel, pallets and roller). Despite the sizeable responsibility with which he had been entrusted, this visionary, resourceful and ambitious young manager was sceptical of his further career prospects at Oris, and resolved to establish his own company within the watch manufacturing sector at the earliest opportunity.

Alongside his Oris manufacturing duties, William completed a distance learning course in the evening hours. He also invented a series of small pivoting and polishing machines for use in the watch manufacturing industry. His greatest achievement, though, he regarded as the development of the “Carousel”, a milling and drilling machine that enabled 20 operations to be performed one after the other in a circular process. And on 1 November 1944 William Mosset took the bold step of setting up his own company, with an initial workforce of seven employees.