1981 – 1990: A new era dawns

When quartz movements finally broke through in the 1980s all over the world, the wristwatch advanced from a luxury item to an affordable fashion accessory. Ronda responded by making active efforts to further expand its workforce, and was able to recruit a number of new personnel from Alsace in neighbouring France. Over 50 buses a day were used to provide the local and regional commuter services required.

Company founder William Mosset died unexpectedly in 1985 at the age of 76. Virtually overnight, the management of the company passed to the children of his second marriage. His daughter Elisabeth and her husband Daniel were already working for Ronda, while his son Eric completed his studies at Zurich’s Federal Institute of Technology before joining the firm in 1989. When he did so, the second generation took the opportunity to revise the Executive Management team.

With steadily growing pressure on prices – initiated by Japan’s movement manufacturers – and further capacity needed anyway, Ronda transferred its Hong Kong and China assembly operations to Thailand, and founded a further subsidiary there in 1990 to manufacture individual components and assemble Swiss Parts movements.