Exploring the history of quartz movements immerses us in an era of technological innovation and precision. On December 25, 1969, Seiko Astron unveiled the world's first quartz watch, igniting the quartz revolution. Seiko's introduction of quartz timepieces simplified watch production by replacing complex mechanical movements with relatively simpler quartz movements, leading to what is now known as the "quartz crisis." While this posed a crisis for Switzerland, it marked a revolution for Japanese companies, making affordable watches more accessible. Quartz movements, powered by quartz crystals, revolutionized timekeeping with their remarkable precision, vibrating consistently when exposed to an electric charge.
The journey of Swiss Quartz
It began with the arrival of the first Swiss analog quartz watch, the Ebauches SA Beta 21, at the Basel Fair in 1970. Despite initial resistance among Swiss watchmakers due to their strong mechanical watchmaking tradition, the increasing popularity of quartz movements could not be ignored. However, the Swiss hesitated to fully embrace quartz watches as their mechanical timepieces dominated global markets. Excellence in horology was deeply ingrained in the Swiss national identity, leading many to believe that transitioning to electronic watches was unnecessary. Nonetheless, outside Switzerland, others recognized the advantages and further developed the technology. By 1978, quartz watches surpassed mechanical ones in popularity, throwing the Swiss watch industry into crisis while bolstering both the Japanese and American watch industry.
Why Choose Ronda Quartz Movements
The story of Ronda begins over 75 years ago in the Waldenburg Valley, Switzerland. Evolving from a small rural enterprise, Ronda has become a global family business employing over 1000 people.
In the tumultuous 1970s, Ronda embraced the quartz revolution, developing its first quartz movement in 1974 despite initial challenges. Today, Ronda is synonymous with Swiss quality and precision, leading the way in the production of high-standard quartz movements. By selecting Ronda as our partner for quartz movements in our new collection, we are committed to delivering not just a product but a legacy of over 75 years of expertise and passion for watchmaking.
