Swiss watch movements manufacturer Ronda is returning to the production of mechanical movements. In recent years, the company focused on quartz calibres with millions of them making their way into watches sold in the medium and upper price segments. Its first in the new “Mecano” mechanical watch movement line will be the Ronda R150 caliber. It was unveiled at Baselworld 2016 in late March.
After Ronda had strongly developed itself in various technologies and established a broad industrial basis, management decided to go back into the mechanical segment. Ronda’s new in-house construction boasts a very high vertical range of manufacture and is designed for industrial production.
Development of the R150 took more than four years. It is an automatic movement with a three-hand and date configuration. It measures 26 millimetres in diameter and 4.4 millimetres in height. Operating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 oscillations per hour) and has a 40 hour power reserve.
Production of the R150 is “highly vertically integrated, which ensures both a competitive cost and flawless quality.”
Ronda expects to begin shipping the R150 caliber by the end of the year. It will gradually ramp production to industrial quantities in the next few years. There is no word yet on what brands may use the new movement in their watches.
Source : Ronda