The MSR Years
Despite its growing reputation, Revue faced stiff competition from the increasingly dominant Swiss watch manufacturing consortia – most prominently Allgemeine Schweizerische Uhrenindustrie AG (Société Générale de l’Horlogerie Suisse in French) (ASUAG) and Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogére SA (SSIH). Thus, in 1961, Revue and three other Swiss watch manufactures joined forces in establishing Manufactures d’Horlogerie Suisses Réunies SA (MSR) in Bienne.
MSR’s other founding members were Buser Frères & Cie SA of Niederdorf, Phénix Watch Co. SA of Porrentruy, and Vulcain & Studio SA of La Chaux-de-Fonds. Revue’s Roland Straumann took the helm of the new group, tasked with “rationalizing” production. It was hoped that specialization would reduce costs, given all four companies historically had conducted in-house manufacture of ébauches (incomplete watch movements, typically consisting of plates, bridges, wheels, and barrels – to be later finished and fitted with jewels, escapement, mainspring, crown, hands, and dial) as well as independent in-house finishing and assembly.
You must log in to post a comment.