Rotary
Rotary
Rotary Watches Ltd was established at La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, by Moise Dreyfuss in 1895. By the 1920s family members Georges and Sylvain Dreyfuss began importing Rotary watches to Britain, which was to become the company's most successful market. Since 2014, it has been owned by Citychamp Watch & Jewellery Group Limited (an investment holding company formerly known as China Haidian Holdings until 2014).
In 1940 Rotary became the official watch supplier for the British Army. Coinciding as this did with the Second World War and the drafting of huge numbers into the army, the move put a Rotary watch in almost every household in Britain, leaving a lasting impression of the brand in the UK. More recently, Rotary Watches was elected as one of the UK's "superbrands" in 2006 and has retained its place in successive years. The “winged wheel” Rotary logo was first introduced in 1925 and has since undergone only minor changes in appearance. In addition to its traditional brand, the company also produces watches under the more exclusive "Dreyfuss & Co" name.
Rotary is a member of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH. Rotary Watches' head office is now in the UK, and it is a wholly owned Chinese company. Rotary offers a range of timepieces manufactured in Switzerland, together with a range of less expensive pieces made elsewhere, usually with movements from Japan or China which are then assembled in Japan or China.
Rotary watches typically use either a quartz or automatic movement, and often feature what Rotary refer to as the "Dolphin Standard" (equivalent to at least ISO 2281), meaning they are water resistant and may be suitable for all-day swimming and diving. Unique to Rotary is the "Revelation" design of reversible watch, which features two distinct movements and faces, allowing the wearer to change style at will or easily switch between two different time zones.
Notable Models
Links
Switzerland
