| Type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Watch movement & case manufacturing |
| Founded | 1895 by Moise Dreyfuss |
| Headquarters | Regent Street, London, United Kingdom |
| Key people | Robert Dreyfuss (Chairman) |
| Products | Wristwatches, accessories |
| Website | Rotary Official Website |
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. Rotary is still an independent family company, and at present Robert Dreyfuss – the great grandchild of Moise Dreyfuss – is its chairman.
In 1940 Rotary became the official watch supplier for the British Army[1]. 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[2] 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. Although naturally proud of its Swiss heritage, Rotary Watches' head office is now in the UK, and it is predominantly a British company. As is the case with many watchmakers, 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 before being reimported to Switzerland and Marked as Swiss.
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.