Rotary Watches lasted 120 years under the Dreyfuss family — then 11 years under Citychamp

Rotary Watches was founded in 1895 by Moise Dreyfuss in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The brand became a British institution — it was the official watch supplier to the British Army in 1940, was named a UK 'superbrand' in 2006, and sold in 35 countries. For 119 years it was owned by the Dreyfuss family.

In 2014, the brand was acquired by China Haidian Holdings, a Hong Kong-listed investment holding company that later renamed itself Citychamp Watch & Jewellery Group. Citychamp also owned other heritage watch names: Corum (acquired 2013), EganaGoldpfeil (acquired 2012), and Ernest Borel (acquired 2018). The strategy was to assemble a portfolio of Western watch brands under Chinese ownership and distribute them through Citychamp's China retail network.

Under Citychamp's ownership, Rotary struggled. The brand lost its creative direction and market relevance. By early 2025, trade publications described Rotary as 'floundering.' On 19 February 2025, the UK-based Peers Hardy Group — which already owned the Accurist and Sekonda brands — signed an agreement with Citychamp to take over Rotary's design, manufacturing, and distribution. Rotary confirmed the purchase in a blog post on 15 April 2025.

The rescue meant Rotary returned to British ownership, but the brand had lost over a decade of growth potential under a parent that failed to invest in its heritage. Citychamp later exited its other watch brands: Corum was sold to a Swiss management buy-out in May 2025, and Ernest Borel continued under Citychamp's ownership without clear strategic direction.