Rotary was established at La Chaux-de-Fonds Switzerland, by Moise Dreyfuss in 1895. By the 1920s family members Georges and Sylvain Dreyfuss began importing the watches to Britain, which was and has remained the company’s biggest market. 
This watch dates to the mid 1970s, as the Quartz crisis was hitting mechanical and Swiss watches. This explains the Japanese signing on the case and bracelet, with a Swiss movement. The company will have been trying to save money on some aspects by outsourcing, whilst making links with Japanese companies, to try and prevent them taking over. This watch stems from an interesting time for Rotary, being one of the last retro models with a mechanical movement.
 
For sale we have a well-made and designed example of a mid 1970s Rotary Alarm watch, in very good original condition.
The watch is the epitome of Retro design, with the large Oval Stainless-Steel case, measuring in at 38.5mm wide x 41mm long. Despite the large measurements, the bevels on the case mean the watch wears and appears smaller on the wrist. The oval shaped case is impressive and has clever angles to it. The bezel is circular and raised, framing the dial with a high set crystal. This gives way to the oval shaped case. The top of the case is facetted, creating an interesting angular design. The finish is brushed which catches the light nicely. The case falls away from the bezel, before bevelling to meet the flat polished sides. It is a screwback and is original to the watch. There are some light surface scratches. Inside, it is signed: Stainless Steel Japan.
 
The dial is a crisp silver tone with a sunburst finish radiating from the centre. The hour markers are very unusual. They are 3 dimensional and applied, with a silver mirror polished finish. They have a lume strip to the middle, and resemble a dog legged shape. The minute/second markers around the exterior of the dial are large and in-fitting with the size of the hour markers. The inner track is for the alarm and also shows 1/5th of a second graduations. The day date window sits at 3 O’clock and is very clear. The window bevels to meet the calendar wheel which is white with black script. 
 
The hands are beautifully desinged and are all original.
 
The movement is an AS 5008 which was produced in the mid 1970s. It is an automatic movement with alarm function, sweep second hands, quickset day/date and hacking.
The movement has been rebranded by Rotary as the G680.3. It has 17 jewels and a high beat frequency of 28,800. The power reserve is lengthy at 49 hours. It is keeping time to within -7 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 250 degrees and a beat error of 0.0m/s.
 
The watch comes on its original Rotary Stainless Steel bracelet.
 
Please see the images as these compliment and aid the description provided below.
 
Dial:
The dial is original and is a silver tone with a sunburst finish radiating from the centre. The hour markers are very unusual. They are 3 dimensional and applied, with a silver mirror polished finish. They have a lume strip to the middle, and resemble a dog legged shape. The minute/second markers around the exterior of the dial are large and infitting with the size of the hour markers. The inner track is for the alarm and also shows 1/5th of a second graduations. The day date window sits at 3 O’clock and is very clear. The window bevels to meet the calendar wheel which is white with black script. The dial is signed Rotary with the winged wheel logo below 12 O’clock, with Alarm above 6 O’clock and Swiss made below. 
It is in perfect original condition. 
 
Hands:
The hands are original and of stick style and are in very good condition. They are a silver tone and have a bevel to the centre which catches the light. The middle has lume in-fill. The alarm hand is original and is lumed with a diamond shaped tip. The central second hand is large and original. 
 
Glass:
The crystal is the original acrylic crystal. It is in good condition with some light surface scratches.
 
Crown:
Both crowns are original. The top winds the movement and sets the day/date and the hour/ minute hands, whilst the lower crown winds and sets the alarm.
 
Case:
The case is made of Stainless Steel and measures 38.5mm wide x 41mm long. Despite the large measurements, the shape of the case means the watch wears smaller on the wrist. The oval shaped case is impressive and has clever angles to it.
The bezel is circular and raised, framing the dial with a high set crystal. This gives way to the oval shaped case. The top of the case is facetted, creating an interesting angular design. The finish is brushed which catches the light nicely. The case falls away from the bezel, before bevelling to meet the flat polished sides. It is in good condition, having light scratches to the original finish.
 
Caseback:
It is a screwback and is original to the watch. There are some light surface scratches. Inside, it is signed: Stainless Steel Japan.
 
Bracelet:
The watch comes on its original Rotary Stainless Steel bracelet. It has an 18mm lug width. The bracelet will fit up to an 8.5” wrist diameter. The finish is brushed on the face of the links, with a mirror polish to the teeth of the links and the upper section of the links. It is in good condition. It is marked “Stainless Steel Japan”.
 
Movement:
The movement is an AS 5008 which was produced in the mid 1970s. It is an automatic movement with alarm function, sweep second hands, quickset day/date and hacking.
The movement has been rebranded by Rotary as the G680.3. It has 17 jewels and a high beat frequency of 28,800. The power reserve is lengthy at 49 hours.
 
The movement history is unknown, but it appears to have been well kept. The movement is very clean. It is keeping time to within -7 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 250 degrees and a beat error of 0.0m/s.
 
Case dimensions: 
Case width: 38.5mm
Case width with crown: 39.5mm
Case length: 41mm
Case length lug to lug: 42mm
Case Depth: 14mm
Lug width: 18mm