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Rotary Regent 40mm Mens Watch Black
Ref. GB05490/04
Sits in Rotary’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Rotary watches we list, which start at £76.
Price range £76 to £349 across 152 Rotary watches in stock.The Regent sits in a lineage of angular Rotary dress-sport watches, and the octagonal case is its defining choice — eight faceted flanks that catch light at different angles as the wrist moves, a shimmer that carries down into the integrated bracelet rather than stopping at the lug. At 48mm lug to lug the presence on the wrist is real, and the 12.2mm depth means it rides close enough to feel considered rather than bulky. The black sunray dial works well against the case geometry, giving the applied indices something dark to stand against, and the exhibition caseback lets the automatic movement read from the other side.
- Reference
- GB05490/04
- Brand
- Rotary
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Functions
- Day-date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Learn more about Rotary
Moise Dreyfuss started Rotary in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1895. Within a generation his sons Georges and Sylvain had opened a London office and begun exporting to Britain, which turned out to be the decision that defined the company: Britain became, and remains, Rotary's most important market.
The winged wheel logo arrived in 1925 and has barely changed since. It became familiar enough in British high streets that the brand is widely taken for British, despite the Swiss origin.
Rotary supplied watches to the British Army, and the wartime and post-war association gave it a foothold in a market where an affordable, dependable Swiss watch was exactly what most buyers wanted.
The family held the company for over a century, making it for a long time the oldest family-owned Swiss watchmaker still trading. Ownership passed to Hong Kong's Citychamp in 2014, and in February 2025 to the UK's Peers Hardy Group.
The modern range sits at the accessible end — quartz and automatic dress watches, divers and chronographs, with the Henley, Windsor and Legacy lines carrying the collection.
- 1895
- Founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds by Moise Dreyfuss.
- 1920s
- Georges and Sylvain Dreyfuss begin exporting to Britain.
- 1925
- The winged wheel logo is introduced.
- 2014
- Acquired by Citychamp after more than a century in family hands.
- 2025
- Bought by the UK's Peers Hardy Group.
Also in 3 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,616), Automatic Watches (1,362) and Automatic Watches Under £500 (260).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Rotary's more premium watches
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | GB05490/04 | SRPG29K1 | MTTS2S602 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £299 | £290 | £299 |
| Case size | 40mm | 39.4mm | 41mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | — | 41 hours | — |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £299. There is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are Goldsmiths?
Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.
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