Apex100 Chronograph RGB10014/04 Rotary's gold sapphire chrono

What is new about the Rotary Apex100 Chronograph RGB10014/04?

The Apex100 started life as a pilot's watch. In the second half of 2025 Rotary turned the name into a family, adding a sporty chronograph with a ceramic bezel and a jubilee-style bracelet. The RGB10014/04 is the most striking of the first batch: a gold PVD case and bracelet, a black ceramic bezel insert and a stepped black dial. Rotary's online shop first listed it in September 2025, alongside steel versions with blue and green dials.

The layout is a three-register chronograph. Rotary says the sub-dials track 24 hours, elapsed minutes and elapsed seconds, and there is a date window between 4 and 5 o'clock. An outer flange steps down to the main dial, which gives the face more depth than a flat printed dial at this price usually manages.

It should not be confused with the Apex100 Pilot or with the later Apex100 Chronograph models Rotary added in December 2025. Those use a squarer, cushion-shaped case with a textured dial. This one is the rounder, diver-styled original.

How big is it, and how will it wear?

Rotary lists a 42 mm case width and a case height of 12.4 mm. That is a mainstream size for a quartz chronograph, and the height is reasonable for a model with three sub-dials. Rotary describes the lugs as angular and elongated, so expect it to wear a little longer than the 42 mm figure alone suggests. Rotary does not publish a lug to lug figure, so anyone with a wrist under about 17 cm should try it on first.

The gold colour runs from the bezel edge to the clasp. With the black bezel insert and black dial breaking it up, the effect is bold rather than subtle. This is a watch to be seen, not a quiet daily companion. The bracelet is a jubilee-style design with small links, a type that usually drapes well on the wrist.

What movement does it use, and how accurate is it?

It runs on a battery-powered quartz chronograph movement. Rotary does not name the calibre or quote an accuracy figure, which is common at this level. As a quartz watch it will keep far better time day to day than a mechanical chronograph, and it needs no winding. Expect a battery change every few years; Rotary offers its own servicing and repairs.

The chronograph runs on demand from the two pushers beside the crown. With elapsed seconds on its own sub-dial rather than a central sweep hand, timing is easy to read at a glance, but you lose the fine resolution of a full-size seconds hand.

How well is it built?

The specification is better than the RRP suggests. Rotary fits a sapphire crystal, which resists scratches far better than the mineral glass common at this price. The bezel insert is ceramic, which keeps its colour and shine. Water resistance is 100 m, and Rotary calls it suitable for all-day swimming. Retailer Hollins & Hollinshead lists a screw-down crown and a screw-in case back, both useful for keeping water out.

The case and bracelet are stainless steel with a gold PVD coating. PVD is tougher than traditional gold plating, but a fully coated bracelet takes knocks on every surface, and any deep scratch will show steel beneath. Rotary gives a two-year warranty, extended to three years if you register the watch within 90 days.

Is it good value against its rivals?

Rotary's RRP is £279, although several UK retailers list it at £269. At that price the sapphire crystal and ceramic bezel are the selling points.

The obvious rival is the Accurist Dive Chronograph, another British-brand quartz chronograph. It shares the 42 mm size, has a slightly slimmer 12 mm case and doubles the water resistance to 200 m, for an RRP of £129. If you want a sporty chronograph and do not care about gold, it does a similar job for less than half the money.

Within Rotary's own range, the steel Apex100 Chronograph RGB10013/05 shares the same 42 mm case, sapphire crystal and 100 m rating with a blue dial, at £249 on Rotary's site. That is the version to choose if you like the design but want something easier to wear with everything.

What is the catch?

The full gold look is the main one. It suits some wardrobes and some wrists, and dominates others. Gold PVD also means repairs to deep scratches are not simple.

Information is the second catch. Rotary does not publish the calibre, a lug to lug measurement or an accuracy figure, and sources disagree on the lug width. There is also very little independent owner feedback yet. The few owner reviews on Rotary's site cover the steel version and are short and positive, but they say little about long-term durability.

Finally, the RRP looks soft. Rotary's own shop has listed this reference well below £279, so do not pay full price without checking the brand's current offer first.

“Sapphire and ceramic at this price are the real story; the gold is the bit you either love or leave.”

What do owners say?

Themes from public owner feedback, paraphrased. We never copy Amazon reviews or ratings.

• Owners of the steel sibling RGB10013/05 leave short, uniformly positive reviews, including one bought as a gift that was well received; independent long-term feedback is not yet available

  Rotary Watches customer reviews (RGB10013/05) (opens in a new tab)