The Enduring Legacy Of Rolex And Cinema

Rolex goes beyond watchmaking to express its passion for the timeless and visionary world of filmmaking.

While luxury watches are rarely top-of-mind when we think of the world of film, Rolex has had a long-standing relationship with cinema spanning over 60 years. Marlon Brando, who played Colonel Kurtz in the epic 1979 war film, Apocalypse Now, donned a Rolex GMT-Master. In 1986, Paul Newman wore a Rolex Datejust as pool hustler, Fast Eddie Felson, in The Color of Money, while in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, explorer Brock Lovett – played by the late Bill Paxton – led an expedition to the ill-fated ship deep in the Atlantic sporting a Rolex Submariner Date in yellow gold.

It has to be said that Rolex’s watch cameos in countless films were not product placements as one would assume. Rather, they were woven into the film plot or the personal choice of directors ( James Cameron gave the watch to Paxton to wear during the filming of Titanic) to subtly add a tough and courageous edge to their characters, along with a sophisticated sense of style.

In 2017, to further cement its roots in cinema, Rolex became Proud Sponsor of the Oscars, Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Founding Supporter of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures – all of which aim to preserve film history. The latter is a key interest of Rolex, whose values include the importance of nurturing emerging filmmakers through mentorship and contributing to culture by ensuring the transmission of filmmaking knowledge to future generations. Since 2018, Rolex has also been the Sponsor of the Governors Awards that recognise life achievements in film every year. This formal relationship with cinema and support for its creative dynamism underscores the historical nature of the links Rolex has with the art form.