Rolex And Yachting The Endless Challenge

Dynamic challenges like the Rolex Fastnet epitomize the spirit admired by Rolex.

It is a relationship born of a natural affinity with a sport that exhibits time-honoured values and a dynamic spirit. Six decades into its partnership with yachting, Rolex is the committed supporter of the some of the world’s most prestigious yacht clubs, races and regattas.

Rolex can trace its connection with the sea back to the company’s origins in the early 1900s, when founder Hans Wilsdorf envisaged a pioneering watch that would be robust, precise and reliable. The strength of this association would be cemented by the feats of three extraordinary individuals, which helped confirm Wilsdorf’s perceptive understanding that increasingly active lifestyles demanded a wristwatch chronometer that was accurate, self-winding and, significantly, waterproof.

The 1960s was a period that added considerable impetus to the sport of yachting, and particularly the discipline of offshore racing. The challenges faced by today’s sailors may appear a world away from those encountered in the middle of the last century, but those heading to sea and out of sight of land for extended periods are still inspired by the characters and achievements of that era. Advances in technology, materials and design continually improve navigation, fitness for purpose and comfort, but the open ocean remains an unforgiving environment.