Deep Purpose

Rolex champions environmental conservation through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, which supports ocean-focused organisations such as Sylvia Earle's Mission Blue and Titouan Bernicot's Coral Gardeners

- Annabel Tan

For nearly a century, Rolex has been synonymous with exploration. Created in 1926, the iconic Rolex Oyster—the world’s first waterproof wristwatch—has accompanied adventurers to the Earth’s highest peaks and deepest oceans, revolutionising the way they discover the unknown. Over the years, Rolex has shifted its focus from exploration for discovery to exploration as a means to protect the environment.

Reflecting this pivot, Rolex launched in 2019 its Perpetual Planet Initiative, dedicated to empowering individuals and organisations committed to protecting and conserving the environment. At the forefront of this mission are the ocean-focused non-profit organisations Mission Blue and Coral Gardeners that together, with Rolex’s support, are fighting to safeguard one of the Earth’s most vital ecosystems.

Founded in 2008, Mission Blue is the brainchild of Sylvia Earle, a Rolex Testimonee since 1982 and a pioneering marine biologist who has been a trailblazer in ocean exploration for more than 50 years. Its focus is on identifying and protecting Hope Spots: marine regions critical to the health and biodiversity of the ocean. Since 2014, Rolex has been supporting it in reaching its goal of protecting 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030.