When it comes to protecting the planet, Rolex proves that anyone can be a star
Rolex may wear the crown in the industry, but when it comes to protecting the planet, the watchmaker proves that anyone can be a star
IN 1976, ON the 50th anniversary of the Rolex Oyster, the world’s first waterproof wristwatch, Rolex went out of its way to create a momentous celebration. The Rolex Awards for Enterprise was only meant to be a one-time thing, but it was so well-received that the watchmaker decided to keep the initiative going, funding human endeavours that have made a significant contribution to improving lives and protecting our planet.
Since that time, Rolex has supported 140 Laureates in their projects. Uniquely, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise weren’t designed to recognise past achievements, but to support new or ongoing projects. It’s open to all above 18 years of age, with no restrictions on academic background, professional qualifications, gender or nationality. Rolex truly believes anyone can affect change, with past Laureates including a Parisian taxi driver who became a world authority on Nepalese ground beetles and a Mexican biochemist who led preservation efforts for his country’s rich traditions of folk music.
This June, Rolex named five new Laureates, narrowed down from a shortlist of 10 finalists who were selected from a competitive pool of 957 candidates, representing 111 countries. For the first time in the 43-year history of the awards, the public was invited to vote on their favourite projects through a social media campaign, which factored into the jury’s final decision.
The five Laureates for 2019 are: João Campos-Silva, who hopes to save the endangered giant arapaima fish in the Amazon; Grégoire Courtine, who is developing a revolutionary approach to help people with paralysis to walk again; Brian Gitta, who aims to alleviate delayed malaria treatment in rural Africa; Krithi Karanth, who is determined to reduce friction between wildlife and people living near Indian national parks; and Miranda Wang, who is spearheading a project to turn unrecyclable plastic waste into valuable chemicals.
Rolex also introduced a new mission this year: the Perpetual Planet Campaign, which also encompasses the brand’s other conservation efforts, including an enhanced partnership with the National Geographic Society to study the impacts of climate change and
Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue initiative to protect the oceans.
The ethos of supporting the planet certainly isn’t foreign to Rolex, whose founder, Hans Wilsdorf, had always considered the world to be a living laboratory, and used the planet as a testing ground for his latest creations by funding explorers and equipping them with his watches as they explored the Earth. But as we walk well into the 21st century, the delight of exploration and discovery has brought to our attention the need to preserve the natural world. The Perpetual Planet Campaign is a way for Rolex to continue honouring its founder’s legacy by protecting the Earth he so loved to explore. Just as Wilsdorf aided explorers to make new discoveries, Rolex is empowering individuals to protect the earth today. The Rolex Awards is living proof that anyone with the will to do good can make the world a better place.