MOUNTAINS, POLES, FORESTS — these rugged places can feel like figments of our imagination in today’s world of glass towers and concrete streets. But while many of us are trying to make it to the top floor, there’s a group of environmental heroes scaling actual peaks, exploring ice-capped wonders, and navigating uncharted forests — all to preserve the planet for the future. Rolex, their quiet companion, supports these efforts as the clock ticks for the planet’s most vulnerable landscapes.
Rolex has been a quiet enabler of exploration for nearly a century, playing a behind-the-scenes role in some of the most daring adventures known to humanity. From the summit of Mount Everest to the depths of the Amazon, Rolex isn’t just keeping time; it’s supporting those who are racing against it.
Today, under its Perpetual Planet Initiative, the watch brand’s involvement has become more than just about charting new territory. It’s about protecting the land beneath those conquering footsteps — and those untouched places we may never see.
Take, for example, the all-female ‘Before it’s Gone’ (BIG) Expedition, a team determined to collect crucial sea ice data in the Arctic’s harshest of harshest, conditions. Armed with sledges, scientific equipment, and a spirit that outlasts the cold, these women aren’t ice skating for kicks — they’re carving out vital research paths that could change how we understand our climate.
All the while, Rolex is there, enabling this bold mission and proving once again that timing is everything. From tropical forests to towering mountains, the brand is helping keep our planet’s most vulnerable landscapes on the map. The company’s initiatives are less about patting themselves on the back and more about empowering the explorers, scientists, and conservationists already leading the charge.
But it wouldn’t be a Rolex partnership without a bit of groundbreaking science. In 2019, the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest expedition saw scientists Baker Perry and Tom Matthews scale Mount Everest to install an automated weather station at nearly 8,000 metres.
It’s not exactly the kind of errand most of us would run before lunch, but the data they’re collecting will give us insights into how climate change is affecting the world’s tallest mountain and, by extension, global weather patterns. It’s a high-altitude reminder that our actions down here ripple up there.
As these expeditions unfold, Rolex remains a steady companion, supporting those who push the boundaries. And it’s this quiet dedication that makes their work feel less like a brand campaign and more like a shared mission for the future. Ultimately, Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative underscores the interconnectedness of the world’s ecosystems — and how fragile they’ve become.
In a world where ‘exploration’ could just as easily mean a YouTube deep dive as an actual one into the Arctic, Rolex remains committed to the real thing.
So, whether it’s glaciers, rainforests, or summits, Rolex isn’t just tracking time. It’s shaping the future, one expedition at a time. And as the planet faces its own uphill battle, we’re reminded that there’s still much to explore, protect, and ultimately, preserve.
Adventure, it turns out, never really goes out of style — especially when the stakes are this high. And as it happens, Rolex has been ahead of the curve all along.
This story first appeared on Harper’s BAZAAR Australia/New Zealand.
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