Therelationshipbetween
Rolexandexplorersgoes
wayback.Theformer
providesitswatchesfor
thelatter’sextraordinary
journeys,andthelatter
returnthefavourbyroad
testingtheperformance
ofitstimepiecessoitcan
developevenbetterones.
Thefirstexpedition
tobringtheSwisswatch
brandandtheNational
GeographicSocietytogether
wasthescalingofMount
EverestbySirEdmund
HillaryandTenzingNorgay
in1953,whichwasreported
inNationalGeographic
magazine.
Sincethen,ithasbeen
oneofRolex’smostenduring
alliances.Theirlatest
collaboration,afive-year
onecalledPerpetualPlanet
ExtremeExpeditions(anod
toRolex’sOysterPerpetual
watcheswhichhaveserved
asreliableinstrumentson
somanyexplorations),has
anewmission:tostand
behindscientists,explorers
andvisionarieswhoare
findingsolutionstoprotect
ouroceans,studyingthe
effectsofclimatechange,
andcreatingamore
sustainableworld.
PerpetualPlanet
ExtremeExpeditionsisone
ofthreeinitiativesunder
Rolex’sPerpetualPlanet
umbrella.Theothertwoare
Americanmarinebiologist
SylviaEarle’sMission
Bluetoprotecttheoceans,
andtheRolexAwardsfor
Enterprise,whichsupports
outstandingindividualswho
protecttheenvironment.
ThefirstofthePerpetual
PlanetExtremeExpeditions
(twomoreareintheworks)
wastoMountEverestearlier
thisyeartounderstandthe
impactofclimatechangeon
theHinduKushHimalayas,
amountainrangethatisa
criticalsourceofwaterfor
onebillionpeoplewholive
downstream.Information
anddatacollectedonthe
watersupplyanddemand
intheregionwillhelp
monitorthehealthof
thewatersystemand
informdecisionsto
protectit.–VW
Thefirst
Perpetual
Planet
Extreme
Expedition
wastoMount
Everest,led
byNational
Geographic
andTribhuvan
University.
Sincethe1930s,Rolex
haspartneredwith
explorerstotakeon
ourplanet’sextreme
conditions.Now,in
a partnershipwith
NationalGeographic,
theSwissbrand’snew
missionistosupport
savingtheearth.
How
Exploration
and
Sustainability
AreGoing
Handin
Hand
TOKNOW
F
Before
corporate
social
responsibility
wasa thing,
theRolex
Awardsfor
Enterprise
werelaunched
in1976.The
initiative
hassince
supported 140
peoplewho
havehelpedto
improvelives
andprotectthe
environment. PHOTO
OF
MOUNT
EVEREST
MARIUSZ
POTOCKI
PHOTOS
OF
ROLEX
AWARDS
FOR
ENTERPRISE
&
ROLEX
OYSTER
PERPETUAL
WATCHES
ADS
ROLEX
A 1953Rolexad
celebratingthe
performanceof
theRolexOyster
Perpetual
watchesduring
theBritishEverest
expedition.
42 HERWORLDSEPT 2019