Rolex | Perpetual Planet

For Rolex, “Perpetual” is not just a word engraved on the surface, but also symbolizes the lofty vision and values ​​of the brand founder Hans Wilsdorf, which is “to protect the earth and keep moving forever” so that humans can continue to live on this beautiful blue planet for hundreds and thousands of years.

I remember the classic dialogue in the movie “Spider-Man”, which is “With great power comes great responsibility”. If this belief is applied to a company, it is Corporate Social Responsibility. For Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, the earth is like a natural laboratory. Since the 1930s, he has used the polar regions as a testing site for the Oyster Perpetual watch and supported explorers who went deep into unknown areas. The brand’s goal is also as broad as protecting the earth’s ecology and life.

In 2019, Rolex launched the “Perpetual Planet” program to do its part for the future of the world. The program includes strengthening cooperation with the National Geographic Society to study the impact of climate change; supporting marine biologist Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue program to protect the ocean with a network of Hope Spots; and hosting the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, which recognizes projects that expand world knowledge, promote human well-being and protect the natural environment.

Mission Blue is a partner of the “Proactive Planet” program, dedicated to helping key people and key organizations find solutions to environmental challenges and protect the ocean. Sylvia Earle, a world-leading marine biologist, has been a Rolex spokesperson since 1982. For nearly four decades, she has been a pioneer in deep-sea exploration, dedicated to advocating for the protection of the ocean and encouraging the world to see the beauty and fragility of the ocean. Sylvia Earle has promoted the “Mission Blue” program since 2009, establishing marine protected areas called “Hope Spots” to encourage communities and governments to protect marine ecosystems facing human threats. These marine areas are particularly important for species conservation, some of which are rich in species diversity, some are home to rare or endangered species, and some are places where local communities rely on a healthy marine environment for their livelihoods.

Rolex began supporting the program in 2014. In just six years, the number of “Hope Points” has increased from 50 to 132, of which 21 were established in 2019 alone.

The “Blue Mission” program now works directly with communities in more than 69 countries to restore and protect the unique local marine environment, while carrying out a number of corresponding publicity activities through documentaries, social media, traditional media and other platforms. Over the past 11 years, the “Blue Mission” program has also conducted 30 expeditions with local partners and scientists, and the collected data has been produced into visual content related to ecological discoveries, conservation challenges and cutting-edge science, and displayed and shared on the “Blue Mission” digital platform to help promote the importance of protecting the ocean. In 2019, the Blue Mission project carried out three expeditions to explore the Gulf of California, Malpelo Island and the Galapagos Islands. In the presence of scientists, community leaders and donors, they spent a lot of time on underwater observation and filming to promote the establishment of marine protected areas.

The Blue Mission project is committed to including 30% of the world’s ocean area in protected areas by 2030, which is also the goal called for by the International Union for Conservation of Nature to protect the marine environment. With the support of Rolex, the Blue Mission project will strive to protect the rich and diverse marine ecosystems for the benefit of future generations.