A deeper purpose. (Photo courtesy: Rolex)
Rolex will loan the experimental Rolex Deepsea Challenge watch that accompanied James Cameron on his 2012 solo dive to the Mariana Trench to the Australian National Maritime Museum until next August, for its exhibition on deep-sea exploration titled “Ultimate Depth: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea.” In hindsight, the watch represents a turning point in Rolex’s tradition of exploration.
If Cameron approached the brand today to sponsor a dive to the ocean’s deepest point, it might hesitate. Rolex’s view of exploration has evolved since the days of Hillary and Norgay, Piccard and Walsh, and even Cameron’s solo dive. It now supports expeditions to help protect the planet rather than explore for exploration’s sake.
Still, the watch on Cameron’s submersible was a feat of engineering, designed and built in Rolex labs in just over four weeks. When Rolex tested it in la cuve UHP, tension filled the room. Employees had gathered and watched as it endured pressures equal to 15,000 metres, a record. When the watch emerged unscathed, the room erupted in applause, a rare burst of emotion from the usually reserved Swiss brand.
It was one of the last moments when pure exploration drove Rolex to innovate. Today, deep-sea or mountaineering projects backed by the brand are environmentally framed, often studying coral reefs or glacial melt.
Even Cameron’s watch is now presented through that lens. Rolex Australia’s managing director, Benoît Falleti, said he was honored to provide the museum with a “true icon of exploration.”
“This unique opportunity underscores Rolex’s ongoing commitment to innovation and human endeavor, to better understand and protect the planet,” he said.