On Oct. 31st, 2023, Rolex set up an alert system on its website for anyone to become a whistle-blower about the sourcing of its minerals and metals by Rolex’s supply chain — a first in Rolex’s history.
That day, it also created a Sustainable Development section under its About Rolex page and published for the first time details of its sustainability policy.
Rolex wants “to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs,” it said on its website.
The move came shortly ahead of the release, last Thursday, of a fairly damning report by the environmental charity WWF which evaluated 21 watch and jewelry brands according to their sustainability performance.
The watch and jewelry sector contributes to climate change, environmental destruction, deterioration of water resources and biodiversity loss, WWF asserts. The extraction of non-renewable raw materials, like precious metals, involves deforestation, emissions to air, soil and water, it said in its report.
The companies were judged in nine categories, including sustainability strategy, climate action, human rights and traceability, and transparency.
Out of the 21 brands, seven did not submit a response to the questionnaire: Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Vacheron Constantin, IWC and Cartier. As a result, these brands were evaluated based only on publicly available data, WWF said.
Rolex decided to participate in the survey even if it meant scoring low. “Although Rolex still has a number of actions to take [...] the brand wanted to give an overview via this survey of the state of progress of its sustainability efforts,” Virginie Chevailler-de Meuron, Rolex’s head of public relations, wrote in a statement.
Still, the survey, which didn't take into account Rolex's most recent moves — the public disclosure of a sustainability policy and setting up an alert system — placed Rolex second from the bottom.
Last month, a separate study of the Swiss watch industry, released by Deloitte, showed that consumers are aware of the impact of their purchases on the environment. There is also an increasing pressure on companies to demonstrate responsible practices.
Photo credit: Hodinkee
“Whereas in previous years brands have been investing in sustainability in response to external pressures — consumer behavior and considerations about brand image — our results this year show a positive shift in motivation. And it comes from within,” Karine Szegedi, a partner at Deloitte Switzerland, said in an interview with The New York Times.
Last month also, a micro-brand from Geneva founded by three friends made the fashion news worldwide when Leonardo DiCaprio invested 2 million Swiss francs in the company. ID Genève was founded in 2020 according to the principles of the circular economy. Their watches — at a price tag of around CHF 4,000 — are made of 100% recycled stainless steel, refurbished mechanical movements and take into consideration the impact of materials once their life cycle is over.
“I am thrilled to be an investor in ID Genève, a brand that's driving change in the luxury industry and beyond, by consistently innovating and focusing on circular economy principles,” said Mr. DiCaprio in a press release issued by the brand.
Rolex's involvement in the environment has been well documented since 2019, when it launched its Perpetual Planet Initiative. After almost a century of pushing human boundaries, Rolex decided to stop sponsoring explorations for the sake of discovery. It now only supports explorations that find ways to safeguard the planet and conserve the oceans. Since 2019, Rolex has donated millions to help scientists understand the current challenges the planet is facing and help devise solutions to restore the eco-system.
Photo credit: Rolex
“Honouring science” was Rolex’s most recent tagline for the Milgauss up until the day it was discontinued, a reference to its long-term association with Geneva-based Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, or CERN.
Perhaps the Milgauss could honor more than (nuclear) physicists; it could underscore the work done today by biologists, geologists and climate scientists.
The Milgauss line was discontinued in March 2023. With today’s advances in horology, all Rolex watches are anti-magnetic to more than 1,000 gauss, putting a question mark on the Milgauss' raison d'être.
Photo credit: Rolex
Before the Emoji Day-Date was launched this year, the Milgauss had always been considered the most zany Rolex of the collection, sporting a “unique identity,” as Rolex put it in its brochure.
The three-hand watch with a smooth bezel was equipped with a green crystal, an electric-blue dial and a seconds hand in the shape of an orange lightning bolt. It had been a favorite Rolex among non-Rolex people, especially younger clients who wanted to be different and didn’t care much for some of the stigmas associated with Rolex owners.
If Rolex were to revive the line, it could keep the name “Milgauss” and its historical connection to CERN, as people tend to link nuclear power and electrical power to clean energy — à la Tesla.
Rolex.com
At the top of Rolex’s list in terms of commitment to sustainability is to “adapt to tomorrow’s challenges through our sense of innovation and pioneering spirit,” the brand said on its website.
Rolex could do worse than follow ID Genève's playbook. The Crown has the financial wherewithals to experiment with a new line that would embrace circular practices, including 100% recycled stainless steel and high-quality recycled straps (“Oysterbio”).
If a luxury brand like Cartier can launch a solar-powered Tank on a vegan strap, the sky is the limit for Rolex's engineers. Indeed, the watch that honors science could become the next canvas for the future of sustainable watchmaking.