The Rolex Explorer watch was launched in 1953, not long after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay had completed the first successful ascent of Mount Everest.
For their expedition they had been kitted out with Rolex Oyster Perpetual chronometers, to test the brand’s timepieces in extreme conditions. This was in line with founder Hans Wilsdorf’s conviction that exploration provided excellent R&D.
The evolution of the Explorer model owes much to the feedback Rolex received from those taking its products into the field. The Explorer was designed with extreme environments in mind. Resistant to the effects of heat, cold and humidity, it is known as a tough, reliable “tool watch” that is highly legible, with large numerals at 3, 6 and 9, contrasting with a black dial.
Rolex Explorers have graced the wrists of many adventurers, but a pivot has taken place over the years in the Swiss watch firm’s attitude to exploration itself. Where once it facilitated expeditions that pushed the boundaries of human achievement, Rolex now views exploration as an opportunity to conduct useful scientific research.
In 2019, Rolex formed the Perpetual Planet Initiative that today funds exploration with the aim of acquiring knowledge that will help us preserve life on Earth. One recent two-year project, conducted with National Geographic (which Rolex has partnered with since 1954), saw seven teams of scientists study the Amazon River basin to help conserve this great natural ecosystem. And it was here that these images were taken.
The man wearing the Explorer watch is marine biologist Fernando Trujillo, the 2024 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year.
rolex.org; for Rolex Explorers and other Rolex models, visit davidmrobinson.co.uk
Peter Howarth is the editorial director of Secret Trips
