Rolex and its ties to cinema

Rolex has always maintained close ties with the world of cinema. Its watches have played their own role on the wrists of mythical characters in numerous films, including multiple Oscar-winning masterpieces. And today, by its support of artistic and technical excellence in filmmaking, Rolex itself has become an acting participant in its own right

With the excitement of the 95th Academy Awards behind us where the first Asian won the prestigious Academy Award for Best Actress, we take a look at one of the biggest forces that has contributed to the success of the Oscars.

Luxury watch brand, Rolex, continues to encourage the preservation and transmission of the cinematic arts, while also promoting excellence and celebrating progress by accompanying living legends as well as budding talents through its Testimonees (Martin Scorsese and James Cameron), its partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the institution, the awards and the museum in Los Angeles) and the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative.

In 2017, two major events would cement the longstanding association between Rolex and the film industry. Firstly, director Martin Scorsese joined James Cameron as a Rolex Testimonee. And the same year, the brand sealed its partnership with the film industry’s highest authority, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Rolex became the Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Proud Sponsor of the Oscars and Exclusive Sponsor of the Governors Awards. The luxury watch brand is also a Founding Supporter of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which opened in Los Angeles in September 2021.

Rolex accordingly promotes excellence, the perpetuation of knowledge, the conservation of the art and the rise of new talent. The Academy’s mission is to uphold excellence in film and preserve its legacy for future generations, to spark the imagination and to celebrate cinema’s universal values. Hence, it is the convergence of values between Rolex and the Academy that is underscored through this long-term partnership.

Also see: Rolex’s 25 years of Galápagos marine reserve protection

While at the Academy Awards, the Oscars ceremony is a unique celebration of the excellence, inspiration and technical genius from which masterpieces are made. Since 2017, Rolex has been the Proud Sponsor of the Oscars ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Telecast live in more than 200 territories worldwide, this unique event does more than celebrate cinema: year after year it helps shape the landscape of cinema worldwide.

Rolex is also the official host of the Greenroom, the antechamber of the Oscars. Nominees and presenters gather inside this lounge before and after stepping onto the stage at the Oscars ceremony, some returning with a coveted statuette.

Each year, Rolex develops a unique immersive experience and a new decor for the Greenroom. In 2023, the Greenroom captures the ambience of a tropical forest. More than a celebration of nature, Rolex is paying homage to explorers and scientists who take action on the ground, day after day, to protect the planet. A way to poetically express its commitment to the preservation of our ecosystems as part of its Perpetual Planet Initiative.

For almost a century, the brand has accompanied those who explore our world, seek to understand its environmental challenges and put forward solutions to overcome them. Launched in 2019, the Perpetual Planet Initiative reflects this approach and is built on three founding pillars: two long-standing partners, Mission Blue and the National Geographic Society, and the Rolex Awards for Enterprise. Since then, the Initiative has continued to grow and today includes more than 20 partners.

Photos via Rolex

Also see: Rolex celebrates 20th anniversary of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative