Rolex is honoured to celebrate Dr. Sylvia Earle and to support her incredible work and accomplishments in the field of ocean conservation.

From leading more than 100 expeditions exploring the planet’s blue heart to launching a pioneering initiative dedicated to promoting marine conservation, Sylvia Earle is among the most renowned oceanographers on the planet. She has spent thousands of hours under water, has 250 publications to her name, and remains one of the most powerful voices in her field – six decades after her stratospheric career began.

A Rolex Testimonee since 1982, Earle has dedicated her life to ocean exploration and conservation. Currently, just 8 per cent of the world’s seas are protected, but over 100 countries have committed to protecting at least 30 per cent by 2030 – making Earle’s work more important now than ever.

The roots of Earle’s lifelong passion for the ocean can be traced back to her childhood in New Jersey, where she would spend hours at the pond in her backyard, observing the fish and tadpoles. Armed with a PhD from Duke University, her groundbreaking work began with extensive research on marine algae. It was then a two-week under water mission in 1970, leading a team of aquanauts that set the stage for international acclaim. Living and working 50 feet below the surface in the US Virgin Islands aboard Tektite II, Earle and her team observed ocean life and the effects of living under water on the human body. On her return to dry land, Earle and her team were honoured at the White House – fuelling the oceanographer to use this spotlight to highlight the urgent need to protect marine ecosystems worldwide.

Over the course of her illustrious career, Earle has discovered numerous new marine species and continued to advocate for ocean exploration and care. She has received over 100 national and international honours and awards, including TIME Magazine’s first Hero for the Planet, the National Geographic Hubbard Medal and medals from the Explorers Club and Royal Geographical Society. She was also the first female chief scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and she set a world record in 1979 for the deepest solo untethered dive, walking 381 metres beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean. More than 40 years later, that record remains unbroken.
Among her achievements, in 2009 she launched the Mission Blue initiative after winning a TED prize for her “vision to spark global change”. Her aim was to create a global network of Hope Spots – ecologically important areas of the ocean considered vital to ocean health. At the programme’s heart is the empowerment of local people to make change.

More than a decade on from its launch, and with support from Rolex since 2014, the number of Hope Spots has increased from 50 to more than 160 and includes biodiverse regions such as the Azores Archipelago and the Galapagos Islands. The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative also supports Mission Blue’s Champions: individuals and organizations who lead local efforts in their respective Hope Spots. “Whether we are explorers or concerned citizens, we must save the planet for future generations,” says Earle.

As well as using her voice to draw attention to the critical need to protect our vital marine ecosystems, Earle continues to inspire people worldwide with her incredible achievements. With 34 honorary degrees to her name, and having lectured in over 80 countries, Earle has also held many prestigious positions during her esteemed career, including National Geographic Explorer At Large. In 2022, Rolex celebrated her 40 years as a brand Testimonee. A true visionary in her field and a heroine of the ocean, as she enters her ninth decade. “All of us, individually and collectively, need to respect nature and take care of it,” says Earle. “We need to treat the ocean and the rest of our living planet like our lives depend on them – because they do.”

ABOUT THE PERPETUAL PLANET INITIATIVE
Rolex celebrates human achievement, recognizing journeys marked by milestones and emotions that culminate in defining moments.

For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers to help them achieve countless historic feats. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside those building a better future for all life on earth. 

The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative was launched in 2019 and now has a portfolio of more than 30 partners, active in three main focus areas: Oceans; Landscapes; and Science, Health, and Technology. 

For the Oceans, Rolex supports a wide range of projects such as: Mission Blue and Rolex Testimonee Sylvia Earle; Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen; and Coral Gardeners.