Under the Same Sky: Spotlighting the Rolex Awards Laureates and Perpetual Planet Initiative partners working to preserve the health of our planet

Nov 25, 2025

Cover Rolex Testimonee Sylvia Earle, Rolex Awards Laureate Felix Brooks-church, Rolex Awards Laureate Miranda Wang and Rolex Perpetual Planet partner
Steve Boyes

Rolex Testimonee Sylvia Earle, Rolex Awards Laureate Felix Brooks-church, Rolex Awards Laureate Miranda Wang and Rolex Perpetual Planet partner
Steve Boyes

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The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative is redefining the spirit of exploration and supports those who go above and beyond to safeguard our planet for future generations. It champions individuals and organisations using science to understand environmental challenges and develop solutions that restore balance to our planet

For nearly a century, Rolex timepieces have journeyed with explorers to the highest peaks, the deepest oceans and the most remote frontiers of our world. The Swiss luxury watch brand’s enduring commitment to exploration has seen it accompany some of humanity’s most daring milestones—from New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Indian Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay’s first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 to oceanographer Jacques Piccard’s record descent into the Mariana Trench in 1960.

As the challenges facing our planet grow ever more urgent, the spirit of exploration has evolved. No longer is it solely about reaching and discovering new frontiers; it is also about protecting them and ensuring they will still be there for future generations. The places that once defined human triumph are now also barometers of our planet’s fragility, and this calls for science, innovation and collective action.

In case you missed it: Rolex and National Geographic launch Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions to protect the world’s oceans

Above Climate scientists Baker Perry and Tom Matthews as well as a team of Sherpa guides building an automated weather station on the South Col on Mount Everest at 7,945m as part of the 2019 National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition

Climate scientists Baker Perry and Tom Matthews as well as a team of Sherpa guides building an automated weather station on the South Col on Mount Everest at 7,945m as part of the 2019 National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition

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It was in this spirit that Rolex launched its Perpetual Planet Initiative in 2019, marking a new chapter in its long‑standing support of exploration. The Initiative champions individuals and organisations dedicated to preserving ecosystems, advancing knowledge and creating solutions to safeguard life on Earth. Today, it encompasses more than 30 partners spanning three areas of focus: Oceans; Landscapes; and Science, Health and Technology. From working with Mission Blue, marine biologist Sylvia Earle’s non‑profit organisation focused on ocean conservation, which has expanded its network of Hope Spots (marine regions critical to the health and biodiversity of the ocean) from 50 to 166 worldwide, to embarking on groundbreaking scientific expeditions with the National Geographic Society to study climate change in the Himalayas, Andes, Amazon, and Ocean, Rolex continues to support critical efforts to protect our planet where they are needed most.

Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, it is also amplifying stories of progress and perseverance that might otherwise go untold, giving these pioneers a global stage from which to inspire change.

Above The Lungwebungu expedition team, led by conservationist Steve Boyes, traverses the River from its source in Angola to the border with Zambia as part of the Great Spine of Africa expeditions

The Lungwebungu expedition team, led by conservationist Steve Boyes, traverses the River from its source in Angola to the border with Zambia as part of the Great Spine of Africa expeditions

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Leading the Way

At the heart of the Initiative is the Rolex Awards, a programme created in 1976 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Rolex Oyster, widely known as the world’s first waterproof wristwatch. Since then, the Awards has recognised more 160 Laureates whose projects have had a transformative impact across every continent. Collectively, their efforts have led to the planting of millions of trees, the protection of endangered species, the safeguarding of vital ecosystems, and the development of life-changing technologies that improve human well-being. Among these achievements: the release of more than 240 Andean condors back into the wild since 1997; the rescue and reintroduction of over 300 tortoises and turtles across Africa per year since 2009, including some of the continent’s most endangered species; and the creation of ColdHubs in Nigeria—solar-powered cold rooms that extend the shelf life of perishable food from two days to three weeks, reducing post-harvest loss by 80 per cent while providing new jobs for women in farming communities.

What unites these Rolex Awards Laureates is not only their ingenuity, but also their refusal to accept the status quo. They are explorers, scientists, entrepreneurs and conservationists who turn vision into reality, often in the face of overwhelming odds. Rolex’s support has enabled them to scale their ideas, connect with collaborators and ultimately deliver a stronger impact on a worldwide stage.

Above Rolex Awards Laureate and co‐founder of non‐profit organisation Sanku, Felix Brooks-church, testing a dosifier at the Sanku warehouse in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia

Rolex Awards Laureate and co‐founder of non‐profit organisation Sanku, Felix Brooks-church, testing a dosifier at the Sanku warehouse in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia

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For the Future

It is this shared ethos that informs Under the Same Sky, a new campaign by Tatler in partnership with Rolex. Over the next few months, we will shine a light on the Rolex Awards Laureates and Perpetual Planet Initiative’s partners whose perseverance is rewriting what is possible in the fields of science, conservation and human progress. Their stories are both urgent and inspiring, reminding us that true luxury lies not only in the possession of beautiful things, but also in the preservation of a beautiful planet.

Under the Same Sky shares and amplifies the voices of those who are building a future in which the health of our world is not an afterthought but a foundation. These narratives serve as a reminder that every innovation, every act of courage and every seed of change contributes to a more habitable Earth for us and for generations to come.

Above Miranda Wang, co-founder of Novoloop, assessing the company’s demo pilot plant in Surat, India. The first-of-its kind plant turns low-value plastics into high-quality materials; a major milestone towards a plastic circular economy

Miranda Wang, co-founder of Novoloop, assessing the company’s demo pilot plant in Surat, India. The first-of-its kind plant turns low-value plastics into high-quality materials; a major milestone towards a plastic circular economy

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Our first feature in this series spotlights Felix Brooks‑church, a 2021 Rolex Awards Laureate whose mission is as ambitious as it is urgent: to end malnutrition across the world. With an ingenious invention and the support of Rolex through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, the social entrepreneur has found a way to transform everyday flour into life‑saving nourishment, one fortified bag at a time. His journey exemplifies the very essence of this campaign: vision made real through perseverance, innovation and global partnership.

In the coming months, we will also meet other inspiring individuals like Miranda Wang, a molecular biologist and 2019 Rolex Awards Laureate who is tackling the global recycling crisis through her company Novoloop; Steve Boyes, a conservationist and National Geographic Explorer whose Great Spine of Africa expeditions trace the continent’s vital river systems; and Dr Sylvia Earle, the pioneering marine biologist and oceanographer who has devoted her life to protecting the world’s oceans.

Together, these individuals embody the spirit of Under the Same Sky and each demonstrates that progress and preservation can go hand in hand, and that through courage, innovation and compassion, we can help build a perpetual planet for generations to come.

Under the Same Sky

Tatler believes that true luxury lies in preservation—in safeguarding the beauty of our world for generations to come. Guided by culture, community and creativity, Under the Same Sky shares the stories of those working tirelessly to preserve the health of our planet. These intrepid explorers, organisations and scientists and entrepreneurs are supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and we are excited to share their innovations and ideas that will hopefully help sustain life on Earth. This is our shared commitment to ensure that the habitability of our planet endures—timeless, vital and everlasting.

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Credits

Images: Rolex

Topics

Under the Same Sky Rolex Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative Rolex Awards Laureates Felix Brooks‑church Miranda Wang Steve Boyes Sylvia Earle

Annabel Tan

Editor, Watches and Jewellery, Tatler Singapore

Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.