Rolex lauds Dr Sylvia Earle, a lifelong guardian of our oceans

The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative’s portfolio of over 30 partners includes Rolex Testimonee Dr Sylvia Earle and the Mission Blue initiative she founded. And her work is more important now than ever in a world where just 8 per cent of the seas are protected, while over 100 countries are currently racing to conserve at least 30 per cent by 2030.

In the face of such urgency, never has there been more reason to celebrate her six decades of incredible work and accomplishments. And Rolex has stepped up to the occasion in its commitment to saving the planet for future generations.

A Rolex Testimonee since 1982, Earle has dedicated her life to ocean exploration and conservation. From her childhood surrounded by nature to graduating with a PhD from Duke University and beyond, she has never wavered from her passion.

Early in her career, her groundbreaking work began with extensive research on marine algae, which culminated in an acclaimed two-week underwater mission in 1970 aboard Tektite II in the US Virgin Islands, for which Earle and her team were honoured at the White House.

During her term as the first female chief scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, she set a world record in 1979 for the deepest solo untethered dive during which she walked 381m beneath the Pacific Ocean’s surface — a record that remains unbroken more than 40 years on.

Since these achievements, Earle has led more than 100 expeditions exploring the planet’s blue heart, and launched a pioneering initiative dedicated to promoting marine conservation. Standing among the most renowned oceanographers today, she has devoted thousands of hours under water, authored 250 publications, and remains one of the most powerful voices in her field.

In addition, she is responsible for discovering numerous new marine species, and continues to serve as an advocate for ocean exploration and care. To date, Earle has received over 100 national and international accolades and awards. They include TIME Magazine’s first Hero for the Planet, the National Geographic Hubbard Medal, as well as medals from the Explorers Club and Royal Geographical Society.

In 2009, she launched the Mission Blue initiative after winning a TED prize for her “vision to spark global change”. While her aim was to create a global network of ecologically important areas named Hope Spots, the programme’s heart now lies in the empowerment of locals to effect change — a vision that has been endorsed and adopted the world over.

More than a decade on, and with support from Rolex since 2014, the number of Hope Spots has increased from 50 to more than 160, including biodiverse regions such as the Azores Archipelago and the Galápagos Islands. Beyond that, the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative also supports Mission Blue’s Champions: individuals and organisations who lead local efforts in their respective Hope Spots.

Earle’s voice drawing attention to the critical need for marine ecosystems protection rings as loud as her inspirational presence. With 34 honorary degrees to her name, and having lectured in over 80 countries, she 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, and continues to champion this 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.”