The relationship between Rolex and the sea began with a watch rather than a yacht. In 1926, the Swiss watchmaker created the Oyster, the world’s first waterproof wristwatch. The following year, British swimmer Mercedes Gleitze wore one during an English Channel swim lasting more than 10 hours. The watch emerged in perfect working order.
A century later, as Rolex marks 100 years of the Oyster, that early test of endurance provides a neat starting point for its long association with yachting. Rolex’s formal relationship with yachting began with the New York Yacht Club in 1958, but another milestone came in 1966, when Sir Francis Chichester set out aboard Gipsy Moth IV on his solo circumnavigation, carrying an Oyster Perpetual among his navigational equipment.
Today, Rolex supports some of sailing’s most demanding events, from the Rolex Fastnet, Rolex Middle Sea, and Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races to the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Rolex Swan Cup, and Rolex TP52 World Championship.
The connection is rooted in the qualities required to excel in both. “Precision and excellence are core to performance in sailing,” says Sir Ben Ainslie, the most successful Olympic sailor in history and a Rolex Testimonee, “and this is a common link with what Rolex stands for.”
Sailing also comes with one great variable: the sea. Five-time Olympic medallist Robert Scheidt points to the ability to “stay the course”, while veteran sailor Paul Cayard puts it more starkly: “The sea does not care who you are… every day it presents new conditions, and you have to meet them.”
Rolex’s involvement extends to the yacht clubs that maintain the sport’s traditions while developing its next generation. Partnerships include the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Yacht Squadron, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Royal Malta Yacht Club, and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Youth initiatives such as Azzurra and Griffin sit alongside programmes including Rolex Testimonee Hannah Mills’ Athena Pathway, which creates opportunities for women and young sailors to progress through competitive sailing.
Alongside the Oyster centenary, 2026 also marks 60 years since Sir Francis began his circumnavigation and 25 years of Rolex’s partnership with the Royal Ocean Racing Club.
For Paul, anniversaries offer something high achievers rarely allow themselves: a chance to look backwards before moving forward. At sea, however, the underlying principle remains unchanged. Progress depends not only on preparation and precision, but also on knowing when conditions demand a different course.
