What Rolex’s Oscars Greenroom Lounge Says About the Swiss Watchmaker

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At the 97th Academy Awards ceremony, which took place Sunday night at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, eagle-eyed watch lovers may have caught the moment when presenter Quentin Tarantino walked best director winner Sean Baker, of Anora, off stage, right past a gilded Rolex logo. The pair was almost certainly headed into the Oscars greenroom, which Rolex has sponsored for 10 years running. The exclusive lounge is known to have the strictest door policy in town: Only the evening’s host, presenters, nominees, and winners are invited.

The moment was a subtle reminder of the Crown’s presence at Hollywood’s biggest night—but far from the only one. A Rolex commercial—part of the watchmaker’s new “Reach For the Crown” campaign—aired at least two times during the broadcast. It featured clips of Leonardo DiCaprio, the brand’s newest “Testimonee” (Rolex’s nickname for a brand ambassador), alongside fellow testimonees Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, and Kathryn Bigelow, all making movie magic as “Layla” by Derek & the Dominos blares in the background.

In the audience, a select group of Rolex clients and testimonees from around the world enjoyed the ceremony from an elite vantage point. Rolex, a sponsor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including the Academy Awards, since 2017, has stepped up its commitment to the world of cinema over the past decade—and it shows. In 2018, the brand became a sponsor of the Governors Awards, which honor individuals for lifetime achievement in film, and in 2021, the brand was named a founding supporter and official watch of L.A.’s Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The Rolex logo is so ubiquitous in Hollywood that, by now, the brand’s role as benefactor and style icon seems indelible.

It all started in 2016 with the greenroom sponsorship. Every year since, Rolex has reimagined the room’s decor to complement a theme. This year, the room, which Robb Report was invited to tour a few days before the Oscars, was themed “rewilding,” reflecting Rolex’s involvement in restoration projects in Chile and Argentina through its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Along the walls of the serene space, the silhouettes of animals found in those countries appeared on landscapes devoid of fences, a nod to Rolex’s efforts in helping to restore natural habitats.

It’s easy to imagine the night’s winners and nominees relaxing on the sofas, chairs and tables that dotted the space, noshing on bites provided by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. With its earthy textures and colors, the greenroom was less a brand emporium than an elegant lounge that communicated, on a visceral level, Rolex’s enduring values. That may explain why it featured just one product on display: the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 in 18-karat Everose gold with a Sundust dial, fluted bezel and President bracelet. Why this model? In its greenroom press release, Rolex explained that the watch’s specially designed President bracelet is available only in gold or platinum: “It is completely at home in a room full of many of the world’s leading actors and filmmakers.”

But given the exclusivity of the room, it’s important to look to the brand’s wider messaging to understand what it wanted everyone watching the ceremony from home to take away. In the commercial that aired during the broadcast, audio clips of Scorsese, Cameron, DiCaprio, and Bigelow talking about the sometimes-grueling pursuit of movie-making excellence were interspersed with scenes of them on set. The emphasis on hard work echoed the way Rolex presents its testimonees in the world of sports, including equestrianism, golf, motor sport, tennis, and yachting. At heart, the brand messaging is consistent: Individuals who work hard and win reward themselves with a Rolex. Or, as DiCaprio said in one poignant voiceover: “Every time I would get tired of a scene and not want to persist, I would say: Pain is temporary, but films are forever.” You could easily say the same thing about his timepiece.

Credit: robbreport.com