Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio is now part of the Rolex family as Testimonee. The campaign, which has been released on YouTube, will debut on television during the 2025 Academy Awards commercials.

The news was first unveiled when Rolex released their “Reach for the Crown” campaign on YouTube, which features the actor among other Rolex Testimonees, such as Roger Federer and Coco Gauff. The campaign is set to make its television debut during the 2025 Academy Awards commercials.

On the official website, Rolex describes Leonardo DiCaprio as an “Oscar-winner and environmental activist… recognised worldwide for his powerful on-screen portrayals, ranging from historical figures to complex fictional characters. Off-screen, he is equally committed to combating climate change and preserving the environment and is an influential figure beyond Hollywood.”

The list of Rolex Testimonees in cinema includes Martin Scorsese who has directed iconic films such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed and The Irishman; visionary filmmaker and deep sea explorer James Cameron who has consistently pushed the boundaries of cinematic storytelling through films such as Titanic and Avatar; and Jia Zhang-Ke, renowned for insightful films such as Still Life, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2006 and A Touch of Sin, which received the Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. 

Off-screen, Rolex Testimonees hail from a background in music, equestrian, golf, motorsport, tennis, ski and exploration. “Rolex crowns those whose talent and unwavering determination inspire the world. They all share a vision, a guiding ideal. With audacity and perseverance, they dare to chase the impossible and overcome every challenge to achieve excellence. Their journeys go beyond personal success. The men and women of the Rolex family inspire the dreams and achievements of today and shape those of tomorrow.”

Leonardo DiCaprio 

Leonardo DiCaprio began his career as a child, gaining recognition for his early roles in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) and Romeo + Juliet (1996). His career reached global prominence with James Cameron’s Titanic (1997), where he captured the hearts of millions as Jack Dawson. From there, DiCaprio has made significant films through his partnership with Martin Scorsese, starring in films such as The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). In 2016, he won his long-awaited Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Revenant (2015).

Leonardo DiCaprio Joins Rolex As Brand Ambassador

Leonardo DiCaprio serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Image: UN

Beyond acting, DiCaprio is passionately dedicated to environmental advocacy. In 1998, he established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, focusing on the protection of the world’s last wild places and addressing climate change. The foundation supports over thirty-five innovative conservation projects around the world that protect fragile ecosystems and key species. DiCaprio serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace, with a special focus on climate change ahead of the 2014 Climate Summit, aimed at catalysing and galvanising climate action towards a global climate agreement in 2015.

The actor also serves on the board of several environmental protection organisations including the World Wildlife Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Pristine Seas and Oceans 5. He is also an advisor on The Solutions Project, an organization dedicated to scaling up the adoption of clean, renewable energy. In 2014, DiCaprio was honored with the prestigious Clinton Global Citizen Award for his philanthropic work.

Rolex

Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacturer. Headquartered in Geneva, Rolex’s vision, “The Rolex Way,” is a commitment to perfection, innovation, and timeless craftsmanship. This guiding principle signifies the luxury brand’s dedication to producing exceptional wristwatches that set the benchmark for precision, reliability, and elegance. Each Rolex timepiece is a symbol of mastery in horology, reflecting the selection of the finest materials to the intricate assembly by expert hands.

Hans Wilsdorf, founder of the company, instilled an ethos of excellence, leading to watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch launched in 1926. Wilsdorf tested his watches under extreme conditions in the company of sportspeople and explorers of the twentieth century. In 1927 it was worn by professional swimmer Mercedes Gleitze while crossing the English Channel. Following the ten-hour swim, the watch was in perfect working condition. “We want to be the first in the field and Rolex should be seen as the one and only — the best,” he said.

In 1931, Rolex invented and patented a self-winding mechanism, ‘Perpetual Rotor’ i.e. a semi-circular plate that relies on gravity for movement.This creative system is an intrinsic part of every automatic watch today. When Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest, they were equipped with Oyster Perpetuals. British racing motorist Sir Malcolm Campbell endorsed Rolex after wearing it during his land speed record attempts in the Thirties. The Datejust was launched in 1945, indicating the date on the dial. Rolex also became the first watch to break the sound barrier on the wrist of Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager in 1947.

Leonardo DiCaprio Joins Rolex As Brand Ambassador

Each Rolex timepiece is a symbol of mastery in horology. Image: Rolex

Similar legendary tales highlight the Rolex history up to the present date. In the Fifties, Rolex made watches for deep-sea diving, aviation, mountain climbing and scientific exploration. In 1953, Submariner was the first divers watch. Its rotatable bezel let divers read time under water. As overseas travel developed in the Fifties, it became important to know time in different regions, simultaneously. The brand developed Rolex GMT Master to fulfil this need. In 1953 Edmund Hillary and other members of his expedition made the first successful ascent of Mount Everest, wearing Rolex.

In 1960, Trieste and Lieutenant Don Walsh descended into Mariana Trench, the deepest depression on the Earth’s surface. Emerging from 10,916-m, the bathyscaphe was in perfect working order as was the Rolex Deep Sea Special. In 1963, designed as a wristwatch for race drivers, Cosmograph Daytona was tough, waterproof and had a tachymetric scale on the bezel for calculating average speed. 1967 witnessed the launch of Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller, waterproof to a depth of 610m. To meet the needs of professional deep-sea divers, the case was equipped with a helium escape valve.

Rolex also has a place in history. During World War II, Royal Air Force pilots bought Rolex. However, when captured and sent to prisoner of war camps, these watches were seized. When Hans Wilsdorf heard this, he offered to replace it without payment until the end of the war, if the officers would write to Rolex, explain the circumstances of the loss and where they were being held. American servicemen heard about this when stationed in Europe during WWII and this helped open up the American market to Rolex, post- war. On 10 March 1943, while still a prisoner of war, Corporal Clive James Nutting, one of the organisers of The Great Escape, ordered a Rolex Oyster 3525. As a chronograph, it could have been used to time patrols of prison guards or ill-fated escapees through tunnel ‘Harry’ on 24 March 1944…

Another interesting anecdote is about Paul Newman’s “exotic-dialled” 1968 Rolex, which he gifted his daughter’s boyfriend with the words: “Keeps good time”. In 2017, it sold for a reported £14m, then the highest price paid for a wristwatch at an auction!!