James Cameron’s historic Rolex Deepsea Challenge watch arrives at the Australian National Maritime MuseumJames Cameron’s historic Rolex Deepsea Challenge watch arrives at the Australian National Maritime Museum 

The Australian National Maritime Museum is proud to announce the arrival of a legendary artefact in deep-sea exploration: the actual Rolex Deepsea Challenge experimental watch that accompanied explorer and filmmaker James Cameron on his record-breaking solo dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in March 2012.

The watch, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 12,000 metres (39,370 feet), was exclusively developed and manufactured by Rolex for the expedition. Strapped to the exterior of Cameron’s custom-built submersible, the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER, the Rolex Deepsea Challenge kept perfect time at a depth of 10,908 metres (35,757 feet) – a feat then unmatched in horological history.

This timepiece, engineered to withstand the crushing pressure of the ocean’s deepest point, now joins the Museum’s exhibition Ultimate Depth: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea, offering visitors a rare opportunity to witness a symbol of human ingenuity and endurance. The watch’s arrival complements the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER itself, which is already on display at the Museum, returning to Sydney for the first time since its historic expedition.

Mr Benoit Falleti, Managing Director of Rolex Australia, said: “We are honoured to bring James Cameron’s experimental Rolex Deepsea Challenge watch to Australia, providing visitors to the Maritime Museum with an exceptional firsthand encounter with a true icon of exploration. This unique opportunity underscores Rolex’s ongoing commitment to innovation and human endeavour, to better understand and protect the planet.”

Ms Daryl Karp AM, CEO and Director of the Australian National Maritime Museum, said: ‘This watch is a marvel of engineering and a testament to the spirit of exploration. We are honoured to showcase it alongside the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER, celebrating Australian innovation and global scientific achievement.’

Emily Jateff, Senior Curator, Ocean Futures added: ’The presence of the Rolex Deepsea Challenge in the exhibition allows us to tell a richer story about exploring Earth’s final frontier.’

The Ultimate Depth exhibition invites visitors to journey through five distinct ocean zones—from the sunlit surface to the pitch-black depths of the Hadal Zone—encountering rare marine life, pioneering technologies, and the stories of those who dare to explore the unknown.

The Rolex Deepsea Challenge watch is now on display in the Ultimate Depth exhibition.

For further information about the Rolex Deepsea Challenge, visit: https://www.rolex.com/watches/deepsea/deepsea-challenge 

We are Australia’s museum of the sea. A place to explore our relationship to the oceans and waterways around us and to dive deeper into the rich maritime heritage that binds us all.

Australia’s maritime history abounds with people who lived, worked, and explored our waters. The maritime museum brings a modern perspective to these narratives, exploring topics of migration, commerce, archaeology, ocean science and culture and lifestyle. We are proud to honour the stories from autonomous Indigenous voices and represent the innumerable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander living cultural connections to ancestral waters. 

As the national centre for maritime collections, exhibitions, experiences and knowledge, we are custodians of historic vessels and a cultural hub for Australian maritime heritage and contemporary stories of the sea. These stories come to life for visitors at our Sydney Harbour site and connect with national and global audiences in immersive and innovative ways, including online experiences to explore from anywhere.

An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise

Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Perpetual watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization.

The word ‘Perpetual’ is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 600 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components. A fifth site, also in Switzerland, is under construction and is expected to open in 2029. Rolex carries out its own manufacturing operations, from casting the gold alloys to machining, crafting, assembling and finishing the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.