AN EXPLORATION OF LIMITS

Rolex supports the legacies of mountaineers Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary in the Himalaya through its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Now run by the climbers’ children, the Himalayan Trust and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Foundation are protecting the region’s environment and empowering its local communities.

Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, had always captured the imaginations of explorers and mountaineers. However, no one had successfully reached the top until May 29, 1953, when two men made history. NepaliIndian Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand's Edmund Hillary members of an expedition team led by Sir John Hunt - became the first people in recorded history to successfully conquer the summit Everest, also known as Chomolungma (goddess mother of the world) to Sherpas and Tibetans.

The duo's triumphant climb showed the world that conquering Mount Everest was possible. Since the 1930s, Rolex had been equipping explorers with its watches to test the reliability of the timepieces in harsh conditions across the planet. In 1953, it equipped the historic Everest expedition, which established a series of camps at increasing elevations before an attempt on the summit. Only two of the climbers, Hillary and Norgay, succeeded and made it all the way.

Since the climb in 1953, the ties between Norgay, Hillary and Rolex have remained strong. The successful ascent was the beginning of a new journey for the two mountaineers, who strived to give back to the region that had changed their lives. Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative support their mission today by working closely with their families' foundations.