The film industry recently gathered beneath the bright lights of the Dolby Theatre for the 98th edition of the Academy Awards. Broadcast to more than 200 territories, the Oscars remain as cinema's most visible celebration of artistry and collaborative magic that brings stories to life.

Ah, behind the glamour and the glitz, there is a well-oiled machine. A system made of moving parts that keep the pomp and circumstance alive. Rolex's involvement keeps things running like clockwork. As a Proud Sponsor of the Oscars since 2017, the brand is more than a logo placement, but as a custodian of creative legacy through its Perpetual Arts Initiative, which supports institutions including the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, The Film Foundation, and the National Film and Television School, while nurturing the next generation of filmmakers.

This year carries added significance, marking the centenary of the Oyster, the world’s first waterproof watch. Rolex’s watches have appeared on the wrists of some of film’s most memorable characters, while its family of Testimonees like James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Zendaya and Jia Zhang-Ke reflect a commitment to those shaping the language of modern storytelling.

Rolex's presence is felt most prominently at the Oscars Greenroom. This space is an intimate holding area, just offstage, where nominees, presenters and winners reside at away from the madness of the evening. You can spot Rolex's design language in the Oscars Greenroom: a deep green velvet paired with brushed champagne-gold finishes and anodised accents that shift subtly in tone. It's cinematic without the theatrics.

Anchoring the Oscars Greenroom is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona in 18 ct yellow gold and verdant green dial. First introduced in 1963, the Cosmograph Daytona has transcended from its beginnings as a tool watch to become a cultural artefact.

We find alignment in the ideals of Rolex and the Academy, where craft is celebrated, heritage is safeguarded, and new voices spring forth. While the main stage might host the spectacle, behind the curtain, it is a quiet continuity in fostering the enduring power of film as both art and cultural record.

The conversations in the Greenroom, the craftsmanship behind the scenes, the legacy being built in real time... these moments reveal what the Oscars, and Rolex’s role within them, are about: where the bridge between a century of watchmaking and decades of film history isn't so far removed.