The Rolex Awards began in 1976, when the watchmaker created them to mark the 50th anniversary of its first waterproof wristwatch, the Oyster. Meant as a one-time event, they drew so much interest that Rolex kept them going. Since then the program has supported 165 winners, called Laureates, whose projects reach across more than 67 countries.
The awards back people working on bold, unfinished projects in fields such as the environment, science, health and exploration — funding ideas still in progress rather than rewarding past success. Each Laureate now receives 100,000 Swiss francs, about $104,000.
This year marks the program’s 50th anniversary, and it brought changes. Once called the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, it is now simply the Rolex Awards, and it will be given every year instead of every two. All five of the 2026 Laureates are women.
Briefs and quick reads selected and edited by The Smart Reader’s editorial team.
