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SCMP Style Reporter

There are few worlds where precision, passion and heritage intersect quite as naturally as they do in motorsport. Naturally this is a world that Rolex understands well: from the pursuit of speed and endurance down the years to the preservation of the remarkable machines of each era, the Swiss watchmaker has long championed the people and ideas that keep pushing this – and other sporting endeavours – forward.
That philosophy comes into sharp focus at California’s Monterey Car Week, which each August brings together drivers, collectors, designers and enthusiasts for four of the motoring world’s most celebrated gatherings.

At the heart of this event is the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, four days of racing at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, which this year ran from August 12 to 15. The 2026 edition also marked a significant milestone, being 25 years since Rolex first partnered with the Reunion in 2001, a milestone backed up by the watchmaker’s appointment as title sponsor in 2010.
The Reunion is about far more than competition though. More than 400 historic cars returned to the circuit, creating a moving archive of motorsport history. Every carefully restored body, meticulously prepared engine and period-correct detail reflected the devotion of the people who preserve these machines. It is an approach that resonates strongly with Rolex.

Few understand Laguna Seca’s character better than Rolex Testimonee Tom Kristensen, whose career includes a record nine victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For him, the Reunion captures the particular magic of a circuit that demands absolute concentration: “Laguna Seca is a fantastic track: it’s in the most beautiful location in the hills behind Monterey. The circuit itself is very enjoyable to race and requires complete precision to conquer, with so many elevation changes, an anticlockwise layout and the famous blind corkscrew turn. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is a must-visit for all car lovers.”
“Classic automotive events such as Monterey Car Week are an opportunity to savour the past but also to look to the future and that is why Rolex is their perfect supporter,” says former Formula One and endurance racing driver Mark Webber, a Rolex Testimonee since 2017. “Rolex recognises the importance of appreciating tradition and heritage, which in turn helps them pioneer and innovate, applying their know-how and technical expertise to push the boundaries of what is possible as they create the best timepieces. There is such perfect synergy between Rolex and classic automotive events – whether it’s timepieces or automobiles, their aficionados always appreciate the careful design process that went into creating and maintaining them.”

That balance between preserving the past and embracing what comes next is central to the Monterey experience. The week’s events moved from the racetrack to the road for the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance on August 13, then to rolling green lawns for The Quail by The Peninsula, a Motorsports Gathering on August 14. Then on August 16 came the finale of Monterey Car Week, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

In total, more than 100,000 enthusiasts attended, united in their appreciation of automotive excellence. Rolex has long shared in this appreciation, having supported motorsport for almost nine decades, from Sir Malcolm Campbell’s land-speed records in the 1930s to enduring relationships with some of racing’s greatest drivers and events. Today’s Rolex Testimonees, including Webber and Kristensen, embody that continuity, carrying knowledge and experience from one era to the next.

At Monterey, the Testimonees swapped stories with car collectors and younger enthusiasts, ensuring the craft, ingenuity and spirit of motorsport are not simply remembered, but passed on. In that sense, Rolex’s most important relationship with the automotive world is about understanding where progress begins: with respect for what came before.


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Style Edit: Rolex celebrates 25 years with the Monterey Motorsports Reunion

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, a highlight of California’s annual Monterey Car Week, sees four days of racing between cars from different eras. Photo: Rolex/Stephan Cooper

A 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II, at the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance in 2025. Photo: Rolex/Tom O’Neal

Rolex Testimonee Tom Kristensen at the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Photo: Rolex/Tom O’Neal

Former Formula One and endurance racing driver Mark Webber, also a Rolex Testimonee. Photo: Rolex/Tom O’Neal

Crowds gather to admire vintage vehicles on show at California’s Pebble Beach in August 2025. Photo: Rolex/Tom O’Neal

A race during the 2025 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Photo: Rolex/Stephan Cooper

Inside Rolex’s Shanghai exhibition celebrating the Oyster’s 100th anniversary

The Octagonal Rolex Oyster from 1926. Photo: Handout

British swimmer Mercedes Gleitze (right) is one of 100 legendary Rolex watch wearers profiled in the exhibition. Photo: Handout

Rolex Testimonees, including world-renowned soprano Sonya Yoncheva (third from right), acclaimed filmmaker Jia Zhangke (second from left) and tennis legend Li Na (third from left), at the “Oyster Story” exhibition’s opening ceremony, on June 9. Photo: Handout

The “Oyster Story” exhibition takes place at West Bund Dome in Shanghai until June 28. Photo: Handout

The main pavilion’s ground floor traces the history of Rolex and the groundbreaking invention of the Oyster. Photo: Handout

The Superlative pavilion dives into the art of modern watchmaking and the process of creating an Oyster. Photo: Handout

Style Edit: Rolex powers tennis’ history-makers at the 125th French Open

Coco Gauff of the US holds the French Open women’s singles trophy in June 2025. Photo: Handout

Jannik Sinner of Italy in action during his second round men’s singles match against Richard Gasquet of France at Roland-Garros 2025. Photo: Handout

Coco Gauff of the US during the 2025 women’s French Open final against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. Photo: Handout

Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain, former professional tennis player and Rolex Testimonee, wearing the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 31mm. Photo: Handout

Garbiñe Muguruza in action at Roland-Garros 2022. Photo: Handout

Style Edit: Rolex’s central role at golf’s star-studded Masters at Augusta

The Masters Tournament golf course at Augusta, Georgia. Photo: Handout

Hideki Matsuyama during the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, in April 2021. Photo: Augusta National via Getty Images

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus celebrating his sixth Masters win in 1986. Photo: Handout

Tiger Woods, a five-time winner at the Masters. Photo: Handout

Hideki Matsuyama and his caddie line-up a putt at the Masters. Photo: Handout

Style Edit: Rolex’s National Film and Television School Masterclass with Cameron Bailey

Since 2025, Rolex has partnered with the National Film and Television School (NFTS) Masterclass programme, a globally respected forum that invites students into close dialogue with some of the industry’s most influential thinkers and makers. Photo: Handout

The UK’s National Film and Television School is one of the world’s leading schools for screen arts. Photo: Handout 

NFTS alumni have gone on to win globally recognised awards for screen productions. Photo: Handout

In 2018, the NFTS was itself awarded a Bafta for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. Photo: Handout

Style Edit: Zendaya becomes the latest Rolex Testimonee from the world of film

Zendaya is Rolex’s latest Testimonee. Photo: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Leonardo DiCaprio accepts the best actor award during the 88th Annual Academy Awards in February 2016. Photo: Getty Images

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A highlight of Monterey Car Week in California, the Reunion brought together car enthusiasts, designers, celebrated racers and Rolex Testimonees


A highlight of Monterey Car Week in California, the Reunion brought together car enthusiasts, designers, celebrated racers and Rolex Testimonees.


Style Edit: Rolex celebrates 25 years with the Monterey Motorsports Reunion

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}A highlight of Monterey Car Week in California, the Reunion brought together car enthusiasts, designers, celebrated racers and Rolex Testimonees

A highlight of Monterey Car Week in California, the Reunion brought together car enthusiasts, designers, celebrated racers and Rolex Testimonees