About Halim Trujillo

Halim Trujillo is the founder and editor of Watch Collecting Lifestyle, a global watch media and collector platform dedicated to high-end horology, independent watchmaking, manufacture visits, collector culture, and the broader lifestyle surrounding watches.

A longtime collector himself, Halim built Watch Collecting Lifestyle from within the enthusiast community rather than through the traditional structures of watch journalism. His perspective is rooted in collecting as lived experience — not merely as ownership, investment, or technical appreciation, but as a world of relationships, travel, emotion, access, taste, and cultural identity.

Over the years, Watch Collecting Lifestyle has developed close relationships with some of the most important names in independent and haute horlogerie watchmaking, including De Bethune, MB&F, Greubel Forsey, F.P. Journe, and other houses whose appeal often depends on personal connection, direct experience, and deep collector engagement. Through detailed photography, long-form impressions, manufacture visits, and collector-centered storytelling, Halim has helped document a side of horology that is often difficult to capture through press releases or conventional reporting.

His work reflects one of the major shifts in modern watch culture: the rise of collector-driven authority. Today, collectors and enthusiast platforms do not merely consume watch narratives. They help create them. They shape visibility, amplify independent makers, influence taste, and help determine which brands, watches, and stories gain legitimacy within the broader community.

In this conversation for Watches & Politics, we explore the politics of collector media: who defines importance, how access changes influence, how independent watchmakers benefit from collector networks, and how digital platforms have disrupted the older hierarchy of brands, retailers, and legacy publications.

At its core, this episode asks how horological power changes when collectors become storytellers.

Topics Discussed

1. When you hear the phrase “Watches & Politics,” what is the first thing that comes to mind?

2. You created Watch Collecting Lifestyle from the perspective of a collector rather than a traditional journalist. What motivated you to start the platform?

3. How do you see the role of collectors evolving in shaping the watch industry today?

4. What is the difference between journalists, curators, influencers, and brand marketers in the current watch ecosystem?

5. We recently left behind Watches and Wonders 2026. What did you expect before the fair, and what did you find once you were there?

6. Since you write about lifestyle and collector culture, we should address the elephant in the room: what do you think about collaborations between watch brands, and collaborations with figures or brands from outside the watch world — including examples like the Royal Pop?

7. Independent watchmaking has become increasingly prominent in recent years. Why do you think collectors have become so passionate about independent brands?

8. Through your visits to manufactures and interactions with watchmakers, what have you learned about the relationship between collectors and creators?

9. In a world where collectors now have more direct access to brands and watchmakers, how has the traditional structure of the industry changed?

10. Are there particular watches, brands, or categories that you feel remain underappreciated by the broader market?

11. Looking ahead, how do you think collector culture will shape the future of horology?

12. What defines a collector?

Key quotes from the conversation

“Collectors today have taken a very important role in what’s being done in the industry.”

“The biggest difference [between a collector’s and an influencer’s opinion] is whether you put your hard-earned money into these watches before you talk about them.”

“A successful collaboration has to be based on the DNA of the brand.”

“Independent watchmaking brings an offering that allows you to feel like you are really supporting the trade.”

“The more educated collectors are, the better things will go for the brands.”

“Collecting goes beyond buying and selling. It is the chase.”

Further Reading & References

Watch Collecting Lifestyle — Halim Trujillo’s collector-driven platform covering high-end watches, independent watchmaking, manufacture visits, photography, travel, and the broader lifestyle surrounding horology.

Jaeger-LeCoultre — Important in Halim’s story both as a historically significant manufacture and as the first brand to reach out to Watch Collecting Lifestyle.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak — Central to Halim’s collecting journey and to the discussion about brand identity, collaborations, and changing collector perception.

Watches and Wonders Geneva — The major annual industry gathering discussed in relation to 2026 releases, attendance, collector participation, and the evolving role of watch fairs.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin — One of Halim’s standout watches from Watches and Wonders 2026.

Ulysse Nardin Freak / Super Freak — Mentioned as one of the strongest contemporary expressions of technical and visual creativity.

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Tourbillon Lumen — Highlighted by Halim as examples of strong releases and creative execution.

Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 — Discussed as a major technical highlight because of its unusual chiming concept.

Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Chronograph — Referenced as part of Parmigiani’s continued creative resurgence.

Breguet, Zenith, Chopard, Ferdinand Berthoud, Cvstos, and Jaeger-LeCoultre — Brands Halim identifies as underappreciated relative to their history, quality, or horological contribution.