The Collectors: Lex Borrero

Music executive Lex Borrero recalls first noticing stopwatches during his father’s rally races in Colombia. That early fascination took on a new dimension when he relocated to the U.S., became obsessed with pop culture, and realized how watches can signal ambition and identity. While still a teen, he acquired his first luxury timepiece—a two-tone Rolex GMT—even though he couldn’t afford it. The purchase ruined his credit, but it ignited a collection that now incorporates around 70 watches. Among them are a rare Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700 double-stamp Beyer and two numbered Audemars Piguet “Clover” Perpetual Calendars.

Collecting philosophy: “Find what you love,” advises Borrero, who acquired a Cartier Crash Paris and Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence before either sparked widespread fervor. “It doesn’t matter if other people think it’s impressive.”

Shopping trips: Close friend Adam Golden of Miami’s Menta Watches keeps an office next door, giving Borrero—founder and CEO of entertainment media company Neon16 as well as 0260, a lifestyle brand for watch, car, and coffee aficionados—regular access to an ever-changing stream of vintage and contemporary timepieces. Still, he misses “the old days” of hunting through shops in Milan, Paris, and Tokyo.

Full throttle: After organizing international collector trips that paired driving experiences with visits to horologists such as F.P. Journe and Parmigiani Fleurier, Borrero founded Miami’s Time to Drive Car and Watch Festival, premiering in November, to put the like-minded communities under one roof. “Bridging these two worlds is at the core of who I am,” he says.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2026 Late Fall Issue in the section “The Collectors.” Subscribe to the magazine.