Christopher Daaboul from EsperLuxe — Access, Trust, and Power in the Independent Watchmaking Market

In this episode of Watches & Politics, I’m joined by Christopher Daaboul, founder of EsperLuxe, to explore access, trust, and power in the modern private watch market, focusing on independent watchmaking.As retail and brand authorization increasingly fail to meet demand, independent dealers and private networks have emerged as the real centers of gravity. Chris operates precisely at this intersection — where scarcity, discretion, legitimacy, and trust determine who gets access and who does not.We discuss how watches move not just as objects, but as stores of value, social signals, and instruments of influence. Our conversation explores how legitimacy is constructed outside brand control, how trust replaces contracts, and how informal networks increasingly govern luxury markets across borders.This episode offers a rare inside look at how power actually flows through contemporary watch culture — quietly, selectively, and behind closed doors. We talk about the most rare and sought after watches, from Rexhep Rexhepi to De Bethune, from Urwerk to MB&F, and all other watches.