Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Weiss.
Hi Cameron, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been drawn to watches for as long as I can remember. There was something about a mechanical watch that felt different to me. It wasn’t just an object, it was a tiny machine built by hand, meant to live with someone for years.
I trained as a watchmaker and worked in both the Swiss and American watch industries before starting Weiss Watch Company in 2013. At the time, I saw an opportunity to build something that felt honest and personal: mechanical watches made with real craft, in small batches, by hand, in the United States.
In the beginning, it was just me at the bench, assembling watches one at a time. I was doing the watchmaking, the customer emails, the sourcing, the shipping, and really every part of the business. It was challenging, but it also gave the company its foundation. Every decision was connected to the work itself and to the people who were wearing the watches.
Since then, Weiss has grown from a small workshop in Los Angeles into an independent watch company headquartered in Nashville. The path has not always been linear, but the purpose has stayed the same: to make watches carefully, to preserve traditional craft, and to build something that can last with proper care.
Today, Weiss is still independent and still very hands-on. We make timepieces in small batches, with a focus on utility and timeless design. For me, the company has always been about more than watches. It is about the idea that time is worth making carefully.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Building an independent watch company is challenging in general, but trying to do it with a hands-on, craft-based approach has added another layer of complexity.
In the beginning, one of the biggest struggles was simply doing everything myself. For many years, I was at the bench assembling watches, but I was also sourcing parts, answering emails, packing orders, handling repairs, doing the bookkeeping, and learning how to run a business at the same time. There was no separation between the craft and the company, and it was all happening at once.
Manufacturing has also been a constant challenge. Watchmaking depends on precision, consistency, and timing, and when you are working in small batches, every delay or supply issue matters. We have had to learn how to grow carefully without losing the personal, hands-on nature of the work.
But I think those struggles are also what shaped the company. They forced us to stay close to the work, to be resourceful, and to keep asking what kind of company we actually wanted to build. For me, the difficult parts have made the work feel more meaningful, not less.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Weiss Watch Company, we design, build, and assemble mechanical watches in small batches in Nashville. My work is rooted in traditional watchmaking, but the goal has always been to make watches that feel useful, personal, and meant to be worn.
We specialize in mechanical field watches and everyday timepieces that are repairable and made with care. A lot of our work happens at the bench: assembling, regulating, testing, repairing, and refining watches by hand. I think people know Weiss for being independent, hands-on, and honest about the process. We are not trying to make watches feel mysterious or untouchable. We want people to understand the craft and feel connected to it.
What I am most proud of is that we have stayed independent and stayed close to the work. We have grown from a one-person workshop into a small company with a headquarters in Nashville, but we still make watches in small batches and maintain a direct relationship with the people who wear them.
What sets us apart is that the company is very personal. The watches are not designed by a group or made anonymously at a distance. They come from years of watchmaking, problem-solving, and building the business by hand. Every watch carries some part of that story: American independence, Swiss training, traditional craft, and the belief that objects made carefully can still matter.
How do you define success?
I define success as being able to keep doing the work in a way that feels honest.
For me, success is not only about growth or numbers, although those things matter in a business. It is about building something with integrity — watches that people care about, a company that stays independent, and a way of working that still feels connected to the craft.
I also think success is being able to build a life around meaningful work. Weiss has always been tied to family, place, and the idea of using time intentionally. If we can keep making watches carefully, take care of the people who support the company, and continue creating objects that have meaning for the people who wear them, that feels like success to me.
Pricing:
- $3250
Contact Info:
- Website: https://weisswatchcompany.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/weisswatchcompany
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeissWatchCompany/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewatchmakersworkshop
