Zach Weiss’s Obsessions
by Mello Ige
Illustrations by Zachary Grey Phelps
In a world increasingly driven by disposable tech, Zach Weiss (MFA 2008) is obsessed with things built to last.
Best known for co-founding Worn & Wound, one of the most respected voices in contemporary watch culture, Weiss helped usher mechanical timepieces back into the spotlight—not as luxury items, but as thoughtfully designed objects with stories to tell. With a Master's in Designed Objects, he’s turned his lifelong fascination with watches into a thriving business that spans publishing, retail, and global events. But his eye for design extends well beyond the wrist, pulling him toward materials, objects, and aesthetics that reward long-term attention. These are the four things Weiss is obsessing over right now.
Watches
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t wear a watch. The obsession started young, passed down from my father, who was into art, design, and timepieces. As a kid, I had Swatches and Timexes—they were accessories, but also objects of design I carried with me every day. That relationship eventually shaped my career.
Watches are endlessly interesting—they combine product design, graphic design, engineering, fashion, history. They’re mechanical objects that don’t really degrade. A well-kept watch from 50 years ago can still run beautifully today. And unlike your phone or laptop, it doesn’t become obsolete—if anything, it gets more meaningful with time. There’s also this emotional element: they can be passed down, given as gifts, and carry personal histories. They’re small objects, but they hold a lot.
Titanium
Titanium is one of those materials I didn’t expect to fall in love with. I was introduced to it through watches, but now I look for it in other things too. It’s 33 percent lighter than steel, but stronger and incredibly hypoallergenic—ideal for wearables. It also has a unique ability to adjust to your body temperature, which makes it feel natural and unobtrusive. I recently picked up a pair of fully titanium glasses that are also very thin and you can’t feel them. They’re just the lightest things ever. There’s a quiet utility to titanium that I find really appealing. It’s sleek without trying to be flashy. It just works.
Boots
Boots are probably the closest thing I have to a second collection. I’ve always been drawn to footwear made with intention—Goodyear welted construction, natural leathers, handmade details. There’s a growing world of independent bootmakers doing incredible work, like Oak Street Bootmakers in Chicago. I like that there’s a whole subculture around them: people reviewing, discussing how they age, how to maintain them. They’re functional objects that reward care—you can get them re-soled, condition the leather, and they’ll last for years. I have boots I’ve worn for over a decade that are more comfortable now than when I bought them. Like watches, they tell a story over time. You break them in, and they break in with you.
The Criterion Channel
The Criterion Channel has become my favorite way to watch films. It’s the streaming service run by the Criterion Collection, which was already known for beautifully packaged DVDs of classic and cult films. The streaming platform curates monthly sets around themes or directors—Japanese horror, Jean Renoir, Hitchcock, things like that. It’s a welcome shift from the algorithmic sprawl of Netflix. You feel like there’s a curatorial mind at work, introducing you to films you might not seek out on your own. I signed up after being told to for a long time, and now I recommend it constantly. It provides a little bit more of an intellectual angle to the streaming phenomena that is our lives and entertainment. ■
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