For this edition of Weiss Wednesday, we're sharing the story of Donny Gerardi, whose appreciation for watches began at just eight years old with a gift from his uncle.
Years later, rediscovering that very first watch inspired Donny to think about the pieces we inherit, the memories they carry, and what he hopes to pass down to his own sons.
From a childhood gift to a new family heirloom, Donny's journey with Weiss is a story of family, connection, and the meaning we attach to the things we keep.
"My watch collecting story started when I was 8, though I didn’t know it at the time. My uncle, who was always around and always into cool new things, got matching Luminox Navy SEAL watches for the two of us. From then on I never went without a watch — digital, analog, didn’t matter — until the Apple Watch came out and took over my wrist for nearly a decade.
Then life got busy. I got married, had kids, and the buzzing on my wrist started to annoy me instead of help me. Around that time my uncle handed down an old TAG Heuer of his, and it reignited something. Shortly after I bought a Seiko Presage and started eyeing the bigger names like Tudor, Omega, IWC, Longines but kept hesitating.
While I was deciding, I dug back through old boxes and found watches I’d forgotten I even had including that original Luminox from age 8. That’s when it hit me: every piece in my collection, except the Seiko, had been given to me by family. It made me think about my two young sons, and what I’d want to leave them someday.
That thought sent me searching for heirloom-quality watches, and specifically American brands — which is how I found Weiss. The more I read, the more serious I got. I started thinking about an engraving long before I’d even chosen a watch. When Weiss released the black textured 42mm, I knew that was the one.
Photos don’t do it justice. It’s a genuinely beautiful piece, engraved: “TIME PASSES • FAMILY ENDURES • GERARDI 2026.” It arrived just days before my cousin’s wedding — my uncle’s daughter, the same uncle who gave me that first Luminox all those years ago. I wore the Weiss to the rehearsal dinner, and got to tell him the whole story and show him the watch. Full circle, in the best way.
I’m proud to be part of the Weiss family."
