Review: Wooden Watches by JORD – Earth, Soil, Land

Do you wear a time piece on your wrist? With office life being dictated very much by the clock, a watch is a necessary element of corporate uniform. For many people it is much more than that – it is a fashion accessory, a statement, a piece of art.

Most watch cases and straps are made from metal, plastic or leather. JORD have done something a bit different. The Swedish company, which means “earth, soil, land”, decided to take things back to nature by creating a line of watches using woods from all over the world. They use the natural colours and grains to create watches that are unique, and really rather beautiful.

When my Ely series watch arrived I was actually quite blown away. It has a chunky appearance but is in perfect proportion when on my wrist, is very smooth to the touch, and is a lovely shade of natural green with a light maple coloured face that is subtle but different.

The Ely is one of the smallest watches in JORD have designed, but it is perfect for everyday wear. The strap was too big for me out of the box but it was easy for my local watch shop to adjust (I had two links removed). It is worth noting that it’s not waterproof (just splash proof), and I am certain the nice finish would get damaged if it was bashed around, so this is a watch for calm days. You will of course notice a bit of metal and glass in the watch – the clasp and pins, face and hands are not made of wood but the rest is; the case, including the back, and the strap.

Being made from wood, each watch will be different and it’s lovely to look at mine knowing that no-one else will have one quite like it – ever. Any outdoors loving person, or indeed anyone who likes a nice time piece, will definitely appreciate a JORD wood watch; natural and one-of-a-kind.

(I do like a company with a nice instagram feed – check JORD out and also their hashtag #jordwatches for photos from other owners. They’re also on twitter.)