Describe your products in 3 words.

Perfection, expertly crafted.

How did you come up with the idea for this product?

Surprisingly, wood watches have been a segment in the timepiece industry since the early 70's. Similar to what we're currently seeing in the market, a desire for more natural products was pervasive across all industries, and particularly in the world of fashion. Unfortunately, similar to other products indicative of that time - the pet rock, or stone mood rings - wood watches were manufactured at a quality that was more consistent with novelty goods. Over the years more brands entered the wood watch market, but the design and the build weren't making the improvements that you would have expected. When we were introduced to the concept in 2012 it was such an obvious opportunity. For any entrepreneur, finding a product that has obvious room for improvement and potential for elevating an entire segment, is ideal. We knew we had the capability to design and manufacture a true luxury wood watch. Something that could be worn every day, for nearly any occasion, and would be in heavy rotation in anyone's personal collection. The opportunities we saw for improvement in wood watches, design and durability, remain the driving force of our business today. We aren't concerned with the competition, we just want to keep steadily improving the industry as a whole. Everyone should have the opportunity to own something as unique as a natural wood watch. Knowing that the majority of the ones that will last will bear the JORD name is a good feeling.

What makes your product special?

Not enough can be said in regards to a consistent and quality driven manufacturing process. Wood is hand chosen from stock in consideration of the gaining and natural color tones. Each piece must go through a drying period so excess water leaves the cells of wood, prior to machining and this time period cannot be rushed. After the wood has been ‘seasoned’ it is then re-evaluated and select pieces are put into production. We start by CNC machining each case and band link. CNC machining is crucial as it allows precision and accuracy, ensuring each piece can later be properly fitted and assembled. After CNC machining, fine detail work is completed and each components is hand-sanded. The pieces are then treated with natural Tung oil which conditions the raw wood and adds a light sheen to the surface, highlighting the natural tone and grain. The case and movement are assembled first, and great care is taken to ensure the movement is properly seated and secure in the wood housing. The separate links are then assembled by hand and attached to the case and clasp. Protective materials are hand placed and our branding tag, to ensure authenticity, is added. Our watches are sold in hand-made, natural cedar wood valet presentation boxes that allow for humidity control, an added protective measure for a wood timepiece. Something many consumers may not realize is that we have by far the best brand support team in our industry. Many ecommerce companies have a reputation for being elusive when customer concerns arise. Our customers can access us through live chat on our website, reach us by phone, message us on Facebook, DM us on Instagram, tweet at us! We have an amazing group of knowledgeable team members who can answer questions about the line, custom engraving, our manufacturing process, watch care, conditioning, operations, you name it - we are so happy to talk with our customers about anything having to do with our company and our line. For customers of JORD, it may be your watch but it's always going to be our product and we're going to stand behind it.

What has been the best part of your experience?

The stories, feedback and responses that we get from our customers - I don't know if we can fully express what they have meant to us and how they continue to keep JORD moving forward on the right path. Our main drives are design and durability and having our customers affirm that we're delivering on those is all we could have ever hoped to earn. JORD watches are given to celebrate huge occasions. Weddings, graduations, first Mother's and Father's days. These watches are really symbols for those moments. We just want to make sure those symbols are around for years to come. Also, we've been really fortunate on the other side of creating a business. The team we've grown over the last 4 years is more like a family and it's a lot easier getting through the challenges of growing a business when you have 20 people standing beside you - ready to do whatever it takes to get the job done. All the successes we've had mean more knowing that we can share it with an incredible and deserving group of people.