Pono Woodworks Watches Review
While some people buy wristwatches to have a quick way to tell the time, other people want a fashion accessory that will be noticed.
If you’re looking for a watch that will definitely stand out, and not in a plastic or gold and diamonds sort of way, you might want to consider the timepieces from Pono Woodworks.
Pono Woodworks watches all feature Koa wood in their construction, and this element not only gives them beauty, but makes them stand out in a way that other watches do not.
Read on for the full Pono Woodworks watches review.
Build Quality
Movements
Innovation
Styling and Features
Care and Maintenance
Warranty
Prices
Where to Buy
Summary
Pono Woodworks Watches Build Quality
The build quality is good, with cases made from stainless steel. Most models offer up to 100 meters water resistance, though you might want to stay away from the water if you have one of the models with a wooden bracelet.
Most models do not have a wooden bracelet, but instead have a stainless steel bracelet or a leather or silicone strap.
Watch faces are protected by mineral crystal, which is reasonably scratch resistant, though not as good as the far-more-expensive sapphire crystal.
The movements used are quartz electronic movements sourced from Miyota in Japan. Miyota is a division of Citizen, one of the world’s largest watch manufacturers.
Miyota movements are accurate and reliable and have the added benefit of being relatively affordable.
Click here to shop for Pono Woodworks watches at Amazon (new window)
There’s no innovation in the timepiece itself; that’s made from off-the shelf components sourced from Miyota.
The innovation to be found with Pono Woodworks watches comes from the styling, and all models feature Koa wood in some capacity.
Wood. That’s what Pono Woodworks watches styling is all about, and all models are going to feature Koa wood somewhere. For most of the dozen or so models, that means that you’ll find it on the watch face.
Founder Brett Gontarek designs all of the watches and jewelry sold by his company. I don’t think it’s a “one man” shop, but it’s clearly a small company largely overseen by the founder.
Watch faces are relatively large, with most models having cases in the 42mm-47mm range. There is one model that has a 36mm case; while it’s not specifically called a model for women, it’s likely the closed thing to a women’s model the company offers.
While most models offer a leather or silicone strap or a stainless steel bracelet, a couple of models offer an entire bracelet fabricated from the beautiful Koa wood that’s found in Hawaii.
The company makes rings, watches and other jewelry, and everything the company sells features this beautiful hardwood.
You won’t find a lot of features in the watches themselves; you’ll see models that are time-only, models with an inset dial with a second hand, and a couple of models with moonphases.
Oddly enough, as the styling is rather sporty, the company does not currently offer a chronograph.
Still, the predominant feature in all of the watches is the wood, and you can’t help but notice it, even from across the room.
Maintenance and care of these watches is pretty simple. As all movements are quartz, you’ll need to have the battery replaced every three years or so.
You’ll want to store you watch away from extremes of temperature, strong magnetic fields and if you have a model with a wooden bracelet, you’ll likely want to keep it away from water.
With proper care, you should get a number of years of use from your timepiece.
Pono Woodworks Watches Warranty
The company offers a “no hassle” warranty, but the warranty is only for one year, which makes it not quite as good as the average warranty in the industry.
On the plus side, with reliable Miyota movements, you likely won’t encounter any issues with defects, as these are tried-and-true movements that are well tested at the factory before shipping.
Some retailers may offer an additional warranty at the point of sale. This may be something you might want to ask about if you’re concerned about potential warranty issues.
Pricing is quite reasonable as designer watches go. You’ll find that the price range is rather narrow, with all models falling into the $200-$300 range.
That’s about it, and that’s been the price range wherever we’ve seen these timepieces for sale. The company doesn’t do bling, or precious metals, or limited editions, so all models are available and they’re all available at roughly the same price.
You likely cannot buy at brick and mortar stores, though you might be able to find some stores in Hawaii, where the watches are made, that carry the brand.
Otherwise, your best bet is to shop online, where you’ll have the benefit of finding a discount price as well as having access to the full range of products. You can also buy at the company’s Website.
Amazon carries a full range of the brand, as well.
Pono Woodworks Watches Summary
We’ve seen watches made from gold, platinum, titanium, carbon fiber, steel, and even sapphire crystal. What we haven’t see much of is watches made from, or featuring, wood, as Pono Woodworks watches are.
That’s what makes this brand interesting. It’s not just that they make their watches out of wood, or that they feature the beautiful Koa wood on most of their watch faces.
It’s that they make a good quality watch that features wood. Wood is clearly not the idea material for watchmaking. It’s pretty, to be sure, but it’s not necessarily overly rugged, and that can leave you with a watch that isn’t going to last that long.
Pono Woodworks watches mostly incorporate the Koa wood on the watch face, while using stainless steel for the cases themselves. This leaves you with a watch that has the beauty of wood but the ruggedness of steel that will allow your watch to last as long as any other watch you might buy.
If you’re looking for something different and attractive, this brand may make an interesting choice.
Click here to shop for Pono Woodworks watches at Amazon (new window)