About

Tense (noun): A set of forms taken by a verb to indicate time. One moment in relation to another. Past, present, future.

Every Tense watch begins with a single piece of wood and a simple belief: that the things we carry with us every day should be made with care, from materials that matter.

For over five decades, we have been crafting timepieces from natural wood. Each watch is made from 100% recycled or reclaimed wood and powered by premium Swiss Rondo 6004D or Japanese Miyota movements. No two watches are exactly alike because no two pieces of wood are exactly alike. The grain, the tone, the warmth of every watch is uniquely its own.

Our Story

Tense was founded in 1971 by Ken P. Lau, a craftsman with a deep appreciation for natural materials. While others in the industry worked exclusively with metal and glass, Ken was drawn to wood and stone. He began his career designing clocks, quietly pioneering an approach that no one else was exploring.

Over the years, that vision evolved. By the 1990s, Tense had transitioned from clocks to wooden wristwatches, and a new chapter began. What started as one craftsman's passion has grown into a family of artisans who share the same dedication to quality and detail.

Today, that continuity is at the heart of everything we do. We are not chasing trends. We are building something that lasts.

What We Believe

We believe a watch should do more than tell time. It should tell a story. The story of the wood it was carved from, the hands that shaped it, and the person who wears it. Every Tense watch is designed and built around our core beliefs in quality, craftsmanship, and respect for the natural world.

Giving Back

Making watches from wood means we owe a deep debt to the natural world. That is why giving back is not an afterthought for us — it is part of who we are.

As a proud member of 1% For The Planet, we pledge one percent of our sales to organizations dedicated to environmental and community welfare. We have also partnered with Taking Root, a reforestation nonprofit, to offset our carbon footprint by planting trees and supporting smallholder farming families in Central America. Through this partnership, we are certified Carbon Responsible.

We also support Humane Society International, contributing to animal welfare with every purchase. These partnerships reflect our belief that a business should leave the world a little better than it found it.

Handcrafted with care. One watch at a time.