PoCo watchmaker ticks in proceeds for charity

A Port Coquitlam company that makes handcrafted wooden watches will donate 100% of its online sales this weekend to Dress for Success Tense Watches is reaching out to customers to support the charity during its World Humanitarian Day campaign, Aug 17 to 19.

It's the first time Tense Watches has partnered with the organization, said marketing co-ordinator Taryn Liebholz who recently brought the cause to the attention of the company founder, Ken Lau, and his two daughters Still, it's not the first time the PoCo business has collaborated with a charity: In the past, Tense has also worked with the David Suzuki Foundation, creating watches with a green face to raise funds for the environmental charity Started in PoCo in 1971, Tense Watches currently sells about 22,000 units around the world each year.

The scrap wood - for straps or watch faces - is crafted at a PoCo factory, which employs about a dozen workers, then are assembled by hand at its Broadway Street office by another dozen staff, using Miyota or Swiss movement; Tense also employs five sales reps to distribute to wholesalers, she said The wood watches are particularly popular in U.S southern states, Liebholz said. Source