Olio is a company, Olio Devices, and the Olio Model One is its smartwatch: a stainless steel, watch-style design with a full-colour display and Olio Assist, a cloud-based personal assistant. Launch coverage priced it from $595 USD and said it is compatible with both iPhone and Android. Disclosure: the seller links on this page are reference links to Olio’s own website.
| Product | Olio Model One smartwatch, made by Olio Devices |
| Case | 316L stainless steel, cold-forged nine times for hardness (Hypebeast launch article) |
| Finishes | Steel or silver, black, gold and rose gold (Hypebeast launch article; Acquire Mag Olio article) |
| Price in launch coverage | From $595 USD (Hypebeast, December 4, 2015) |
| Phone compatibility | iPhone and Android (Acquire Mag Olio article) |
| Battery, per Olio | Full day of use, fully recharged in under an hour (Hypebeast launch article) |
| Charging | Copper rapid-charge coil for wireless charging (Acquire Mag Olio article) |
| Refund terms | Ask Olio for its current return policy in writing before you pay |
| Product Page | Olio Devices website |
What is the Olio Model One?
Olio’s pitch is a smartwatch that looks like a luxury watch first. BGR wrote that the Model One “puts style and design front and center rather than simply stuffing a smartwatch operating system into an ugly watch-like housing” (BGR launch article). Co-founder Steve Jacobs, as BGR quotes him, says the wrist “is a very personal, intimate space, and anything you do there needs to have a purpose.” Hypebeast called the watch “a worthy contender in the connected watch arena” (Hypebeast launch article).
This is desk research on launch coverage and the company’s stated specs, not hands-on testing, so confirm the current model and prices with Olio before you order.
What does the Olio Model One do?
Olio’s own software and hardware claims, as the launch coverage reports them, look like this.
| Feature | What Olio and the coverage say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Display | High-resolution full-colour display with an ambient light sensor, built to stay readable in direct sunlight | Hypebeast launch article |
| Home screens | Swipeable screens showing your day’s schedule, the weather and past notifications | Hypebeast launch article |
| Dynamic Visualizations | Maps the busiest parts of your day into a watch face unique to you, per Olio’s press release | BGR launch article |
| Temporal Streams | Notifications sorted into two streams, earlier and later | BGR launch article |
| Intelligent Actions | Dismiss or respond to content with a simple swipe | BGR launch article |
| Olio Assist | Cloud-based assistant that offers cues based on your preferences and context; can hold calls and texts and remind you to reply later | Hypebeast launch article; BGR launch article |
| Control Hub | Controls third-party products such as thermostats, lights, locks, cars and speakers, plus payments, directions and music | BGR launch article |
| Case and crystal | 316L stainless steel case; ion-exchange glass with a guilloché texture, which Olio describes as high-impact | Hypebeast launch article; Acquire Mag Olio article |
| Straps | Italian leather straps or forged link bracelets | Hypebeast launch article |
Is Olio a legit company, and who is behind it?
Yes, Olio Devices is a real company, and several publications covered the watch at launch. BGR reports that Olio was co-founded by CEO Steve Jacobs, a former top designer and product lead for Apple, who has also worked for Google, Beats by Dr. Dre, HP and Amazon (BGR launch article). BGR also says the team includes designers and engineers from NASA, Pixar and Movado.
Olio Devices is a different company from OLTO-8, a mechanical-watch brand with its own site at OLTO-8 mechanical watch brand. Check the brand name on the listing before you buy.
Are Olio watches Swiss made?
BGR describes the Model One’s design as dragging “Swiss watch styling into the smart era” and notes designers from Movado, a Swiss watchmaker (BGR launch article). That describes the styling, not where the watch is assembled, so ask Olio where the Model One is made if that matters to you.
How much does the Olio Model One cost?
Launch prices are dated by each article below. Prices and bundles change, so check today’s price directly with Olio at its website before you order.
| Source | Date printed | Price shown |
|---|---|---|
| Acquire Mag Olio article | March 27, 2015 | $595 to $795 |
| Hypebeast launch article | December 4, 2015 | From $595 USD |
| BGR launch article | Page shows an update of December 19, 2018 | $595 for 500 stainless steel watches; $745 for 500 black steel watches, in limited runs |
Folio is a different name from Olio, so this page covers only Olio. For a used Olio Model One, look at recently sold listings for the same model and finish, since used prices depend on condition.
What is the best watch for daily use?
For everyday use, the Model One is built around notifications and your day’s plan. You get swipeable screens for your schedule, weather and past alerts, and Olio Assist can hold calls and texts to answer later. Olio says the battery lasts a full day. If you want a dressy watch you can glance at all day, that is the fit the maker describes. If you want fitness-focused tracking, read the GX SmartWatch review and the Polar A360 review.
Does the Olio Model One work with iPhone and Android?
Launch coverage says yes to both. Hypebeast and Acquire Mag both describe compatibility with Apple and Android phones, and BGR says Olio connects with both Android and Apple phones. Before you order, ask Olio which iPhone and Android versions the current model supports.
How does Olio compare with other smartwatches?
Olio’s selling point is design. BGR framed the Model One as Apple Watch’s first real competitor in style, and its features centre on the schedule, notifications and assistant help. For another high-quality watch to compare, see the ritmo mundo quantum watches review, and for fitness-focused options, the GX and Polar reviews above.
Other questions in this search
Questions about other brands, such as Olympic watches, WD-40 on watch bands, a top five brands list, or cheap luxury and entry-level picks, sit outside this Olio page, so compare those on their own product pages.
Before you order
- Confirm today’s price and whether the model is still on sale at the Olio Devices website.
- Ask for the return policy and warranty in writing before you pay.
- Check that your phone’s iPhone iOS or Android version is on Olio’s compatibility list.
- Choose a finish and strap, since the launch runs came in steel, black, gold and rose gold with leather or link bands.
- Ask whether the model is a limited batch and when your order would ship.
By InfinitePowerSolutions.com Technology Desk
