Olio Model One Review
The Olio Model One is a smartwatch timepiece that promises to “pair intelligent connectivity with classic design” to help you manage your digital life. Here’s our Olio Model One review.
What is the Olio Model One?
The Olio Model One is a smartwatch that emphasizes combining classic watch design with advanced technology. Instead of making a smartwatch that looks like a smartwatch, the company has made a smartwatch that looks like a luxury timepiece.
Each Olio Model One is made from 31L stainless steel. According to the manufacturer, that stainless steel is “cold-forged nine times for hardness, milled, then hand-finished with a fine hairline texture and mirror-polished highlights.”
Olio Model One Features
Some of the features included on the Olio Model One include:
-Command Time: The watch faces visualize the notifications you’ve missed while also giving you information you need to plan the rest of your day. The interface promises to be glanceable and swipeable and “turns information into insight and insight into action.”
-Olio Assist: Olio Assist is a cloud-based personal assistant that is “solely focused on saving you time.” The platform will develop an understanding of your preferences before considering your current context, and then provides insight that lets you make the best possible decision in that situation. If you’re driving in a car, Olio Assist can text incoming callers letting them know that you’ll call back later.
-iPhone and Android: The Olio Model One is compatible with both iPhones and Android devices.
-Multiple Colors: The Olio Model One is available in four different colors (called “Collections”). There are Rose Gold, Gold, Steel, and Black collections available.
Tech Specs for the Olio Model One
- 316L stainless steel case
- Black PVD natural finish with 24 karat gold or 18 karat rose gold
- High-impact ion exchange glass of sapphire crystal cover
- Copper rapid-charging coil
- 47mm diameter, 12mm case depth, 81 gram weight (with leather band) or 161 gram weight (with steel link bracelet)
- Water resistant up to 50 meters underwater
- Bluetooth 4.0 and LE compatible
- Works with iPhone (iOS 9.1 or higher) or Android (Android 4.4 or higher)
- Four different bespoke watch faces, including daytime (analog or digital) and nighttime (analog or digital).
It’s important to note that the Olio Model One doesn’t work with apps. You won’t be able to install Apple Watch or Android Wear apps on your watch. However, the watch does organize your emails and texts for you, allowing you to swipe one way to see what came in earlier and swipe the other way for new notifications.
The cloud-based personal assistant has also received strong reviews. Olio Assist lets you send callers a text saying that you’re driving and will call back, for example. Then, the personal assistant will send you a text reminding you to call back after you leave the car.
Olio Assist also learns your behavior over time. So if you always check emails from a certain person, then Olio Assist will display those emails first the next time they appear on your watch.
Olio Model One Pricing
The Olio Model One launched in 2015. It sold its first round of 1,000 watches online in summer 2015 before unveiling its next batches of watches over the following months.
The Olio Model One ranges in price from $595 for the steel/leather version to $1395 for the gold-plated edition:
Rose Gold Collection
- Espresso Brown Leather: $1195
- Onyx Black Leather: $1195
- Rose Gold Link: $1395
Gold Collection
- Espresso Brown Leather: $1195
- Onyx Black Leather: $1195
- Gold Link: $1395
Black Collection
- Caramel Suede Leather: $745
- Cognac Brown Leather: $745
- Midnight Black Leather: $745
- Black Link: $795
Steel Collection
- Caramel Suede Leather: $595
- Cognac Brown Leather: $595
- Midnight Black Leather: $595
- Steel Link: $645
The current batch of products for 2016 (batch 4) will ship between May and July. At the time of writing, all of the watches were half sold out (the online store counts down the percentage of watches remaining in each collection).
All products come with free shipping and a 30 day return policy.
About Olio
Olio Devices is a timepiece manufacturer that designs its products in New York and engineers them in San Francisco.
The company’s About page describes itself as a “new, design-focused company with a passion for enriching people’s lives through premium products and meaningful connectivity.”
The company was founded by Steve Jacobs, who is also the current CEO. Prior to launching Olio, Steve had nearly a decade of consumer product experience leading product design and development for Apple, HP, Beats by Dre, Google, and others.
Is the Olio Model One Your Next Smartwatch?
The Olio Model One isn’t your traditional smartwatch. It won’t run fitness apps or third-party apps like Android Wear devices and the Apple Watch.
However, if you’re looking for a luxury watch that emphasizes quality design, luxury appearance, and personal assistant functionality, then the Olio Model One may be the premium-priced watch you’re looking for.