The traditionally sized casual watch is having a bit of a moment. In the wake of the giant watch trend, now thankfully at least a few years behind us, brands seem to be returning to more classic proportions. There’s a ton of evidence for this, and we don’t need to look any further than some of the big hits of this year’s Windup fair in New York to see that smaller, more wearable watches are back. As new brands pop up and introduce not only new watches, but themselves, it speaks to where the market is heading that many are choosing the sub 40mm route. Hervé Watches, formed in 2018 in the UK and introducing their debut line this fall, are a case in point. The Alvia is a classic shape, size, and style, and meant to serve as a gateway of sorts to new collectors and enthusiasts.
Hervé Alvia



  • Case Material: Stainless steel*
  • Dial: Black Onyx, Matisse Blue, Slate Grey*
  • Dimensions: 38 x 47 x 12mm*
  • Crystal: Sapphire**
  • Water Resistance: 50 meters**
  • Crown: Screw down***
  • Movement: NH35A Automatic*
  • Strap/bracelet: Leather**
  • Price: $380
  • Reference Number: Black Onyx A-01B, Matisse Blue A-01M, Slate Grey A-01G
  • Expected Release: Available now

The Alvia, on its surface, is heavily inspired by sports watches of the 1960s. It has the brushed finishes and sharp angles of classic Heuer Carreras, not to mention the modern convenience of a screw down crown for some additional water resistance and a robust automatic movement that doesn’t need to be wound daily. But the watch has elements of a dress watch that should make it highly wearable for many. The dial colors, while well chosen, are on the conservative end of the spectrum, and there’s a casual elegance to the lines of the case and the overall design that ultimately lend the watch a great deal of versatility, not unlike those classic Heuers with which it shares so much DNA.










The Alvia’s dimensions aren’t the only aspect of the watch that are vintage inspired: thin lugs and flowing case lines are straight out of the 1960s, something of a golden era for sports watches. The dial options, all with sunburst patterns, might have their roots in vintage designs, but have proven over the decades to be, quite simply, timeless.
My favorite detail, present on the black and “Matisse Blue” variants, is the stepped down white outer minute track. This lends a high contrast look to these watches that really pops, particularly with the blue dialed version. The slate grey version has a similar outer ring in black, which will provide a similar depth effect, but misses the contrasting element. It’s a nice look in its own right, though perhaps a bit more on the conservative side, style wise. Also, with respect to the dial, Hervé deserves credit for keeping everything clean, with minimal text. Just the brand name up top, and “Automatic” in red down below. If you squint, you can see two capital H’s on either side of the 6:00 marker, but this additional branding is so subtle many, I imagine, won’t notice it at all.
As a debut, Hervé’s Alvia certainly gets a lot right. There’s a lot of competition in the “vintage inspired everyday watch” category, but if the look happens to speak to you, I think the Alvia represents a compelling option at a nice price point ($380) with a design that has been really well thought through by a brand with lofty goals. Each dial color in this initial collection is limited to 100 individually numbered pieces, and they can be purchased now on the Hervé website. Hervé
We’d love to hear what readers think about this new brand. Let us know in the comments below.





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