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.