Hervé Alvia Watch Gets Brand Off To A Flying Start

Whenever a new brand enters the fray, it should aim to make some noise around its debut release. To a background of engines revving, glasses clinking, and minds meeting in rapturous conversation, the Hervé Alvia steps forth. The brand’s creators hope it will appeal to everyone. But exactly how have they gone about creating a product capable of just that?

I’ve been in many a start-up meeting when a potential investor, glaring across the table at some young genius, asks the would-be entrepreneur to describe their target audience. This question is often met with one of three things. Either a shrug (bad), a well-rehearsed answer zeroing in a specific demographic (good), or a free-wheeling explosion of enthusiasm centered around the fact that this product will appeal to everyone — the old and young, to men and women, to the sun and the moon… You get the picture.

While a business pitch is not the best place for this kind of excitement (take option two), in the world of watches it can sometimes be, well, true. Watches are strange little things. They are not as exclusive as clothing and jewelry. Oftentimes, the same watch can appeal to incredibly different “types” of people and vice versa. While this makes convincing prospective financiers to hand over their cash, it does mean the creation of a truly versatile timepiece is possible. And that, thanks to Hervé, is what we have in the Alvia.

A good, honest watch

When I first opened the press pack sent through by Hervé I was intrigued to see “honest” macro shots included. I’ve added these in the gallery for you to study yourself. I’ve been messing around with macro lenses for years and can attest that a good, powerful lens can make an adequately polished surface look like the surface of the moon. Macro photography is brutally unforgiving. Ironically, without editing, it is hard to get a realistic impression of how the watch finish actually appears on the wrist when you’re that close to it.

At first glance, the finishing appears strident and rough. But a couple of the shots — especially the shot below — actually illustrate how neatly this has been done. Check out the sudden and sharp change of grain direction to see what I mean. Once I’d seen this and digested what that was likely to translate to in reality I found myself impressed with the macro images’ inclusion in the pack. They were illustrative and wholly self-confident. It was an unusually brazen move that stood in line with the fizzing assuredness that comes through in the press release text.

The key here is that, beyond the nicely staged lifestyle shots and bold macros, the Hervé Alvia is genuinely a good, honest watch. It is humbler than you might expect, versatile, and excellently proportioned. With a 38mm stainless steel case housing a reliable and rugged NH35A, the Alvia delivers on its founders’ promises.

Dial colors

Three nice dial colors really add a spot of flair to the mix. Dials come in Slate Grey, Black Onyx, and Matisse Blue, with the latter really coming to life in natural light. The sunburst pattern is given plenty of space to breathe with minimal dial printing to interrupt the viewing experience. The designers hope this will increase the longevity of the design.

A suitable daily wear

For me, the most important thing for watches within this competitive price bracket is that they are easy-to-wear. The Hervé Alvia is definitely that. With a subtle design that places emphasis on good quality machining and dial finishing for the price, it is a piece I could imagine growing on me over time. It’s all about the little touches. Handsome, sharp lugs with a nice inclined angle keep the silhouette interesting. The seconds track encircling the colored portion of the dial. And a considered color selection for the straps helps these watches leap off the wrist. Learn more about the brand here.