Obliged to Tradition

The current generation of NIVREL is very dedicated to our obligation to tradition. We consider ourselves very unique within a huge industry of watch manufacturers. Our company is small and family-run. We don’t have any desire to change that, only to embrace it. The idea behind NIVREL watches is small scale production with attention to the highest quality and individual design.

We cater to our customers, who we know are individualists that stand out in a crowd by defining their own style. They choose NIVREL watches through an informed process, seeking long-term value in a watch for themselves or a loved one.

Why NIVREL? Some reasons for choosing one of our watches

If you are thinking about purchasing one of our products, the following information about us and our products might be helpful. Here are some reasons why we think of a NIVREL as a trustworthy and wonderful product to buy:

• Outstanding Quality: When it comes to quality NIVREL can keep up with all the great names of the industry. A NIVREL is build to be a trustful timepiece and to last for a lifetime.
• The movements – no compromises!: Sometimes we are asked why we don’t build our own inhouse movements. Our answer is very clear: Why should we? Within the watch industry, customers are often told that an own inhouse movements is always better than an external, supplied ebauche movement. From our point of view, the fantastic inhouse movements of the 2-3 top watch manufacturers are an outstanding accomplishment, and too many competitors try to run after them and try to do the same. For us, the equation 'inhouse movement = better watch' seems to be too flat and dishonest. We at NIVREL are absolutely convinced that our approach – to buy ebauche movements in best quality and to perform functional and refining work inhouse – will bring the best products possible to our customers. And that is for us the only thing that matters. It’s not our approach to accept compromises and to pass on quality, only to be able to add the melodious words ‘inhouse movement manufacturer’ to our name. Too many others do. We say it clearly: We are not an inhouse movement manufacturer – and we are quite proud of that!
• True Made in Germany with a Swiss heart: For us, the label ‘Made in Germany‘ is much more than a seal of quality, we consider it to be part of our brand. That’s why we set a high value on producing most of our parts and assembling all of our watches in Germany. As most watch enthusiasts know, the majority of the great names in the industry origin from the Swiss Jura region. Also NIVREL was founded in that region. It is a fact that the best movements still come from Switzerland. And because we have very high quality standards for our watches, Swiss movements are an essential part for us. NIVREL as a German company with roots in Switzerland has a clear and true bond to both countries. Since all our mechanical ebauche movements exclusively come from Switzerland, all other components are produced in Germany in order to have the watches labeled with ‘Made in Germany’. We have committed ourselves to our slogan: a NIVREL is a German watch with a Swiss heart.
• Interesting complications: After purchasing an ebauche movement, the work begins at the NIVREL workshops. By adding modules and additional functions we can offer a wide variety of mechanical complications. Almost every wish can be fullfilled. Please read more on the ‘production‘ page of this website.
• Love for the detail: Next to the functional enhancement of the movements, hand-crafted refinings and fine finishing of movements and parts play an important role for us. Depending of the edition (collection) and model, bridges are polished and engraved, screws and other steel parts are flame-blued, wheels are gold-plated, balance cocks are engraved, or complete movements skelettonized and engraved.
• Down-to-earth prices: A NIVREL watch is build of precious materials and with a lot of work done by hands of experts. Consequently, a NIVREL watch has it’s price. Anyhow, our goal is to give the customer a corresponding countervalue for the money that they spend. Factors that artificially blow up the price of a watch, e.g. excessive advertisement, expensive contracts with celebrities to perform as brand ambassadors, installing too many trade levels between manufacturer and end customer… NIVREL doesn’t do anything like that. Because all of these factors make luxury products of big brands and companies much more expensive than they would have to be. With us, you might not be able to purchase a fary tale – but you will receive a good value for your money. Promise!
• More than a watch, a mechanical piece of jewelry: The watches of NIVREL are mechanical complications and pieces of jewelry at once. Gerd Hofers real but former profession was being a goldsmith. It was his dream come true to combine the goldsmith craftmenship with the art of watchmaking. The result was our Piece Unique product line in which most complicated watch movements are equipped with pieces of jewelry on the dial. With this combination, the owner does not only wear a fine mechanical watch, but also a hand-crafted, beautiful piece of jewelry.
• Your very own watch: Your NIVREL watch is supposed to become a part of yourself. If you have certain requirements for your watch that exceed our standard product characteristics in terms of finishing and design, we will be happy to respond to your ideas witin the scope of our technical skills and possibilities. Engraved case backs, skelettonizations, initials, special hand colours, special materials… let us know. We will be happy to realize your ideas!
• Masterly service for a convincing price: Even after your product warranty has ended you can be absolutely sure that you will receive a competitive and efficient service for your watch. Especially our mechanical watches need (as all mechanical products) a certain degree of maintenance and care. The prices for such a so-called ‘revision’ are convincingly reasonable for our watches.
• The design of our watches is often described as ’very classic’. And we appreciate that! NIVREL has been designing timepieces for decades that are independant from fashion trends and brand preferences of a certain period of time. Our customers purchase a NIVREL, because they would like to own a product that will still be wearable five, ten or even more years ahead. In order to realize such a product you have to have a feeling for fashion, but you shouldn’t jump on every trend when it comes to design and execution. And that’s exactly our product philosophy at NIVREL.