Manufacture of mechanical wristwatches Made in Germany with Swiss movements in Saarbrücken
Gerd Hofer GmbH i. L.
SaarbrückenNew on Amplifa
NIVREL: Our Company
NIVREL is a registered trademark of Gerd Hofer GmbH from Saarbrücken, under which mechanical wristwatches and quartz watches are designed, produced and distributed. Production is located in the Saarbrücken district of St. Arnual; the mechanical movements used come from Switzerland and are refined and functionally enhanced in-house. The company focuses on the design of the complete products, the refinement and functional enhancement of individual components, assembly and final assembly, quality assurance and service. Cases are made of 316L stainless steel or solid 18 or 14 karat gold, dials are made of nickel silver by hand with the support of modern CNC technology. In addition, the company maintains a family-owned goldsmith's workshop for the Pièce Unique edition as well as its own watchmaker's atelier operation including maintenance and repair service and watchmaking courses. The NIVREL brand was introduced in 1936 by the Swiss watch manufacturer Marvin and acquired in 1993 by Gerd Hofer GmbH; the operation is being wound down in an orderly manner by July 2027 (GmbH i. L.). Delivery is worldwide.
- Site
- Saarbrücken
- Processes
- Refinement and functional enhancement of movement components, Assembly and final assembly of watches, Movement finishing: engraving, bluing of steel screws, Geneva stripes, perlage, skeletonization, Dial manufacturing by hand with CNC technology (guilloché, lacquered dials, appliqués), Design of the complete products (case and dial design), Quality assurance incl. water resistance test and final functional inspection, Jewellery watch manufacturing in the family-owned goldsmith's workshop (Pièce Unique edition), Watch service: movement overhaul (revision) - disassembly, chemical cleaning, oiling, adjustment
- Materials
- Stainless steel 316L, 18 karat yellow, rose or white gold, 14 kt yellow gold, Sapphire crystal, Nickel silver, Louisiana Alligator (leather), Steel (blued screws and hands)
- Founded
- 1993
- Industries
- Watch industry / luxury watches (mechanical watches Made in Germany), Jewellery
- 01
Design of the complete products (case and dial design)
- 02
Purchasing of Swiss raw movements
- 03
Refinement and functional enhancement of movement components
- 04
Manufacture of the dials (CNC technology and craftsmanship)
- 05
Procurement of cases from German suppliers
- 06
Assembly and final assembly of the watches
- 07
Quality assurance incl. water resistance test and final functional inspection
- 08
Maintenance, repair and service
Materials and Processes
Stainless steel 316L
Resistant alloy for cases, metal bracelets and individual watch parts.
18 karat yellow, rose or white gold
Material for solid gold cases and gold bracelets.
14 kt yellow gold
Alternative gold alloy for selected cases.
Sapphire crystal
Very hard watch glass, additionally anti-reflective coated for dial and movement view.
Nickel silver
Base material for dials with appliqués and Clous-de-Paris guilloché.
Louisiana Alligator (leather)
Manufacture-made leather straps with CITES species protection tag.
Steel (blued screws and hands)
Steel parts blued by heat for corrosion protection and decoration of the movements.
Site Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
DECompany and production (district of St. Arnual)
- Lot size
- Single-unit and small-series production
- Materials
- Stainless steel 316L, gold, nickel silver, steel
- CNC technology for dial manufacturing
- Watchmaker's atelier
- Goldsmith's workshop
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refinement and functional enhancement of movement componentsAssembly | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel, Brass/nickel silver, Gold |
| Assembly and final assembly of watchesAssembly | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel 316L, 18 kt gold, Sapphire crystal, Leather |
| Movement finishing: engraving, bluing of steel screws, Geneva stripes, perlage, skeletonizationSurface | – | – | – | – | Steel, Brass/nickel silver, Gold |
| Dial manufacturing by hand with CNC technology (guilloché, lacquered dials, appliqués)Surface | – | – | – | – | Nickel silver |
| Design of the complete products (case and dial design)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Quality assurance incl. water resistance test and final functional inspectionTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Jewellery watch manufacturing in the family-owned goldsmith's workshop (Pièce Unique edition)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Gold, Gemstones/diamonds |
| Watch service: movement overhaul (revision) - disassembly, chemical cleaning, oiling, adjustmentAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC technology for dial manufacturing | – | – | – | – | Saarbrücken |
Additional services
History
- 1891
Friedrich Wilhelm Kraemer opens a jewellery and watch shop in Saarbrücken
- 1936
NIVREL brand introduced by the Swiss watch manufacturer Marvin (founded 1850 in St. Imier)
- 1939
Marriage of Hildegard Kraemer and Gerd Hofer
- 1956
Gerd and Jürgen Hofer join the family business
- 1965
Gerd Hofer moves to the Swiss watch company Milus; from 1978 agency for DACH/NL
- Ende der
Quartz crisis: Marvin and NIVREL disappear from the market
- 1993
Gerd Hofer GmbH acquires the NIVREL brand; rebuilding of production in Saarbrücken
- 1997
Sven Hofer becomes managing director at Juwelier Kraemer
- 2007
Anja Hofer and Dr. Guido Grohmann join NIVREL together with Gitta and Gerd Hofer
- 2027
The NIVREL brand ceases operations by July 2027; orderly liquidation proceedings with farewell celebration (liquidation ongoing, GmbH i. L.)