There’s a lot that I love about the world of watches and watch collecting, but there’s one thing that has always irked me: the unnecessary gendering of watches. Sure, it’s an easy way to bifurcate website navigation for new customers, but it’s less and less relevant, and seems downright archaic in the back half of 2021.
Unisex watches are nothing new, but I love the idea of embracing that people (of any gender identity) should be encouraged to enjoy the watches they like, be they large, small, blinged out, old fashioned, or otherwise.
Emerging from the pandemic is the Galvin Watch Company, founded in Australia by Finnish watchmaker Susan Galvin. Her opening salvo is the Alku line (Finnish for “Beginning”), and it is a brilliant exercise in simplicity, an ode to Scandinavian design principles, and very specifically intended as a unisex watch.
We’ll start with the essentials: the Alku is a 38 mm three-handed dress watch powered by the Miyota 9039 automatic movement, visible through the exhibition caseback. The case is 316L stainless steel, with classic lines and proportions, as well as elegantly beveled lugs. The case is nicely polished throughout. As I said, this is a clean, simple timepiece.
Don’t confuse that simplicity for a lack of creativity, however. Galvin has imbued this watch with a ton of character largely by letting the bold dial colors do the talking. Available in hues from black to blue to green, and with strap and bracelet choices, as well, it’s easy to pick a combination to suit your taste. I chose the Peach dial, which is a fun pinkish, or orangish, or salmonish … you know what? It’s a fun color, and different lighting conditions bring out different characteristics.
As a dress watch first and foremost, I wasn’t surprised to find that there is no lume anywhere on the dial or handset. Some might miss it, but I think it keeps the watch’s character consistent, even if it comes at the expense of some utility in the wee hours.
When I unboxed mine, I found an exceedingly simple package: a black cardboard box, and in it a simple case that my wife immediately claimed. When I cracked that open and beheld the watch itself, I was momentarily worried that I had chosen, rather than a bold color, a bad one. I’ve encountered my share of salmon dials. Some I have liked, some I have not liked, most I note and move on. In this case, it just took some getting used to.
My fears were banished the moment the light hit the dial, bringing out the subtle sunray effect and making the slim applied hour markers pop. There’s no clutter here, either: the hour markers, the leaf-style handset, the small printed white logo and text, all of it is designed to make the watch legible, clean, and really stand out on the wrist.
Admittedly, pairing the predominantly pink Alku Peach with my work attire has been an interesting challenge. It’s not that I’m a stranger to bright colors, far from it. I’ve actually found that it looks best with more somber outfits, and then it’s the accent piece that draws attention.
If I have one criticism of the Alku Peach, it’s a minor one: the deployant clasp. You can order the watch with a bracelet or leather strap, and the leather strap comes with the option of a pin buckle or deployant clasp. I almost always favor deployant clasps to better preserve the straps, especially when they’re not too thick, and this one is just right. However, I was eager to put mine on as I was going out when it arrived, and I really had to force it a bit and mangle the leather. Luckily Susan Galvin has a handy tutorial up on YouTube, and for those less impatient than me, it should be a big help. Otherwise, It’s a nice looking and nicely finished clasp. The brown leather strap mine came on is wonderfully supple and required almost no break-in to become comfortable. Black, gray, or navy might have helped the peach dial stand out more, but I think it works nicely with the brown, as well.
Through the exhibition caseback the Miyota movement is clearly visible. It’s not heavily ornamented aside from Côtes de Genève on the bridge and the Galvin Watch Company name inscribed on the rotor. I know some folks are put off by the infamous Miyota whir, but it’s hardly audible here and has never bothered me anyway. That said, there’s not much to look at here, and I can’t help thinking I would have liked the watch a little more with a solid caseback, possibly stamped with the Galvin logo, a fun, stylized script “G.” Then again, between the accessible price point and the overall presentation, I could see this being a great “first real watch” for a budding enthusiast, for whom the novelty of a visible automatic movement would be exciting either way. That isn’t meant in any way to diminish the Alku’s appeal to more seasoned collectors, though: I find myself reaching for it whenever I want something with an understated design that still has plenty of personality.
At the end of the day, this is an attractive, well-made watch that you can dress up or down, and I gladly recommend it. You can learn more about the Galvin Watch Company at https://galvinwatchcompany.com.au/ and buy the Alku, which retails for a very reasonable $485 USD whether you opt for the leather or the bracelet. Susan Galvin is also at work on her next release, the Loimu, which is shaping up to be another exciting watch with a character all its own. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of those, too.
