The timing couldn’t have been better: Omega just announced two new Bond watches, and for the first time a dedicated Spectre model named after (and for?) the shadow and evil organization that was an integral part of the plot of several of James Bond movies. No, this article is neither a review of a Bond long-feature nor a presentation of the new Omega watches—the person writing this article is neither a 007 expert nor Rolex’s long-time foe connoisseur. However, upon seeing today’s watch in the PVD-coated stainless steel an immediate connection was made with Omega’s announcement as it is not everyday that a stealthy dress watch enters the market. Anybody could sport this timepiece but it definitely has an air of something mean that needs and wants to fly-under-the-radar and hover just a few feet above ground (to push the analogy to its most extreme) even though the gunmetal-on-black-on-PVD-black color scheme could also be perceived as being the ultimate expression of timeless elegance akin to a black dress.

But evil it looks and so the best of ways of course. 

The brand responsible for this horological anomaly is Trematic, the Italian-run revived Swiss brand we’ve taken a look at twice before: a first time in 2025 through the first batch of the Archivio Uno Ref. 502 the brand released, and earlier this year and with the genre-defying diver called the T-Five Beigua Maris Shadow whose unique character I still remember vividly. Trematic came up with three new colorways for the 502 last month including this superb and unusual Oscuro which dragged my interest towards it with vehement force on two accounts: (1) the fact that it is visually striking and indeed a different take on the ultra-classic dress watch genre; (2) how close it was from being a total flop and come out looking like the cheapest of shopping mall fashion watches. These two points seem to be contradictory however they are not: Trematic took a big risk making the Oscuro because almost no reputable brand makes all-black timekeeping devices while there are many brands unworthy of our attention that do. 

All of this will hopefully make sense very soon. 

Specifications 

More often than not, when brands release new colorways of existing collections they do just that: they offer the same watch in new pantones to create a renewed interest for said collection hoping to sell a few more units to keep enthusiasts’ interest sharp and journalists’ busy speaking about them whilst taking too long to come up with a brand new design. Since Trematic already released the Archivio Uno Ref. 502 last year in six color variations and that last month it introduced three new colorways, it would have then been logical to think that the brand embarked on the same commercial stunt so many other brands are guilty of having done. However, Trematic seized the opportunity of releasing three new variants of the 502 to introduce an updated version of its ultimate classic elegant timepiece: it not only improved the anti-reflective coating of the sapphire crystal and replaced a sterile case-back with an engraved one, but it also swapped movements to get rid of the loathed ghost-date position the first batch had.

Let’s first talk about the latter then: the debut 502 collection was outfitted with a Sellita SW200-1 which by default comes with a date complication. Since the 502 follows the traditional format of classical dress watches the dial was deprived of a date aperture but the complication was still there and could be felt when pulling the crown out to the time-setting position. This new version is now equipped with the Sellita SW200-1b (4Hz/42 hours of power reserve) which is a de facto tree-hander. To be frank, a ghost-date position never bothers me the slightest but it does drive many watch folks into a subjective fury I have never understood. And people’s anger is always formulated as follows: “For the price of $930 USD Trematic should have given us a proper no-date movement.” But people forget that they get a lot of good horological stuff for $930 USD and the fact that this price includes free DDP international shipping—in other words, it includes taxes, duties, and VAT which isn’t something brands typically offer. 

Then there is the case of the case: the Archivio Uno Ref. 502 Oscuro boasts a gorgeous PVD-coated stainless-steel body endowed with a glossy finish which could be mistaken for sapphire should it not be for how light it is: 61g on the provided strap which puts it more in the grade 5 titanium weight category more than anything else. Thus the Oscuro is extremely comfortable to wear because it is light and commands a solid visual presence on the wrist on account of the following dimensions: 38mm in diameter, 45.5mm lug-to-lug, 11mm thick including the crystal (9mm without it,) plus a 20mm lug width. The strap, by the way, is made of vegan material derived from fruits (something else that most brands do not bother to explore) and comes with a fine suede texture and matching glossy PVD-coated signed buckle. With a 5.3mm push/pull crown and screw-down case-back, the Oscuro boasts 50 meters of water resistance which is good for this type of timepiece and is equipped with a clear dual-sided AR-coated domed sapphire crystal. 

Design 

Maybe now would be a good time to discuss the name of this variant of the Archivio Uno Ref. 502: “Oscuro” is Italian for “Obscure” or “Dark” in Shakespeare’s language. There, it’s done and there wasn’t a philosophical essay to type to explain this nomenclature as it was beautifully self-explanatory even though you never learned Italian in school. And this brings us back to the two points raised in the introduction: stealthy dress watches are not something reputable brands create, whether they are a brand new microbrand or Swiss’s oldest watchmaker, and it is a style of timepiece I personally immediately associate with crap fashion watches finished this way in order to be perceived as being special. (It is the visual horological equivalent of the hype created by many YouTubers and influencers in our industry.) Glossy anything attracts the attention of our eyeballs regardless of how good the product might be, just like anything gold-plated does. It’s blingy and appears cheap because it is definitely made on the cheap. 

But Trematic did it well and it couldn’t have been easy to do so. First, the brand utilizes a unique design language which was concocted many decades ago in its first iteration, both when it comes to the dial and case. Second, because the 502 Oscuro is well spec’ed out, manufactured, and finished, and the tangible quality of this timepiece—which can only be experienced handling it in the PVD-coated metal—contributes to making it look and feel like the serious piece of horology that it is. The dial then reprises what makes this collection stand out from the ocean of watches today: a dual tone domed pie-pan style surface (the center section being slightly lighter than the outer one), applied hour markers shaped like arrows marking the odd hours and in a bespoke Arabic typeface (the “0” is particularly visually striking) for the even ones, complemented by a central fully-graduated seconds/minute ring, and a fine example of Dauphine hands. The latter and the hour markers come with a striking glossy gunmetal finish.

And lastly, there is the case. In proportions and shape, it is exactly the same as the one we looked at in 2025 save for the new engraved case-back, but that was a long time ago and I had forgotten how nice it wears on the wrist. Sometimes in these reviews lugs are described as looking like “claws” for they stick out from the case and dramatically curve down and around the wrist as if digging into it. Well, that is exactly how I would describe those lugs and they certainly constitute the best example of claw-shaped lugs I’ve ever encountered in horology. They are thin, a tad long, but do plunge down and perfectly cover the edges of my 6.50”/16.5cm wrist which strongly contributes to the wearing comfort. The 502 case is also thin, art deco, and a little bit architectural on account of the lugs and roundness of the bezel and the sharp angle with which the mid-case melts into the case-back. But the star of the show is of course the sapphire-looking PVD-coating, perfectly applied and which enhances the case’s profile. 

The Heart of the Matter

Rarely do I get to write a second review about the same collection because it is offered in a new colorway. In my opinion, a new pentone alone does not call for a new article and I’ve only written twice about the same model because it came in two different diameters which created two distinct horological experiences (the Marathon OSAR-D in 41mm and 36mm) or because it is clearly was a MKII following a MKI and the former came with significant visual and technical upgrades compared to the latter (the Second Hour Mandala Burst and Mandala MKIII Bumblebee.) Thus when Trematic announced the addition of three new color variants to the Archivio Uno Ref. 502 collection I was pleased to see that this was accompanied by technical upgrades: a new engraved case-back (however important that might be for you,) better anti-reflective coating, and a proper no-date caliber. And Trematic did so without dramatically upping the collection’s price as the Oscuro retails for $1,100 USD compared to the $930 USD of the 2025 Blue variant, still including free DDP international shipping. 

But more than that, what Trematic managed to do with the 502 Oscuro is to tread boldly on a horological path no other decent micro or small independent brand has ever dared stepping on: that of making a proper all-black dress watch which could have indeed flopped for it could have easily looked like a crap shopping mall fashion timepiece should the brand not have endowed the PVD-coated stainless steel case with a lovely finish and complemented it by a good movement, a finely executed dial, and the vegan strap which in itself indicates something unique: that Trematic thought through every detail of this new release which is not an attribute fashion watch brands do have—they cut every single corner they meet on the road. Thus, the Archivio Uno Ref. 502 Oscuro is indeed an elegant horological anomaly and I am surprisingly attracted to it, me the harcore tool and military watch guy. 

Conclusion 

There are two last pieces of information you should be made aware of before we part ways today. First is the fact that Trematic’s three additions to the Archivio Uno Ref. 502 collection are readily available to purchase on the brand’s website which is not something that many micro or small independent brands do offer. Second, is the fact that while the Oscuro retails for the aforementioned $1,100 USD, the two other new models, the Nero Gun and Salmon, go for $50 less, so $1,050 USD. Again, these prices include free international shipping, duties, taxes, and VAT, whatever applies to where you live. All of this is pretty darn good, isn’t it? 

Thanks for reading.