A travel through time with the Trematic Ref. 502 Blue
Time+TideOne of the many advantages of reviving watch brands is the fact that we can experience a certain type of horology with the safety and comfort of modern watchmaking. We don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to acquire vintage pieces and a few hundred more on servicing. Instead, we can wear a revival of great horology knowing we have a reliable machine on the wrist. One in which design and manufacturing were modernized to make for a more solid daily wear. And let’s be frank, the trend is to bring back defunct brands to life, sometimes for the love of watchmaking, and some other times it seems to make a quick buck. But those who restarted Trematic clearly were motivated by the former. Our hands-on look at their Archivio Uno Ref. 502 will hopefully prove that.
The case
There is watch design and there is watch design. Similarly, there is watch manufacturing and there is watch manufacturing. In both cases, one is a process and the other a dedication to quality and craftsmanship. The Trematic Ref. 502 Blue is of the latter, just by looking at its case design and manufacturing. It boasts a fully polished body of 316L stainless steel which shines through its thin and elongated profile, where the lugs turn down towards the wrist like claws, being tall yet gentle on the skin thanks to having a pronounced under curvature – in a way the opposite of twisted lugs. Moreover, the lugs appear (visually) to have been soldered to the case, which endows the 502 with one of many vintage traits. Another vintage-inspired touch is the caseback, which was designed to look and operate like an old-school snap-on.
Measuring 38mm in diameter, 45.5mm lug-to-lug, 9mm thick (10.8mm with the crystal) and having a 20mm lug width, the Trematic Ref. 502 will fit many wrists including a 6.50”/16.5cm one as pictured in this article. This model is thin even when taking into consideration the scratch-resistant domed sapphire crystal which offers a clear view of the dial thanks to having inner and outer anti-reflective coating. For this type of watch – everyday and elegant – we can naturally expect 50 meters of water resistance and a push/pull crown. The latter is deliciously small coming in with a diameter of 5.3mm. As mentioned earlier, the case is indeed entirely polished, even the crown, endowing the Trematic Ref. 502 with an elegant wrist presence.
The dial
Just like the case has an elegant profile, so does the dial which is made with equal measures of refinement, symmetry, and 1950s design elements. First things first: the Blue is the newest addition to the 502 collection – adding a fourth iteration to the already existing three – which is our personal favourite of the bunch as the blue has dark tones and a matte finish. Looking closely, the centre section is actually lighter than the outer, which contributes to making the inner hour/minute track easier to read and for the watch branding and info to subtly pop. One can appreciate the cohesive choice of colours here as the text is printed in the same muted white as the hash marks of various sizes – highlighting both the one-hour increment and each minute, and therefore highlighting the centre portion of the dial without driving too much attention to it.
Naturally, this darker outer section helps the polished and applied hour markers stand out. The alternation of 1950s rounded and geometrical Arabic numerals for the even hours and arrowhead ones for the odd hours is elegant, legible and indeed very 1950s/60s. Being fully polished just like the case, the hour markers create fascinating light plays as one angles his or her wrist in various directions, an effect also created by the fully polished hands. The hour and minute hands look like hybrids of dauphine and leaf-style hands, and play along nicely with the dial layout and case design. There is no doubt Trematic went full vintage whilst, as the photos hopefully can show, not cutting corners on the manufacturing and finishing for each element.
The strap
Each colour variant of the Trematic Ref. 502 is shipped on a vegan leather strap derived from fruits which are smartly paired with the dial. The Blue 502 is paired with a light brown strap which has a soft grain and velvet-like backing, two features that surprised me coming from a vegan leather strap. The buckle is a solid piece of fully polished 316L stainless steel showcasing the brand logo finely engraved on it. The straps are equipped with quick-release spring bars for easy strap change.
The movement
Inside the Trematic Ref. 502 Blue we find a Swiss-made automatic Sellita SW200-1 Élaboré which ticks at 28,800 BPH (4 Hz) and comes with 41 hours of power reserve. This movement seems appropriate for this style of watch and I commend Trematic for keeping the 502 that slim even when including the domed sapphire crystal.
Trematic Ref. 502 Blue pricing and availability
The Trematic Archivio Uno Ref. 502 Blue is available now for immediate shipping, as are the three other versions of the 502 in Nero (black dial/rose gold accents), Choco Rose (brown dial/rose gold accents), and Panna (cream dial/rose gold accents.) Price: €930/US$930/A$1,502
| Brand | Trematic |
| Model | Archivio Uno Ref. 502 |
| Case Dimensions | 38mm (D) x 10.8mm (T) x 45.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Blue (as tested) |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap | Light brown vegan leather strap, pin buckle |
| Movement | Sellita SW200-1 Élaboré , automatic |
| Power Reserve | 41 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | €930 US$930 A$1,502 |