[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Trematic Archive One 502

There’s that moment we all know too well—you’re deep in the rabbit hole of late-night doom scrolling through Instagram’s discovery feed, mindlessly thumbing through the same photos. Then, suddenly, one catches your eye and stops you dead in your tracks. You actually click on the post, you spread the image to zoom in, and then you do the unthinkable and read the caption. That is exactly how I ended up discovering Trematic and this specific model, the Archive One 501.

I was completely unfamiliar with the brand, which, when combined with a design language that spoke to me, immediately sparked my curiosity. Specifically, it was the typeface used for the indices. Those quirky, alien-like 4, 6, and 10 markers, cast in rose gold tone, immediately grabbed my attention. They looked like something from a different time, maybe from a different planet, yet the watch overall felt refreshingly modern. A worn-out phrase lately, but the blend of vintage style and contemporary sensibilities didn’t feel tired, which is something I can’t say about many “retro-inspired” designs in the microbrand space.

For those who haven’t encountered Trematic, let me give you a quick rundown: the brand dates back to the 1950s but faded into obscurity after the Quartz Crisis, just like many of its contemporaries. In 2022, Daniele Campagnano breathed new life into the brand, seeking to revive its forgotten legacy. The first model to re-enter the market was the Zy6, a watch we recently mentioned on the Worn & Wound Podcast as being something of a sleeper hit. With that release, Trematic made its intentions clear—they were here to capture that elusive vintage-modern spirit like so many other brands you’ve likely read about in these pages.

At first glance, this 502 has a distinctly vintage vibe. The case shape calls to mind mid-century dress watches, evoking the elegant lines of classics from the 1950s and 1960s. But there’s a modern twist here, too. At 38mm, it’s a little larger than its vintage counterparts, most of which hover around the 36mm mark or even smaller. This makes the 502 better suited to modern wrists, but it doesn’t lose that classic feel. Its sleek profile, under 11mm in thickness, allows it to slide effortlessly under a shirt cuff, adding to its versatile wearability.

With a 45.5mm lug-to-lug, the case length also hits that sought-after sweet spot for most wearers. The long curved lugs add a romantic dimension to the design while initiating the curve around the wrist. I’ll admit, I was initially concerned that with my larger wrist, the tips of the lugs might dig in uncomfortably. To my pleasant surprise, that wasn’t the case at all. Though I should mention, the lugs do feel a little sharp when you run your fingers along the tips of them.

The case is fully polished, meaning that it will more easily show signs of wear while also dressing up its appearance. With such a wide, polished bezel, it does shrink the visual appearance of the dial while simultaneously expanding its visual presence on the wrist. Unfortunately, with a single finishing technique applied, the case hides its curves and facets, only showing its angles in mixed lighting conditions. 

What really makes this case stand out is its architecture. The lugs are dramatically curved, sitting high on the case before eventually ending just below the caseback. They appear almost as if they’re floating above the body before sloping down to meet the wrist. It creates a visual flow that makes the watch appear thinner than its actual dimensions would suggest. The effect is subtle, but it’s this kind of attention to detail that gives the 502 its character. 

The vegan leather strap, made from fruit fibers, is mounted to 20mm lugs via quick-release spring bars for ease of swapping. The strap is soft and comfortable with a bit of break-in, but the watch really excels on any combination of leather or suede. Tapering down to 16mm, the strap terminates at a steel pin buckle again primarily featuring polishing with a pair of brushed facets on its outer edge. 

A domed sapphire crystal protects the dial, attempting to cut down on glare and reflection with an internal and external AR coating. This leaves a distortion-free dial, although it struggles to hold up in direct light. Beneath, the dial referred to as “black” by Trematic, appears more of a dark anthracite gray in real life. Gold-tone polished indices mark the hours with Arabic numerals, handling even hours, and faceted arrows marking odd hours. Just inside runs the white printed minute track, tightly clustered with individual hashes for each of the 60. Contained inside is the white-printed dial text, which goes so far as to call out the 26 rubies within the movement, again a nod to models from the past. At its center, polished gold town dauphine hands manage time, where the hour hand runs inside the minute track, the seconds hand ticks just over the top, and the minute hand breaks the plane, extending out to the hour markers. The entire dial is devoid of any lume application, a welcome exclusion given its intended use. 

What stands out most, though, is the typeface used for the hour markers. The smushed, almost alien-like numerals are not something you see every day, and they’ve quickly become one of my favorite features of the watch. I find myself staring at the 0 of the 10 more often than I care to admit. 

Powering the 502 is the Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 Elaboré movement, a 4Hz automatic that offers hacking and hand-winding capabilities. With a 41-hour power reserve, it’s a reliable, tried-and-tested movement that is easily serviced and has proven itself in countless other watches. It’s the kind of movement that brings peace of mind, knowing it’ll perform when you need it. While not unheard of, it is nice to see this elevated movement included in a sub-$1,000 watch.

All in all, Trematic has put together a solid offering in the Archive One 502. It’s a dress watch that strikes a delicate balance between modern proportions and vintage aesthetics, with unique design elements that set it apart from other pieces in its price range. At $930, the 502 is an excellent value, offering refined styling, a great wearing experience, and a reliable movement. It’s one of those watches that might go unnoticed by some, but for those who appreciate its design and attention to detail, it’s a standout. Trematic