Second-generation updates in the microbrand world usually follow a script. You add a dial color or two, maybe swap a strap supplier, and let the hype machine handle the rest. It’s rare to see a young brand rework the case, replace the movement, and pull assembly under its own roof all at once. So today, let’s take a closer look at the Studio Underd0g 02SERIES GEN2.
I’ll be honest right away and admit that I’ve never reviewed, owned, or even handled a Studio Underd0g. Even so, I’d argue the brand has become one of the most important names in the boutique space today. Few operations show how far you can push fun, experimental ideas that break firmly away from the usual microbrand playbook. The 02Series carried that thinking into field watch territory back in 2023, with a suspended sapphire disc floating above a lumed or metallic base plate. It was a strange and genuinely charming take on one of watchmaking’s most conservative formats.
Now for the case. The diameter is 37.5mm, while overall thickness drops from 12mm to 11.5mm. Take away the double-domed crystal and you’re left with just 9.4mm of case, which is impressively trim for a layered dial construction like this. The 46mm lug-to-lug carries over. Studio Underd0g also managed to bring the dial closer to the crystal, and credits its acquisition of assembly workshop Horologium for the improved tolerances. That facility now operates as the brand’s own in-house workshop, which they’ve named The D0ghouse. Of course they did.
Inside, the Sellita SW210 makes way for the SW200-2 M Power+ (quite the mouthful), and the power reserve jumps from 42 hours to 63 by the brand’s count. The watch stays manually wound, just like the first generation. On the dial, the printed minutes track moves inward and the handset shrinks to match. The text above six o’clock now reads “Assembled in Great Britain” instead of “Mechanical Hand-Winding,” a small change that says plenty about where this brand wants to plant its flag.
The colorways get shuffled as well. Full Mo0n and Midnight are gone, and in their place we get Nightshade, a sunray-brushed purple with red-tinted accents, and Red L0lly, a cherry red option. Both colors come from tinting the upper sapphire disc itself rather than the base plate, which is a clever twist on an already unusual dial. Pink Lem0nade and Steffany Blue stick around, and I suspect longtime fans will be glad they did.
Then there’s the price. At $1,200, the Studio Underd0g 02SERIES GEN2 lands above the original’s launch figure. Honestly, I think that’s fair once you weigh the in-house assembly, the slimmer case, and the extra day of power reserve. And like most of what Studio Underd0g releases, I expect these will get scooped up fast no matter what any of us think. The second-generation 02Series goes on sale July 7th at 3PM BST through the brand’s online shop. As for me, I’m still waiting on my first real hands-on with anything wearing that jellyfish caseback. Maybe this is finally the one.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.