OMEGA Genève "Midnight Roman" Black Dial 1970s

A slim dress watch from Omega's Genève line, made in the 1970s. The Genève name first appeared on Omega dials in 1952 and became a line of its own in 1967, covering the brand's everyday dress watches. This one has a glossy black dial with white Roman numerals all the way round and no seconds hand, so the face stays calm and uncluttered. The movement is hand-wound and needs a few turns of the crown each morning. We paired it with a greige leather strap in a large scale pattern, a soft grey that keeps the black dial from looking severe. It works with a dark suit as easily as with a knit and jeans.

The case is stainless steel with a brushed caseback. Light marks from use are visible, but there is no major damage and the watch is in good overall condition. It measures 33.5mm across without the crown and 38.7mm lug to lug, with an 18mm lug width. The case is thin and the short lugs angle down, so it sits low on the wrist and slides under a shirt cuff without catching.

The dial is a deep, glossy black. Twelve Roman numerals are printed in white, each one turned toward the centre, and apart from the Omega logo at the top and Genève at the bottom there is nothing else on it. The polished dauphine hands pick up light against the black, which makes the time easy to read at a glance. In low light the dial turns almost mirror-like, and that depth is where the name "Midnight Roman" comes from.

- wrist size in our picture is 17cm circumference -