Doxa

The Greek word "doxa" has many translations, among them "glory" and "praise." In 1889, Georges Ducommun founded the company now known as Montres Doxa S.A. in Le Locle, Switzerland. The company spent its early years predominately focused on pocket watches. Doxa also produced functional dress watches well into the 1960s. These timepieces are popular among watch collectors today. One great example is the model 1147.

Doxa partnered with Rolex to release their first professional diving watch, the SUB 300T, in 1967. French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau also helped design this timepiece. It would make history as the first diving watch with a helium escape valve. Many of its most distinctive features survive in the modern Professional series, including its orange dial and cushion-shaped case.

Other typical Doxa details include the "Beads of Rice" bracelet, which is available on many SUB models, and their patented diving bezel. This unique mechanism features a diving table that divers can use to calculate how deep they can go before needing to add another decompression stop. Vintage SUB watches from the earliest generations are highly coveted among collectors, with some editions demanding five-figure prices.

Many new SUB models followed in the wake of Romeo F. Jenny acquiring the company and moving it to Biel in 1997. Each is available with a variety of dial colors. In 2016, Doxa introduced the Shark Ceramica. This timepiece boasts a ceramic bezel and wave-pattern dial. Doxa also produces limited editions of their popular models. The SUB 200 T.Graph in solid gold is particularly impressive. The manufacturer presented this watch at Baselworld 2019. Created in honor of the SUB's 50th anniversary, it has a list price of 70,000 USD.

The Doxa SUB collection is comprised of five different models: the 200, 200 T.Graph, 300T, 1500T, and 4000T. Doxa offers plenty of versatility when it comes to dials, with up to six color options for select models. The standard colors are orange (Professional), black (Sharkhunter), silver (Searambler), and blue (Caribbean). A few models also come in yellow (Divingstar) or turquoise (Aquamarine).

Doxa's Entry-Level Watch: The SUB 200

Doxa released the SUB 200 in 2019. This series pays tribute to the 11804 Sharkhunter from the 1960s. Each standard edition is available in all six Doxa color options. With prices starting under 1,100 USD, these watches are perfect for beginners. Doxa also announced a limited-edition version alongside the unlimited models. This watch is limited to a run of 130 pieces and celebrates the company's 130th anniversary.

The SUB 200's stainless steel case is water-resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft). It measures 42 mm in diameter, but the bezel is only 40 mm across. Thanks to its relatively short lugs, the SUB 200 is also a great option for narrower wrists. The automatic ETA caliber 2824-2 powers this watch and provides it with central hour, minute, and second hands, as well as a date display at 3 o'clock.

SuperLuminova fills both the hands and the applied bar indices. The bezel scale is also filled with this luminous material, providing optimal readability under all lighting conditions. The version with a black dial offers the most classic look, while the colorful editions look especially sporty. In terms of a band, you can choose from Doxa's characteristic "Beads of Rice" stainless steel bracelet or a black rubber strap.

The Sharkhunter (black) edition with the reference number 799.10.351.10 demands 1,100 USD on a stainless steel bracelet. The same watch costs about 1,000 USD on a rubber strap. Pre-owned pieces are still rather rare on Chrono24.

A few small details separate the limited-edition SUB 200 from the collection's standard models. These include a red lacquered second hand and the red "130 Years" inscription below the model name on the dial. The words "130 years" are also engraved on the case back. While you can no longer purchase this model from the Doxa themselves, you will occasionally find listings on Chrono24 for between 1,600 and 2,000 USD.

For Advanced Users: The Doxa SUB 300T

Doxa first introduced the SUB 300T Conquistador in 1969. It is famous for being the first diving watch with a helium escape valve to go on sale for the general public. Doxa marked this model's 50th anniversary with the release of an updated version in 2019.

The unlimited versions of this three-hand diving watch are available in all six Doxa color options. Each SUB 300T has a cushion-shaped stainless steel case that is water-resistant to 1,200 m (120 bar, 3,937 ft). At 42 mm in diameter, you'll definitely notice this timepiece on your wrist. There's also a patented unidirectional bezel with a no-decompression dive time calculator.

The SUB 300T gets its power from the ETA 2824-2 with a 38-hour power reserve. The hands and bar indices all glow in the dark thanks to a coating of SuperLuminova. Doxa lists this model on a stainless steel bracelet for 1,890 EUR (approx. 2,100 USD). The version on a rubber strap is only slightly more affordable at 1,850 EUR (approx. 2,000 USD).

Vintage SUB 300T models are available with an orange, black, yellow, or silver dial. If you'd prefer one of these historical timepieces, you should be prepared to spend between 2,700 and 5,500 USD depending on the watch's condition and functionality.

Doxa celebrated two important anniversaries in 2019. That year marked 130 years since the company's foundation and 50 years since the release of the legendary Doxa SUB 200 T.Graph – reason enough to create a special-edition timepiece. Doxa took this opportunity to release the very first gold T.Graph. Beyond its case material, another nice touch is the historical Valjoux chronograph caliber 7734, the same movement Doxa had used 50 years prior.

This movement has central hour, minute, and chronograph seconds hands. The 30-minute counter is located at 3 o'clock, directly opposite the small seconds at 9. Finally, the date display sits at 6 o'clock.

The modern watch measures 43 mm in diameter and is water-resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft). It has the same bright orange dial as the original, creating interesting contrast with the gold case. Both the hands and applied indices are black and filled with white luminous material.

Doxa offers the Sub 200 T.Graph on two different bands: a gold "Beads of Rice" bracelet or an orange rubber strap. If you'd like to get your hands on one of these timepieces, you'll need patience and quite a bit of cash. Doxa only created 13 copies of this watch, making it as rare as it is coveted. The manufacturer sold the version on a gold bracelet for 70,000 USD, while the version on a rubber strap cost "only" 44,000 USD.

The Stainless Steel Doxa T.Graph

If you don't feel like waiting for a gold T.Graph, you may prefer the stainless steel ref. 805.10.351.10. From a technological perspective, it is identical to the gold version; it even features the same orange dial. However, it has a much more budget-friendly list price of 4,900 EUR (approx. 5,300 USD). With a production run of 300 units, you're much more likely to find this watch for sale.

The SUB 1500T is a stainless steel watch modeled after the SUB 300 Conquistador from the 1960s. Its 45-mm case is water-resistant to 1,500 m (150 bar, 4,921 ft) and comes with a helium escape valve. You can choose from all six Doxa dial colors, as well as between a stainless steel bracelet or rubber strap. Unlike other three-hand models, this timepiece houses the ETA caliber 2892-2 with a 42-hour power reserve. This watch has an official list price of 2,390 EUR (approx. 2,600 USD).

Doxa offers the limited-edition SUB 4000T in three variants: two Professional models and one Sharkhunter, each limited to a run of 100 pieces. The first Professional version (ref. 875.10.351.10) features Doxa's classic bezel with a decompression calculator, while the other Professional (ref. 876.10.351.10) has a sapphire crystal bezel with a conventional 60-minute scale. The Sharkhunter ref. 875.10.101.10 also features the decompression calculator bezel.

The 4000T's stainless steel case measures 47.5 mm in diameter and has a depth rating of 1,200 m (120 bar, 3,937 ft). Its movement, the ETA 2897, boasts a 42-hour power reserve and a power reserve indicator at 7 o'clock. There are also central hands for the hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as a date display at 3 o'clock. Like every SUB model, SuperLuminova coats the applied indices. Doxa mounts this watch on a three-piece link bracelet with polished middle links.

The Professional with a sapphire crystal bezel has a list price of 3,890 EUR (approx. 4,200 USD). However, you can find the same timepiece in mint condition for only 3,500 USD on Chrono24. The two versions with Doxa's patented bezel officially cost 3,690 EUR (approx. 4,000 USD), but sell for as little as 2,900 USD on our platform.

Launched in 2016, the Shark Ceramica is a series of three watches. The main difference between the different models is their dial and bezel colors.

All three watches have a 46-mm stainless steel case and are water-resistant to 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft). Each Shark Ceramica also has a dial with a prominent wave pattern and a silver shark at 4 o'clock. The ETA caliber 2824 provides these timepieces with central hour, minute, and second hands and a date display at 6 o'clock. A magnifying lens on the sapphire crystal makes the date even easier to read. Doxa pairs the Shark Ceramica with a five-piece link stainless steel bracelet that has polished outer links. New, the Doxa Shark Ceramica demands around 1,300 USD. Pre-owned pieces are still rare on Chrono24.