As the mercury climbs and the world shakes off its winter lethargy, the watch industry dives headfirst into its annual love affair with tool watches. Few brands embrace the spirit of aquatic adventure quite like Doxa, and their latest offering – a sun-kissed refresh of the Sub 200 line – feels like a siren song for summer wrists.
The most striking update to these 42mm stainless steel companions is their new bezels, which swap the brand's signature bakelite-effect sapphire for polished steel scales. It's a move that transforms these divers from colorful specialists into more versatile all-rounders – think of it as trading a wetsuit for a linen shirt that still remembers how to hold its breath at 200 meters.
The cases themselves remain elegantly proportioned, with lyre lugs that twist like seaweed in a gentle current. The finishing – particularly the delicate linear brushing on the lug undersides – continues to punch above its weight class, proving that accessible pricing doesn't have to mean cutting corners.
Where Doxa truly flexes its creative muscles is in the dial department. The brand offers eight distinct personalities:
The only potential misstep is the white date window at 3 o'clock – a practical addition that nevertheless disrupts the symmetry like a seagull crashing a perfectly composed beach photo.
Powering these aquatic companions is the ETA 2824-2, the horological equivalent of a reliable outboard motor. While its 38-hour power reserve might seem quaint in an era of week-long marathoners, this workhorse movement remains the backbone of countless dive watches – a testament to its no-nonsense durability.
Doxa offers the Sub 200 with either their beloved bead-of-rice bracelet (which clinks like loose change in a sailor's pocket) or color-matched rubber straps that cling to the wrist like a second skin. The Sea Emerald breaks ranks with a fabric NATO that wouldn't look out of place on a sailboat's rigging.
As summer approaches with the inevitability of high tide, Doxa's refreshed Sub 200 collection arrives right on schedule – offering both seasoned collectors and newcomers a chance to strap some sunshine to their wrists. The steel-bezel models are available now, with prices that won't require you to dive for buried treasure to afford one.
