BY ERIK SLAVEN
Doxa is well known for two things – rugged, affordable dive watches and an eclectic selection of colors. The Sub 200 collection debuted in 2019 with six color options and a seventh has just landed dressed in all white, the Sub 200 Whitepearl. This reverses the popular dive style of black with light accents and is a real head turner. Doxa introduced orange, yellow and turquoise models in the original collection after all, so this unusual, monochromatic style is a perfect and perhaps even polarizing addition to keep things fresh.
When I say dressed in white, I mean everything from the dial to the bezel to the strap. It all blends well with the stainless steel case and black accents, and gives the piece a unisex appeal. The case is well sized for most men’s wrists at 42mm in diameter with a thickness of 14mm. Women who appreciate oversized watches will be right at home, especially those who love the water. The watch has a retro vibe with the unidirectional bezel and its heavy notches, but adds a contemporary touch with a sapphire insert and black Arabic numerals (standard 60-minute scale) printed underneath. The signed crown has a black Doxa logo and isn’t guarded per se, but the case does extend a bit over the bottom.
The dial continues this aesthetic with a matte white base and dark applied indices with white Super-LumiNova inserts, protected by a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating. The black seconds hand has a matching square “lollipop” tip and the black hour and minute hands are in typical Doxa style with Super-LumiNova inserts as well. A useful date window tastefully sits at 3 o’clock, framed in black. The elements of this piece are identical to the earlier Sub 200 watches, but the white color scheme makes a world of difference. It’s definitely its own thing and I’m a fan.
Behind the solid case back with an engraving of Doxa’s fish-inspired logo sits the heart of the watch, an ETA 2824-2. This well-proven, ubiquitous Swiss automatic has 25 jewels, beats at 4Hz (28,800vph) with a 38-hour power reserve. Adjusted in two positions, average accuracy is a respectable +/- 12 seconds per day. The first generation of this movement debuted in 1982 and it’s among the most lauded Swiss workhorses in the industry, if not a bit long in the tooth with a subpar power reserve.
Typical for a diver, the 19mm strap is a textured rubber in bright white, completing this snowstorm look. If you want something more stylish, a retro “beads of rice” bracelet in stainless steel (folding clasp with wetsuit extension) is also available. Both options are perfect for long-term water exposure, which is vital as the SUB 200 has a water resistance rating of 200 meters. It may have a fun look with a casual vibe, but remains a serious tool for recreational divers and the white color palette should even help with underwater visibility.
The Doxa Sub 200 Whitepearl is available now at Doxa’s website for a very reasonable EUR 950 with rubber strap and EUR 990 with steel bracelet. From both a functional and aesthetic standpoint, you’re getting a lot of watch for the money from a Swiss brand going back to the late 19th century.
Visit Doxa here.
