Bigger isn’t always better. But when it comes to dive watches, they tend to be, well, bigger. But with the introduction of the 39mm SUB 200T, DOXA shrinks its classic SUB 300 model as a nod to modern trends, even if it gives up a little real estate on its face.
It also gives up a little less on the bank account, ringing up at about $300 cheaper than its big, beloved sibling, the 300T.
As a brand, DOXA built itself around dive watches. It’s been around since 1880, but it made a name for itself in 1967 by creating a purpose-designed, professional-grade “SUB” dive watch with the legendary diver Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Today, most lists of top dive watches will include a DOXA in the mix.
With its first 39mm released this week, to debut at the trade show Watches and Wonders in Switzerland next week, the DOXA SUB 200T adds a smaller diameter case in following modern trends. Many of the brand’s models are 41mm or larger because legibility is a primary concern in diving.
Dive Watch for All Occasions
Realistically, most dive watches never get wetter than whatever happens in a passing spring shower. And when it comes to fashion trends, smaller watches are on the up.
I reached out to DOXA to learn more about the new watch. DOXA CEO Jan Edöcs got right back to me when I asked what niche this new model will fill.
“We think that watch diameters are shrinking again to make them more comfortable on the wrist, in the water, and at the office,” Edöcs wrote in an emailed reply. “That’s why we’re presenting the SUB 200T with a diameter of 39mm. We want to retain all the watch’s technical qualities, but by reducing its diameter, it becomes easier to wear in everyday life, for both men and women.”
Edöcs expanded that the global demand for smaller watches is growing and that DOXA aims to meet that demand.
“By offering a visually lighter model without compromising on quality or functionality, we aim to meet the evolving needs of our diverse customer base worldwide,” Edöcs wrote.
Considering a smaller watch? Check out our guide to the best field watches.
SUB 200T Dive Watch Release
The SUB 200T retains much of what aficionados love about the larger, classic SUB 300 and SUB 300T. The brand noted that in “reworking the spatial volumes inside the case to bring it down to an elegant 39 mm diameter and a more wearable thickness of 10.70 mm, DOXA also tweaked the dial design for a more contemporary visual presence on the wrist.”
The SUB 200T is water-resistant to 200 m, which is plenty for any recreational diver (PADI’s advanced open water diver cert only allows dives up to 100 feet, for example). It is a three-hand dive watch crafted from 316L stainless steel. It has a unidirectional rotating bezel with an integrated U.S. Navy no-decompression limit table for diver safety.
A date display at 3 o’clock and a screw-down crown complete the watch, which is water-resistant to 200 m. It has a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating.
Inside, the heart is a Swiss, self-winding mechanical movement beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. It has a 38-hour power reserve.
New Color From DOXA
Beyond the new size of the SUB 200T, DOXA also introduces a new color with the release of Sea Emerald Green. The new color brings the brand’s color range to eight offerings, most enhancing readability under water.
“The introduction of this captivating green with the SUB 200T palette marks an aesthetic and symbolic turning point for the brand,” DOXA noted in a press release. “While DOXA passionately nurtures its strong connection with the ocean and all its aquatic facets, this new hue expands the range of associations, evoking the color of seas, lakes and lagoons, of waters and waves, across all regions of the world.”
The SUB 200T Sea Emerald distinguishes itself with golden hands and hour markers on the green dial.
“What sets DOXA apart is also its innovative use of vibrant colors, particularly its iconic orange dial, ensuring excellent visibility underwater. Color is part of our history and DNA. We were the first watch brand to introduce a colored dial for a diving watch, with the SUB concept. It’s for the real practical reason of visibility, not fashion or trend,” Edöcs wrote.
The SUB 200T is available today. It’s available on rubber straps ($1,550) and bracelets ($1,590). Learn more at DOXA.
