This Historic Dive Watch Brand Is, Finally, Available in America Again

Back in the 1970s, you often had to buy dive watches in dive shops, rather than at jewelers or boutiques the way you can today. But as it turns out, one of the most famous dive watch makers, Doxa, has been largely absent from many U.S shops since then.

Until now, at least. Coinciding with the launch of new forged carbon-cased collection of its famously brightly colored dive watches, Doxa is returning Stateside via the retailer Watches of Switzerland.

Granted, it’s not as if you couldn’t get a Doxa in the United States before now— far from it. Doxa was one of the brands that pioneered online sales long before it caught on in the industry (only quite recently, we might add) thanks to horological entrepreneur Rick Marei. Since the brand revived its Sub 300 series of distinctive and colorful watches in the 1990s, it’s had a presence in the minds and on the wrists of many Americans. It’s just that it wasn’t easy to simply go into a store to see it in person before buying.

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So what will you see if you walk into a Watches of Switzerland store and stroll over to the Doxa counter? A lot of bright-colored dials and straps, to be sure — but among them will be the newest models featuring the iconic Turtle-like case shape and no-decompression scale bezel executed in a forged carbon material. Carbon (of the forged, fiber, composite or other varieties) has been a popular alternative material in watchmaking for its dark color, its potentially interesting textures and patterns — and most of all, its lightness and toughness.

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Aesthetically, the look provides an interesting contrast to the brand’s signature range of bold colors and lends the vintage-inspired watch a resolutely more contemporary feel; ergonomically, carbon cases should make the Sub 300’s 42.5mm case even more comfortable to wear. Like the steel models, the Sub 300 Carbon is water resistant to 300m and is powered by a COSC chronometer-certified ETA 2824-2 automatic movement. The new watches join the permanent collection following a special 2020 limited edition in carbon called the SUB 300 Aqua Lung US Divers.

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The thing about carbon, though, is that as an alternative material, it’s also exotic and costs a premium — which means that the new Sub 300 Carbon watches will be priced over a thousand dollars more than their steel counterparts, at $3,890. The new models come in the brand’s six dial colors and ten total variations with different strap options. You might want to go check them out at your local Watches of Switzerland location…but of course, they’re also available online, as always.

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