Doxa is one of the many Swiss watchmaking companies that have a long history but remain relatively low profile, and unfamiliar to the general public. For watch enthusiasts, however, Doxa is a brand with a strong presence, and even more so if they happen to be diving enthusiasts. For them, the name Doxa remains inextricably linked to the first professional diving watch that was developed to be accessible to the recreational diving community as well.
Cast your mind back to 1967, 78 years after the founding of Doxa in Le Locle, in the canton of Neuchâtel (Switzerland). Recreational diving is just starting to take hold. Diving watches already exist, but they target military and professional divers, and their prices are mostly beyond the reach of amateurs. With these amateur divers in mind, Doxa decided to create a watch, made in consultation with someone highly popular and respected, both among diving professionals and the general public.
That year at Basel Fair, Doxa launched the SUB, "a top quality watch at a reasonable price", according to the philosophy of Georges Ducommun, founder of the brand. The watch was designed in collaboration with Jacques-Yves Cousteau, giving it unparalleled credibility. Aesthetically, it drew attention with its bright orange dial, a colour chosen for its excellent visibility underwater. The minute hand was larger than the hour hand, prioritising the needs of a diver. The monobloc steel case epitomised sporty robustness, and the double scale introduced in the new patented unidirectional bezel incorporated the US Navy's no-decompression dive table that all divers used at that time.
The success of the orange diver was enormous, and its reputation for precision and durability was established among both amateur and professional divers. The Doxa SUB even found fame on the silver screen, appearing in movies on Robert Redford's wrist. Two years later, it was followed by the SUB 300 T Conquistador, still intended for the general public but equipped with a helium-escape valve that made the watch appealing to commercial divers too. In 2019, for its 130th anniversary, Doxa launched the SUB 200, the gold limited-edition SUB 200 T Graph and the SUB 300 T, water-resistant to 1,200m and offered with 5 new dial colours in addition to the classic orange, with evocative maritime names — Sharkhunter, Divingstar, Searambler, Caribbean and Aquamarine.
Although 1967 can be said to be Doxa’s breakthrough year, it was already a well-known brand before the SUB. In 1908, it developed the Doxa 8-Days Calibre for the dashboard clocks that equipped Bugatti racing cars. The movement went on to be used by other automobile brands, and even in boats and airplanes. In 1905 and 1906, it was awarded prizes at international exhibitions in Lièges and Milan. Doxa developed numerous technical innovations, and in the middle of the 20th century, its Bauhaus-inspired "Grafic" collection quickly became a classic.
Like so many other Swiss watch brands, Doxa suffered the turbulence of the quartz crisis that hit the industry in the 1970s. It recovered in 1997 with the arrival at its head of the Jenny family and the Walca group. Today, headquartered in Bienne, Doxa is steered by Jan Edöcs. The year 2019 saw the major relaunch of the brand worldwide. At the same time, the Doxa collections were restructured and simplified, with a deliberate focus on the iconic SUB collection. WorldTempus wishes Doxa a very warm welcome.
