A Doxa without an orange dial? Yes, it is possible. It was this vibrant colour that brought the brand back from the brink and helped it stay afloat (pun very much intended). Doxa made an indelible impact on the market with its bold orange dials, which were followed up by a variety of other bright colours, and became an industry leader once again. Doxa combines authenticity with originality in an affordable segment, offering dive watch aficionados a cost-effective alternative to industry giants including Omega, Panerai and Blancpain.
But Doxa recently ventured into uncharted aesthetic waters. The SUB 300 Beta model was introduced with a sophisticated black and gold livery, featuring a leaner profile than its predecessors. The limited edition SUB 300β Seddiqi & Sons continues this evolution, and it’s the first SUB with a mother-of-pearl dial.
A matter of taste
Some will question the move to mother-of-pearl by a brand celebrated for its daring and original designs. Nevertheless, it’s rather refreshing to see a stalwart of diving timepieces wait six decades before embracing this highly traditional material. It could be seen as something of a cheeky retort from a long-time outsider to a staid and conversative industry. At the end of the day, there’s no accounting for taste!
Streamlined elegance
Whatever the final verdict, the mother-of-pearl dial is seamlessly integrated into the watch, which was redesigned to accommodate the new material. It’s slimmer, with a profile of just 11.95 mm – down from the SUB 300T’s 13.65 mm – and a bezel height 0.5 mm less than the SUB 300T.
The unidirectional rotating bezel keeps its dual display for dive time (in minutes) and depth (in metres) for no-decompression dives, but is now accented with a blue ceramic insert. The power reserve, however, tops out at 38 hours – a standard from the 1960s that begs for an update to match today’s increasingly popular 50 to 70-hour running times.
A unisex diver
The decision to retain the unconventional 42.5 mm diameter is justified, given that this watch straddles the line between traditionally masculine sizing and the feminine appeal of mother-of-pearl. As always, Doxa delights in defying expectations and refusing to be straitjacketed by convention. This watch is equally suited to women and men, much like the Omega De Ville Trésor, whose most popular version with men came in a 40 mm diameter with a black mother-of-pearl dial.
Limited to just 50 pieces, the model comes with the iconic “Beads of Rice” stainless steel bracelet or a white rubber strap, though switching between them requires professional assistance – a traditional caveat for an unconventional timepiece.
