Three years ago Doxa launched the Sub 200 C-Graph (first of its name) with a chronograph. This year its younger sister, aptly named the Sub 200 C-Graph II, has been added to the catalogue. The newer version remains faithful to the utilitarian credentials of the professional diving watch: water resistance to 200 metres, screw-down crown and back, unidirectional rotating bezel, and a focus on legibility and visibility, particularly in the dark, thanks to the use of white Super-LumiNova. Three registers (60 seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours) allow for the calculation of dive time or any other activity. And yet, this newcomer offers a choice: nautical thrills and spills – or adventures on dry land? Let me explain.
The DNA of the 1964 SUB is present and correct
In terms of underwater safety and functionality, Doxa doesn’t do things by halves. In 1964 the watchmaker decided to develop a reliable, affordable and good-looking diving watch with the help of some professional divers. One of their testers was Claude Wesly, who accompanied the legendary Jacques Cousteau on his underwater missions. Genuine frogmen were tasked with putting this “ideal dive watch” through its paces in real-life conditions. That was why the resulting Sub 300 had an unusual orange dial: it proved to be the most legible in the murky ocean depths. The watch was so successful that a plethora of different versions and iterations quickly followed. One of them was a chronograph model, the Sub 200 T-Graph.
This year, 2023, the new Sub 200 C-Graph II comes in the legendary orange livery, as well as a range of alternative colours (black, yellow, silver, turquoise, navy blue – like the original Sub 200 Graph). But the dial is decorated with a subtle sunray effect that changes with the light, at the same time reducing the colour block effect and flirting with an almost vintage elegance. This retro charm is enhanced by the supple “grains of rice” bracelet in stainless steel, with the essential diving extension, which can easily be swapped for a second strap, in rubber to match the dial colour.
More portable, equally reliable!
The Sub 200 C-Graph II has a diameter of 42 mm – a step back from the 45 mm Sub 200 C-Graph, whose imposing diameter was inherited from the 1964 SUB, which needed the extra bulk to ensure essential adjustments could be made underwater. This time, Doxa has reduced not only the diameter but also the depth of the case. As a result, the Sub 200 C-Graph II is easier to show off on dry land, and is suitable for almost any wrist size.
Doxa notes that the new dimensions of the Sub 200 C-Graph II make it better for diving in narrower spots, such as underwater caves. It’s less bulky, which makes it more able to slide between rocks and corals, particularly given that these kinds of dives are often highly technical in terms of navigation, route planning and dive times. In these conditions, every detail matters – every tool and piece of equipment is of paramount importance. Divers will obviously be equipped with a diving computer, but they will gladly take along a mechanical watch too, for additional safety.
So, where will you wear the new Sub 200 C-Graph II? On an underwater expedition, or while exploring the perilous dangerous reefs and grottoes of the city?
