This One's Different! We'll Make It A Dive Watch...In Orange!

Courtesy of DOXA

How many times can you recreate (essentially) the same watch? That is clearly a question that the brain trust in Biel/Bienne is asking as DOXA offers up (yet) another tribute to Clive Cussler / Dirk Pitt. 

Priced at $2,990.

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Technical data

MOVEMENT

Swiss mechanical automatic, self-winding
Power reserve 56 hours
Frequency 28,800 vph (4.0 Hz)
Decorated by DOXA

CASE

Stainless steel case
Diameter 45.00 mm x 47.00 mm
Height 11.95 mm
Screw-down crown
Water resistance 75 ATM / 750 meters / 2,460 feet
Stainless steel, screw down case back

INDICATIONS

Hours, minutes, seconds
Date

FEATURES

Sapphire crystal
Unidirectional rotating bezel (in feet)
Limited to 94 timepieces

BRACELET / STRAP

Stainless steel bracelet "Beads of Rice", folding clasp with ratcheting wetsuit extension
Lug width 21.00 mm
Additional NATO strap included in the box

DIAL

National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) logo stamped on the dial

Omitted History

Courtesy of DOXA

With DOXA's recent launch of the SUB 300T Clive Cussler, I was once again reminded of the short memory of the watch buying public (no offense), and the reality that well placed (i.e. funded) press campaigns can go a long way to paint vivid and compelling stories that while not not false, often leave out some key details. 

Courtesy of Bernard Watches

While it is wonderful that the Jenny family is putting some money and effort into the DOXA SUB collection, I continue to be fascinated by the painting out of Rick Marei's efforts to relaunch and promote the DOXA SUB. Well, gentle reader, as I was there for a lot of this let me try to set the record straight, or at least shed some light on a topic that lived in the shade far too long.

It was Rick Marei who went to the Jenny family and secured the rights to design, produce, and sell the DOXA SUB through what would become the reimagined Synchron group. While it is convenient to paint out his contributions, it is an inconvenient truth that without Rick Marei, the SUB would have remained dead and burried.

I also find it fascinating to see this new partnership with the Cussler estate. As the person responsible for promoting and marketing the SUB from 2007 - 2010, it would have been greatly helpful not to have to try and do it for $0 marketing funds ; )

But we were lucky, because Clive Cussler was always amenable to help us (Synchron). He was a subtle, but genuine ambassador for the SUB. Beyond the invaluable publicity received by DOXA via Clive Cussler's novels, it was Rick Marei (and those of us who worked with him at Synchron) who endeavored to form and maintain a friendly (but definitely grass-roots and under funded) partnership with Clive Cussler. There was a Clive Cussler edition of the 750 SUB back in the earlier part of this century. This had no noticeable branding beyond a not-so-prominent bit of extra engraving on the case back, and if memory serves it was a basic flourish added to an existing production piece to help goose along some sales. I do not know whether or not Mr. Cussler received anything beyond a watch (i.e. royalties). 

There was, of course, a Dirk Pitt model based on the 600T. There was the NUMA -

Courtesy of Worn and Wound

Which came in a few flavors. Blue (above) and a turquoise dialed version (below) -

Courtesy of Worn and Wound

And I vividly remember a rather undignified bullocking I received at BaselWorld 2009 from Rick Marei over his refusal to use turquoise for any other DOXA SUB as turquoise was spoken for (although he refused to say for whom it was reserved). If nothing else, while not demonstrating any real managerial brio, it did underscore his commitment to all things Clive Cussler. 

I continue to find it fascinating how nearly 20 years of history can magically vanish. It is true that the "winners" write the history, and that's fair enough. But at the same time, I believe in giving credit where it is due, even if it reveals a sin of omission.

"I want to say one word to you, Benjamin. Just one word."

The older members of the peanut gallery out there will recognize today's title from the 1967 film - The Graduate. Here's the quoted piece in context to today's topic:

Mr. Maguire: I want to say one word to you, Benjamin. Just one word.
Benjamin Braddock: Yes, sir.
Mr. Maguire: Are you listening?
Benjamin Braddock: Yes, I am.

Courtesy of DOXA

Mr. Maguire: Plastics.

Okay, in fairness, carbon fiber, but visit various DOXA and dive watch discussion forums, and you will find that the word plastic is being bandied about more than a little bit.

Well pals and gals, there's a fair bit to unpack here. In all honesty, this product release was, to be kind, not handled particularly well. As of 7:21in the AM (NYC) today, a visit to the DOXA online web store you would have seen that a lot of the product details had not been uploaded yet to the site. Apparently the SUB 300 carbon (apparently not a proper name designation, hence not capitalized) DIVINGSTAR has a movement, albeit one with ZERO description. But not to worry! There is an abundance of information on the strap -
FKM rubber strap, folding clasp, black PVD coating, with ratcheting dive suit extension, exclusive DOXA fish logo Lug width: 20 mm
And it's all yours for the low, low price of $3,890!

But wait!  According to A Blog To Watch, the price is -  3,790 CHF.  As I write this at 7:30 AM (NYC), that equates to $4,097.89 per XE Currency's conversion.

You may remember DOXA's run-away success with carbon fiber with their limited edition SUB 300 Sharkhunter -

Courtesy of DOXA

That SUB set sail a year ago, limited to 300 pieces. Let's say that this one sold more like the hotcake's sexier cousin, the waffle, as in not so hot. If the DOXA website is anything to go on, 300 pieces have not sold yet.

Courtesy of DOXA

Now once again, to be fair, DOXA is being managed with a vision of what they feel DOXA could be (a big time, popular in retail watch), and how they think they can get there. They have invested in advertising, and the more "malleable" members of the Fourth and Fifth Estate are more than happy to keep barking like seals so long as the fish keep getting tossed their way.

If the new SUBs turn your crank as a watch you want to own, you should not let ANYONE (yes, that includes me) dissuade you.

Shamelessly Borrowed

But I do want to hop in the WABAC Machine and take you back to the thrilling days of yesteryear when I worked for DOXA's North American license holder. The recipe for successful DOXA sales was actually a lot more simple than you might think -

• Launch either an Orange (Professional) or Black (Sharkhunter) first. 
• Remember that a HUGE number of your potential customers do not care one bit about watches, but have a visceral connection to Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt.
• Conduct a "we want your opinion" poll on the forum that would artfully (albeit not so subtly) direct participants to choose the details that had  already finalized months before.
• Keep it relatively within the range of what people continually buy - which if I am being brutally honest in retrospect was the 1000, 1200 and 300.
• Build up anticipation - the majority of folks often flip their previous DOXA watches to pay for the new DOXA offering.
• Price it at something in the range of $2,300 BUT pull a Ron Popeil - 

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide info-web

• Use language like "special introductory price" and "pre-order" price.

I don't claim to know or really understand what motivated this latest offering from the folks in Biel/Bienne. And to be abundantly clear, I am neither on Team Jenny or Team Marei in the DOXA wars - I am a conscientious objector firmly on the side of Team Henki ; )

It is indeed possible that the other DOXA SUB watches are selling well. It may well be that retail in the UK is big, bold and beautiful! And in truth, it might be that DOXA is playing the long game, and willing (and able) to wait out the nay-sayers on the forums and win them over in the end.

We will wait, and we will see. But I don't think that this is the SUB that's gonna' move the needle.

Henki Time Pod Cast - The DOXA SUB - Change is Inevitable

Henki Time Podcast - The DOXA SUB - Change is Inevitable

DOXA - What Does It Really Mean?

Okay, there's been a day for the news to settle. And again, while some of us knew about this shift in strategy some time ago, it is clear that the news that the Jenny family are going to take sole control over the DOXA SUB has caused quite a stir in the watch community. Think I'm kidding? Check my email, messenger, LinkedIn, phone and What's App accounts. As I mentioned yesterday, I have not worked directly for DOXA since 2010, and although I have done some freelance work for the SUB, truth be told I have more followed from afar than the day to day. But the more I've thought about it, the press release that went out yesterday has created more questions than it answered.

Now in a typical watch brand (and let's be very honest with ourselves, the SUB might as well have been its own brand, and is far from typical) this would not be much cause for noise. Changes both big and small happen all the time. But this one is going to be a bit different, because, and I am just being honest here, I do not really know if the Jenny's and the semi-new CEO of DOXA, Jan Edocs fully understand how the business has really worked on this side of the water for the past 20 years.

The press release makes mention of DOXA's team in the US -

With the launch of the new www.doxawatches.com website, customers will also be able to learn more about the new Doxa organization and discover the new collections of Doxa Watches for the next quarter of this year. Our dedicated team in the United States under the direct management of HQ in Switzerland will be happy to help and answer any queries.

And this one was a head-scratcher. Because unless I forgot to wind my 8-Day clock and slept through the appointment of the dynamic, crack US based team, if it does exist it is a fairly recent development. Wanna' guess why? Because said team, as far as I can ascertain, are freshly minted (or in the process of being onboarded) to work for DOXA here in the US. And what does this mean? Well, to be clear I don't have an inside line, but I can only assume that it means that Mr. Edocs intends to try and open up retail markets. I also assume that means that he will be reaching out to his former running buddies from his time at Milus (the former, not the current), Versace and indirectly Hanhart. But keep in mind, while these folks have a lot of experience in retail - with big brands with deep pockets, this is going to be something entirely different. It doesn't mean that DOXA won't break into retail here in North America. It does mean that the key to the current business is something altogether different. And that is the direct to customer side of the business.

Now, if the belief is that they can hire some eager, young millennial to man the live chat function and reply to emails? Well, they're in for an interesting learning experience ; )

There is a reason why several bigger brands with larger budgets have tried and failed in the direct to customer business.  And it has NOTHING to do with the fact that they already have brick and mortar presences.  It has to do with the level of attention and interaction that many watch buyers, particularly those who are "Team DOXA", demand.  These are hard-core fans. Some are extremely knowledgeable about the product and watches in general. And they will want to sift through facts and vital statistics, down to the most granular.  And then you have the "Clive Cussler" tribe.  These are people who, in many instances, could not care less about what is in the watch, how it was made or how it stacks up.  They are drawn by their love of Clive Cussler's writing and his fictional hero, Dirk Pitt.  But as this is a very, very expensive purchase for these folks, they need reassurances, and hand-holding.  And believe me, that is more than fair. I needed to be walked very patiently through a $500 used camera purchase at Leica's Boston boutique (and thanks again guys!).

So I thought in the interest of helping lend understanding to some of the challenges that the new Team DOXA USA are going to face, I would share a "day in the life" from my DOXA days:

8:00 - log in to the sales tracking system and check to see if anything came in overnight.  3 sales in.  Check voice mail messages, read and respond to emails, and turn on the Live Chat function.  Email informs me that a customer who ordered a 1000T has changed his mind and wants to cancel the order.  Spoiler alert, 2 days later the same customer orders the same watch again.

8:00 - 8:15 - service issue, the customer has only just sent the watch in a week ago and wants to know what the status is.  Reach out to service department, and let customer know that I will follow-up as soon as I have an update, and gently remind them of the estimated time for service (4 - 6 weeks).  Spoiler alert - the watch is serviced and returned to the customer within 2 weeks of the service center receiving it.

8:20 - 9:15 - potential customer calls in.  Customer walks me through his entire collection (it sounds impressive) and then runs through every feature of the SUB 5000 wanting to know the pros and cons in comparison to his Sea Dweller.  The call seems like it is ready to conclude, and then he wants to haggle to get a 30% discount.  I explain to him that we cannot do that.  He then mentions a retail store in California that has assured him that they can get it to him for 30% off.  I encourage him to follow-up on that as I can't do it.  What customer X does not realize is that I am also responsible for retail, and at that moment we only have one retail partner in Texas who absolutely holds the line on pricing.  I make a mental note that I will probably be getting a call from a California based retailer within the next 36 hours, and I have a sneaking suspicion as to who it is.

9:20 - Spouse of devoted Clive Cussler fan wants to buy "Dirk Pitt's" watch for an anniversary present for her husband, and is concerned that it won't arrive in time.  I ask when the big day is (day after tomorrow).  I then explain that, unfortunately, as watches typically ship directly from Switzerland and as the watch has to go through US Customs, I cannot guarantee it will arrive in time. BUT, I will see what I can do and call her back no later than 12:00 noon.  I then reach out to our retail partner in Texas by email to see if they have the watch currently in stock.

9:55 - phone call: "I work for (insert formerly famous individual's name here) and I want to speak to the owner".  I explain that the owner is in Switzerland, but maybe there is something that I can do to help.  Long story short, at this point in time formerly famous individual was doing some sort of tv based promotional programming and would DOXA be interested in participating (i.e. for a fee as yet to be disclosed because it can only be discussed with the owner).  The caller is clearly working from a script in a boiler room and I suspect has never met formerly famous individual in her life.  But I also realize that we all have to work and I try to politely get her contact info so that the folks in Switzerland can call back.

10:35 - email back from our retail partner in Texas.  He has checked the inventory and the safe and they have 2 models that will fit the bill. Do we want to do a stock transfer so that we can sell it directly?  I tell him absolutely not, I want him to get the full sale and have an opportunity to develop a relationship with the customer. I call the customer back, give her the name of the store owner and his contact info., and let her know that we are here if there are any questions/concerns. I also ask her for her mailing address as we would like to send an anniversary gift. I then pack up two DOXA hats, and put the "away" message on the live chat, and let my colleague on the East Coast know that I am running to the post office - luckily a five minute walk.  Send the hats priority with a note.  Ship some books and marketing collateral to our partner in Texas.

12:05 - bit of a blow-up on the forum (Watch U Seek).  Log in and try to answer questions and concerns. This takes about 90 minutes.

2:05 - customer calls in, orders a GMT.  Short, sweet, easy.

2:55 - customer calls with service issue and wants to discuss the merits of the ETA 2824.  Get an RMA (repair authorization form) sent to the customer with directions for shipping, etc.

4:10 - prop-wrangler for a movie production company wants a watch for himself.  Promises that this will make it more likely that DOXA will be seen by the director or the actors and they will want to wear one. Been down this road before, it NEVER works out that way. I tell them we will think about it. Send message regarding request to HQ.

5:10 - as I am walking out of the office, the phone rings. A store in California wants to order a watch. I say no problem, they can either do it online or I can take a credit card over the phone. How much? I tell them the price. Pause, and then "don't we offer industry pricing, like Keystone (50% off)?". I explain that we can certainly discuss his store becoming an authorized retail partner, but that will take some time. This call goes on for about an hour, with the retail store owner getting crankier and angrier. "Don't you know who I am?!?" I explain that yes, I do. I've seen his picture in Watch Time and iW at in store promotions for some impressive brands. More silence. I explain that we do not sell individual watches for individual one-off sales as it is not fair to our retail partners who have invested in the brand. More silence. I cheerfully ask him if he would like to discuss becoming a retail partner? And... he hangs up.


So, Team DOXA USA, this is a small taste of a typical day. I know that the belief is that you simply need a call center with someone manning the phones. But it is so much more than that. DOXA SUB customers, for better or worse, are involved in a RELATIONSHIP with not only the watch, not only the online community, but with the brand. Think I'm full of it? I've seen some pretty interesting arm tattoos that say I'm right ; ).

When your customers are making such permanent statements about their love for your brand, you will need to be set-up to return that love.

Or as my friend, one of Severin's Children often says -

You can't email a handshake.

The Ninth Watch Anniversary You Need To Know in 2017

Bless Hodinkee!  I can only assume DOXA is neither esoteric enough, or...

At any rate, perhaps an even more important birthday than the Sea-Dweller or F.P. Journe's first watch ever might be the 50th anniversary of the DOXA SUB.  So in case you hadn't seen it, or were laboring under the illusion that there were only eight significant watch anniversaries this year, allow me to acquaint you with the 50th anniversary model of the DOXA SUB 300 Professional -

Courtesy of DOXA

It's a beauty!

DOXA and Fabien Cosuteau

DOXA will be partnering with Fabien Cosuteau on his 31 day mission -

Courtesy of DOXA

The SUB 1500T from DOXA

Courtesy of DOXA

DOXA continues to put out a watch that people want, and the 1500T has proven to be no exception.  45 mm PVD treated stainless steel case with automatic HRV, and a bracelet that is similar to the one first introduced to the 5000T with a ratcheting wet-suit extension!

Here are the stats:

Limited Edition
1500 pieces, made and assembled by hand in Switzerland

Case
PVD treated solid stainless steel (316L) PVD.
The Seaconqueror measures a hearty 45 mm in diameter (excluding crown), 15 mm in height.  Stainless steel screw-down crown.  The 1500T Sharkhunter Military Edition is water resistant to a depth of 5000 feet, and is hand assembled in Switzerland. 

Crystal
Scratch-resistant, anti-reflective 3mm domed sapphire crystal

Caseback
Solid-stainless steel, screw-back, engraved limited edition number xxxx/1500

HRV
Helium Release Valve

Bezel
Unidirectional, constructed of PVD treated solid stainless steel .  US Navy maximum no decompression limit times in feet (engraved).

Movement
High grade 25 jewel self-winding Swiss made movement with hacking second function,42 hours of power reserve.  Based on the ETA 2892, decorated by DOXA.

Anti-Shock
Incabloc shock protection

Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, quick-set date at 3 o'clock

Size & Weight                 
Length = 47 mm | Weight = 219
| Dial diameter = 30.2mm

Hands
Replica of the original 1967 SUB hands, Superluminova filled, featuring the iconic dwarf hour hand.

Bracelet
A more modern look and feel!  Solid stainless steel.  The bracelet is attached by screws, NOT spring bars to ensure a secure fit!  The bracelet also features a ratcheting dive suite extension, which allows you to engage the extension with you thumb and finger - you can do this with the watch ON YOUR WRIST!  21 mm end pieces, solid stainless steel end pieces.

Get all the info -

www.doxawatches.com

A re-run - Jean-Michel Cousteau is "all wet"

This originally ran on May 6th of last year, but it is a pretty good interview and I thought I might put it out there again. 

© Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

James Henderson - What was your first watch, was it a gift?

Is there a story behind it?


Jean-Michel Cousteau – I don’t remember exactly. But I can tell you that when I was a kid, watches were different. They were valuable, expensive – special! You received one at a certain age, and you held onto it forever. It was only later that I realized the importance of a good diving watch. One that would not only tell you the time, but keep the water out.

But things have definitely changed. I think for both watches and the concept of time. I feel that young people today do not appreciate the value of a single watch – just as we do not value our time on this planet to the fullest.

© Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

JH – What do you mean by that?



JMC – We are spoiled today. We are wasteful. Today we are in such a hurry to buy things, to consume things that we don’t need (and probably don’t really even want)! This doesn’t mean that the standard of living has improved – because in a lot of ways it really hasn’t! Consider for a moment how much we waste – you live here in Santa Barbara, as I do. You know the homeless people who go through our trash, our recycling, and take the bottles and cans to the recycling center to get money? I think those guys are great! As odd as it sounds, they are helping to keep the city clean.



JH - Where did you go to school, what did you study?


JMC – I studied architecture in Paris. And now many years later I am still waiting for my first “commission” 55 years later! But I am a licensed architect. After that, I worked in a shipyard in Brittany because what my real goal was something different than merely building houses and offices. You see, from the time I was a kid, my brother and I were always in the water. We were “wet” at a very early age! 

© Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

JH – Well, given your famous father’s profession, had you ever considered doing something else?



JMC – I think not really – BUT – I will say that what I do today is a true evolution. I studied architecture with the idea of combining it with life in the ocean – that the future was (and will be) closely linked to the sea. This, in turn, led me to working at the shipyard in Brittany, because I wanted to better understand the nature of structures for the water. But I must say that my father in many ways was my greatest teacher. He was invaluable in helping me work in and produce film and television. Just as in architecture, each project has a beginning, a middle, and an end.



JH - Ocean Futures continues to grow and evolve - obviously a great deal of this is tied in with you and your family's efforts. What does the future hold?



JMC – I am fortunate that my children are involved, but more than this I feel that we have created a strong foundation for others to continue our work. As the population of the earth continues to grow, it is more and more apparent that our quality of life is strongly connected to the health of our planet. And the health of the planet is inseparable from the health of the oceans.



JH - What are some of the biggest challenges you currently face?


JMC – Funding. It is ironic, because people hear, or read the name Cousteau, and feel that we must be rich and that money is no problem. In many ways, the name Cousteau works against us. So I have to be out there, giving lectures, promoting the work of the organization. The single biggest way for us to promote our work is through images – be they video or photographs. To this end, we work tirelessly to compile as many images as possible.


Another challenge for us is education – but this is a challenge that we embrace! We need to get the kids “WET”. We need to introduce them underwater life – whether it’s the ocean, a river or a lake. We need to challenge the young people’s sense of curiosity and adventure.




JH – Okay, as this is a watch blog – favorite all-time dive watch?


JMC – When I started diving there were only a few companies that made true diving watches. Today, there are many choices and we are lucky that several companies have supported us over the years. I did design a watch made literally of recycled materials. It was manufactured for a short time but is no longer available.





JH - Being based in Santa Barbara, I imagine that you enjoy fairly consistent conditions for diving? If you can recall, what is one of your most challening/difficult dives?


JMC – There has been one dive in 67 years that really stands out for me. I was diving in a cave, and I suddenly realized that I would run out of air before I could surface. But – I did not panic. I motioned to my dive “buddy” and we were able to “buddy breath”. This was in Papua New Guinea in 1982 or 1983.





JH - If you weren't doing this, what do you think you might be doing?


JMC – This is the truth – either an astronaut or a farmer! That would really be great if I could have “three lives”. The sea, the land, and space!




JH - What is a typical "day in the life" of Jean Michel Cousteau?


JMC – There truly are no “typical” days and this is what keeps things interesting! For all of us here at Ocean Futures, there are constant surprises and challenges to adapt to.





JH - What do you like to do in your spare time?


JMC – What is “spare time”? (laughs).


© Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

JH - Who is the next "Cousteau" out there?



JMC – There are many out there! And luckily – they don’t have to be Cousteaus!



Get Wet with Ocean Futures -



http://www.oceanfutures.org/







15 Days with the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 100

And as I say goodbye to my "Tovarich", a new friend has swum up.

15 days with the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 100 begins now.

Niceties - The Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300

It's the little things that make a watch purchase special.  Sometimes, it's no packaging, or certainly poor packaging that can sour you to a watch without even considering the watch itself.  Sometimes the packaging is 100 times better than the watch itself.  And then sometimes - as in the case of Aquadive, the packaging strikes just the right chord -

The box is nice, flip open, holds the warranty card, the watch of course, and a few surprises -

Any guesses?  Another hint -

If you haven't guessed - it's replacement spring bars!  Made in Switzerland, of course!

And to make sure that you have a personal connection to your Bathyscaphe 300, and you are fully aware of its condition before it left on its trip to your door, here is a calling card -

You can see the "bona-fides".    And mine is still holding true - I do not have the benefit of a watchmaker's timer, but if my calculations are correct, we are holding true at + 3 seconds.  COSC is all well and good, and I am not saying that this replaces it - but consider this - it gives you the same info - a rate, and it doesn't add several hundred dollars to the price!

Only a few days left in the 15 - stay tuned!

15 Days with the Aquadive 300

The nice folks at Aquadive were good enough to send me the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300 for a 15 day review.  With BaselWorld approaching, this will probably be the last review for February.

Just the thing for a rainy day in Santa Barbara - I know what you're thinking - "is there such a thing?"  Well yes there is!

So this morning I strapped on the Bathyscaphe 300 , and prepared to face the elements.  

15 Days with the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300 begins now - stay tuned!

Proud uncle

Back in my DOXA days, I had the opportunity to work on some fun and interesting projects.  Perhaps the high mark for me was the Project AWARE.  It was my first real opportunity to work with a partner and create something new -

That was back in 2008.

Later, in 2009 I was walking through the Tourneau store in Boston, and while looking at the selections one of the sales people grabbed my wrist and said - "That's the Project AWARE!"  And then grabbed one of the copies of Watch Time, and pointed out the article - a belated thank you to Norma!

And now time has moved on, I have moved on - but I heard the news that there was now a successor to the original Project AWARE -

Courtesy of DOXA

And like a proud uncle, I smile at my new "nephew", and wish him a long and healthy life!  Best of luck to DOXA and Project AWARE!

You can own a Cousteau's DOXA SUB!

Here's your chance to own Jean-Michel Cousteau's DOXA SUB!!!
http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/Item.action?id=144622656

This auction benefits Ocean Futures, based here in my hometown of Santa Barbara.

DOXA SUB 4000T Sapphire

Courtesy of DOXA

In celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the reintroduction of the DOXA SUB,
DOXA is releasing something very special - the 4000T - but with a Sapphire
bezel!

Here are the specs from DOXA -

Diameter 47.00mm including crown protection
Diameter excluding the crown protection is 44.00mm
Lug width 22.00mm
Lug to lug 48.00mm
Height 16.00mm
Bezel diameter 40.80mm
Crown diameter 6.50mm
Diameter 47.00mm including crown protection
Movement: ETA 2897 Top grade

Courtesy of DOXA

This is a very limited edition - so you've been warned!


www.doxawatches.com

DOXA's Grafic Mistero

Courtesy of DOXA

It is always nice to see old friends, and I had the chance to stop by and visit my good friend Silvan at the DOXA booth.  We had a quick coffee and got caught up while he showed me the latest - the Grafic Mistero.  Apparently, this was a red-hot item with the folks at the fair this year, and poor Silvan and the DOXA team were kept very, very busy throughout the fair - a nice problem to have!

www.doxa.ch

DOXA DECO

This is the DOXA DECO.  I had the good fortune to meet the designer of this watch at BaselWorld 2008.  In the "re-edition" era of DOXA (i.e. 2001 - NOW) this was the most successful non-diving watch that DOXA ever released for sale via DOXA Direct.  Beautiful stainless steel, black dial with roman markers - this is a fantastic watch.  They are no longer available, but I have mine!

Karl Shreeves and the Diving With Legends SUB

Once again, Karl Shreeves has been good enough to share a story about one of the watches in his collection.  Karl and his story were featured in the Diving with Legends book this past year.

The DOXA 1200T HRV DWL

Besides being high-quality, robust and functional automatic dive watches, the DOXA line holds a special place among timepieces. It enjoys an historical legacy as the dive watch for serious enthusiasts – a recogition DOXA earned with innovative features, not the least of which was the first helium-release valve watch available for general purchase in 1969 – the SUB 300T Conquistador.

For those not familiar, commercial divers sometimes work under pressure in helium atmospheres.  Helium itself a very small atom, over time and under pressure, slowly penetrates seals that are perfectly water and air tight. Upon surfacing and releasing the surrounding pressure, a dive watch can burst due to the build up of helium gas inside, unless it has a release valve.  Historically this has been the fun visual of the crystal popping right off of the watch!  Of course, apart from commercial divers very few divers need a helium release valve, and what does this have to do with DOXA today? Glad you asked.

This past spring, DOXA rolled out the limited-edition (99 issued) DOXA 1200T HRV DWL (Helium Release Valve, Diving With Legends) with the publication of Dr. Peter Millar’s Diving With Legends. The book features the biographies and stories of two dozen divers, many of whom are well-known in the underwater community (www.divingwithlegends.com). In celebration, DOXA graciously gave a 1200T DWL to each of those featured, with the remaining available to collectors at www.doxawatches.com.

Those familiar with the DOXA line will recognize the 1200T DWL’s heritage immediately. It is a hefty, solid watch (approx 171 g/6 oz with bracelet) that sports DOXA’s trademark orange dial (with DWL logo) and one-way bezel with USN no decompression limits. Those familiar with its cousin 1000T will find it similar, though the T1200 is rated to 1200 metres versus 1000 (hence the names, of course), with the DWL inscribed with its release number (shown is 50/99).

Arguably, the 1200T DWL’s standout feature is the recessed helium-release valve at the 9:00 position. You probably don’t need an HRV, but that’s besides the point. Beyond the cool-factor, the valve subtly reminds us that DOXA engineered this watch for leading-edge divers – not a small statement coming from a company that has engineered top-end automatic dive watches for hardcore divers for more than 40 years.

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DOXA SAFE DIVE

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Orange, yellow, and the DOXA SUB

It goes without saying that most divers of a certain age, not to mention dive watch collectors can't hear the word DOXA without thinking orange.  Why orange?  Well, it would of course be easy to say that it was down to a marketing decision - all of the other professional grade dive watches were black or blue and orange was different.  Of course by now most people know that the choice of orange was the result of a series of tests at nearby Lake (Lac) Neuchatel to determine which color was most visible at a depth of 30 meters.  So orange...

DOXA SUB 1000T Divingstar

A funny thing happened a few years later.  The same team went back out to the "R & D" lab (or lake) and tried some more colors.  And it was decided that in fact yellow was the more legible/brighter color at 30 meters.  But with all things like the DOXA SUB, you sometimes are most remembered for your first dramatic act, and the Inventors of Orange are no exception!  But the Divingstar lived on and is still a member of DOXA's fleet today.  

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