Hands-On: the Doxa Sub 200T

Doxa, Doxa, Doxa. There’s a lot about the current incarnation of the brand to like and a lot that leaves us enthusiasts questioning what’s going on and why. Which honestly, is fine. It’s cool to see a brand experiment and find out what works for them, but a lot of people seem to expect a straightforward dive watch experience from the brand that draws from its strong history rooted in adventure and aquatic exploration. While I had some strong opinions, I did not “fill in the vacuum with my no-holds-barred opinion” (read Meg’s take on the Doxa Sub 200T Diamonds, it’s a good one). Clearly, the diamond-encrusted $9,400 take on this watch is not in my wheelhouse. But what about the $1,590 version that captures all of the classic Doxa charm in an extremely well-wearing package? It seems to have been overshadowed as of late by the diamond-laden version, but hopefully this hands-on can bring it back into focus a bit. 

While I’m not a huge Clive Cussler fan (never read anything by the guy), I don’t have any Jacques Cousteau documentaries queued up on my Youtube, and most of my time spent in the ocean is standing on the shore in knee-deep water trying to catch a striped bass at the expense of sleep, I do appreciate a good dive watch. I used to own a Doxa Sub 200, which I really loved and still miss from time to time. Doxa can make a heck of a watch and they always nail the wearability factor in the 200 lineup. Let’s take a look at what makes this diver an excellent option within the price range and a great way to get a classically styled Doxa on your wrist while keeping things svelte.

Case

A dive watch that measures in at 39mm wide by 10.7mm tall with a lug-to-lug width of 41.5mm is a pretty sweet place to be. We’re spoiled for svelte divers nowadays. With cases under 40mm becoming more and more common, there’s really something out there for every wrist. My wrist measures in at 6.75” and the 39mm case wears really well. It’s one of those watches you can pop on and just kind of forget about until you glance down at your wrist. One thing about the case that makes it interesting is the cushion shape that Doxa is known for. The no-deco dual bezel surrounding the dial makes the dial itself seem on the smaller side, since there’s so much metal between the limits of the dial and the end of the case. On the top surface, you’re treated to a fine brushing, while the sides of the case are polished. 

Since we’re dealing with a dive watch, something has to be said about the bezel. The action is nice and snappy, with 120 clicks required to make a full revolution. Grippy edges make the bezel easy to turn and there’s no noticeable back play in the review unit. It feels like a tool watch through and through that will just continue to do its job both in and out of the water. A flat sapphire crystal is right in line with the top surface of the bezel, keeping the overall thickness of the watch slim and wearable. 

Dial + Hands

Calling it dark blue would be boring and since Doxa has their own long-standing naming convention, we’re looking at the Caribbean dial. There are a lot of options available for the Sub 200T, including but not limited to Sharkhunter (black), Professional (orange), Divingstar (silver), and more. One thing that’s interesting is that the colors are available in two different dial finishes. The “Iconic” versions are all a flat color, while the “Sunray” dials feature a subtle sun ray pattern. The one I have with me is the sun ray, and in my opinion it looks great. The effect is subtle, but it adds just a hint of visual appeal that I would find myself missing. The key here is the matte finish, which keeps the dial easy to read without too much shine going on. 

The design of the dial should look familiar, as it’s largely the same as the 200T’s bigger brothers. There’s a crosshair design printed on the dial that breaks it up into four sections. The upper left features the Doxa wordmark and “automatic” in a funky typeface, while the lower right features the model name and the color, also in the same fun and funky lettering. Both of the remaining quadrants are left blank, giving the dial some breathing room. You’ll also notice the CHUNKY minutes hand in a contrasting color and the slightly wimpy hour hand. While it may look a little strange at first, you’re more than likely going to be using the minute hand in conjunction with the diving bezel, making its relevance even more important to the core functionality of the watch. I really like the look of the dial and hands, they’re true to the late-60’s original, but are classy enough as to remain timeless. 

One area where the dial falls short for me is the application of the SuperLuminova. It’s weak. Really weak. The charge doesn’t hold long and doesn’t glow particularly bright. This is definitely an area of disappointment for me. This seems to be a recurring theme with Doxa, as the Sub 200 I reviewed a few years back and the one I purchased for myself immediately after returning the review unit could have used a boost in the glow department. 

Movement

There’s not a whole lot to say about the Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement inside. It’s a reliable workhorse of a movement that’s Swiss-made. It sports a 38-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, automatic winding, the option to hand wind, and a date feature at 3 o’clock. The movement makes sense in the ~$1500 Doxa Sub 200T, fitting right in with the quality, price, and tool-like nature of the rest of the watch. 

Strap + Wearability

The 200T is available on either a beads of rice bracelet or a rubber strap. The bracelet is only a $40 premium over the strap and is quite comfortable to wear. It tapers a bit from the lugs to the clasp, which is a nice touch. They achieve this by altering the size of the brushed links on the outer edge of the bracelet, since the “rice” in the middle has to stay the same width throughout. On the bottom side of your wrist, you’ll find a chunky clasp emblazoned with the Doxa fish logo that features a quick adjustment mechanism. One button opens the clasp, while the other gives you just under half an inch of play. I like the mechanism for the quick adjustment – it feels solid and I’ve found myself appreciating the extra give throughout the day. 

Wearing the watch is a pleasure. It’s comfortable, has just the right amount of heft, and genuinely gives me some joy every time I look down at the time. The orange accents really pop off the blue dial but remain restrained enough as to not call too much attention to your wrist. 

200T vs. 300T

I wanted to quickly mention how the 200T compares to the 300T, because a lot of you may be asking “what’s the difference?” Since the watches look very similar, it can be easy to miss the key differences when looking solely at photos. Here’s some quick comparisons that really help show the contrast between the two models.

As you can see, the 200T is really just a scaled down version of the 300T. Sure you can’t take it as deep, and you won’t be able to let your helium escape, but you get nearly the same aesthetic in a piece that’s scaled down just about 10% in every metric. 

Conclusion

Between the Sub 200 and now the Sub 200T, Doxa has created some smaller wearing versions of their classics that carved out a place in their lineup that will excite a lot of enthusiasts. Heck, the last time they did that with the Sub 200, I ended up buying one before the review even went live on the site. What Doxa has here is a watch that has plenty of vintage charm without any of the hassle. The size is great, the feature set is there, and the price at 1500 bucks is plenty reasonable for what you’re getting. Is it worth the additional $8000 to splurge on the diamond version? That’s up to you to decide, but the standard Sub 200T is a compelling option in Doxa’s lineup that’s sure to turn some heads.