Doxa's biggest, heaviest brute: one of the best bezels at any price, a pip that never lines up, and still the one I'd keep
Behold the massive Sub 1500T
It's not pure posh, it's pure pleasure. Bought from Mr Ryan at Francis & Gay of Coventry, one of the nicest people I've ever met in the jewellery game. £2,290. In the box: a floating Doxa case, a lanyard I'll never use, two sponges I don't understand and a tablet of desiccant I'll eat immediately. And this: the massive Doxa Sub 1500T, Searambler dial.
45 mm, 47 lug-to-lug, 21 mm lugs. Listed at 16 mm thick; I measured 16.6, same as my Orient saturation diver. 1,500 metres, or 150 atmospheres, except my caseback says 160. Thank you, Doxa, for being so murky. It's the 300T on androgens and peptides. Only the Sub 4000T is bigger, and I tried that on too.
One of the best bezels at any price
One of the best bezels you will ever experience at any price range. 120 clicks, almost no back play, and the grippiest bezel I've ever felt, with those sawtooth teeth hanging over the polished lower ring. The polished outer ring is a scratch bastard, and the no-decompression table is totally pointless now, but it looks amazing. Back in the 60s and 70s this was a legit tool.
Then the glaring flaw. The pip is slightly misaligned. Every 1500T I've seen has it. I went into the shop and tried every dial, and they all did. My 300T is bang on.
Smooth as butter
The crown is recessed, painted with the Jenny fish, and the most pleasant crown to action. No Seiko crown, trust me. Winding is so smooth you have to put it to your ear to hear the clicks. What's inside? Doxa won't say. Reviews say ETA 2892-A2, or a Soprod A10, and Doxa's own figures don't match. It does piss me off. I've since settled on the 2892, and it runs about plus three, plus four. Massively thick domed sapphire, too. Look at the distortion from the side.
Bad design, great watch
Five-link bracelet, brushed and polished, screwed links, solid end links, and a fully milled clasp with on-the-fly ratchet. Sublime. But it's held on with screws. Changing anything is a pain, so get it sized at the jeweller. And Doxa want £420 for their rubber with a clasp. Ridiculous. Get rid of them immediately.
The lume is absolutely crap. Looks fantastic for about 25 seconds. Over 220 grams, too, so it flops, and I've said some people will want it off after half an hour, and that I want it off after about three hours. A 7 inch wrist will carry it. You'll be seen from 25 miles away. Everyone at Tesco was eyeballing it.
Verdict
You will either love or hate this watch, but I love it. Cheaper than the SLA, and the movement outperforms the 8L35 pound for pound. Next to my Marinemaster? Both flawed, both wonderful. If I had to keep one of my Doxas, it probably would be this one. Never give up.
