The quintessential Doxa: short like a Turtle, a bezel like nothing else, and lume that lasts two seconds
A birthday present for the beach
This watch was a birthday present from my partner. We were in the boutique looking at it and the Sub 300, which is £2,390 because it's COSC certified with a bubble crystal, but only 300 metres. This one's £1,820 with 1,200 metres, which I need when I wash up some cups and have a bath. The 300T is the quintessential Doxa, inspired by the late-60s Sub 300 that Jacques Cousteau and the US Navy wore. You get a floating orange case, a sponge, a lanyard I'll never use, and silica gel I'll eat later. And the Jenny fish on the clasp, which the real purists despise.
Short like a Turtle
42.5 mm cushion case, very similar to the Turtle, 14 mm thick, and the lug-to-lug is 44.5. It's nice and short, like a turtle. 194 grams on the bracelet. It's a pure pleasure on the wrist, extremely comfortable, and it wears flat. Most men's wrists will carry it; below seven inches I'd think twice. Polished flanks, beautiful brushwork, fit and finish out of the delicatessen. The 1,200 metres is a novelty, but it's there.
I've never felt a bezel like it
That patented bezel: Doxa do it better than anyone in the business. Sawtooth, so easy to grip. I've never felt a bezel like it. There's no back play and the lineup is perfect, not like its big brother. The polished outer ring scratches the minute a jumper rubs over it, but that's part of the fun. The paint on the hands and markers is so thick it looks applied. Everything is perfect. ETA 2824-2 inside with a Doxa rotor, which is all 'decorated' means, and it runs about plus two.
Beads of rice, and the lume
Doxa pretty much own the beads of rice, and I can't say enough about it. The articulation is exemplary, it drapes, every bead is polished, all screwed links. Milled clasp with a ratcheting extension, no micro-adjust.
Then the lume. In my review I said it was somewhat disappointing: it glows, but it's not that bright and won't last long. Since then I've been less polite. Utterly shameful, awful lume. It lasts about two seconds. The only thing about this one I don't like.
Orange on orange
Put it on an orange FKM tropic from UK Straps on eBay, 13 quid, and it's absolutely proper. Not quite a perfect colour match. Doesn't matter. It's the most eye-catching watch in my collection. People stare at your wrist everywhere you go.
Verdict
A fantastic piece. Everything's good here. There's nothing wrong with it, apart from the lume, and I don't really mind, because I just love it so much. If you buy a Doxa, you need to buy an orange one. For the beeeech. Never give up.
