It’s the early 1960s: the space race is on. And yet, while the world looks to the stars, another universe, much closer but just as unknown, beckons: the sea. In 1964, Urs Eschle, head of development for DOXA watches, sees the opportunity behind all these fascinating documentaries, TV shows and magazine articles about underwater adventures. Diving watches have been around for a decade, but they are still prohibitively expensive. Urs puts a team together to develop a reliable and affordable watch, designed specifically for the growing community of scuba diving enthusiasts.
1967 sees the introduction of the DOXA SUB 300 – the first 100% professional diving watch affordable to a wider public.
The previous year, in 1966, the Swiss Army had begun to set up units of professional military divers, trained as true elite troops. By 1969, DOXA SUB watches became the “official watches” of the Swiss Army's elite divers unit. At that time, about 150 SUB 300T Professional watches were on the wrists of Swiss Army divers.
Still within the framework of its military collaboration with the Swiss Army, DOXA developed a dedicated tool watch, aptly named “Army" that was marketed for the first time in 1968 – “The ideal watch for military divers.” Recognizable with its black case, black bezel with black insert and sand- beige dial, the watch continues to ensure excellent readability underwater.
Over time the DOXA Army became one of the most sought-after vintage DOXA timepieces for collectors, not least due to its history with the Swiss Army and its original design.
Today, more than 50 years after its debut, DOXA pays tribute to this era with the reissue of the DOXA Army in stainless steel. Following the unprecedented success of the limited edition of only 100 pieces in black ceramic created in collaboration with its Anglo-American partner, Watches of Switzerland, DOXA proudly presents the DOXA Army in stainless steel as a non-limited version, with a sand-beige dial and, for the first time, a choice of bezel in bronze or steel with a ceramic insert in hunter green or black, respectively.
The DOXA Army follows through on the design aesthetic of the original, adding a subtle touch of modernity and performance in tune with today.
The 42.50-millimeter case of the DOXA Army, machined from a block of 316L stainless steel, is topped with a sapphire crystal. The case, and therefore the movement it protects, is resistant to a pressure of 30 ATM, equivalent to a depth of 300 meters or 984 feet. This reissue model features a unidirectional rotating bezel in bronze – marking the first time ever that DOXA has used this metal in its collections – with a hunter green ceramic insert or in stainless steel with a black ceramic insert.
All diving-related indications are enhanced with a Super-LumiNova® luminescent coating to ensure optimal readability underwater. The watch comes with the choice of a stainless steel “beads of rice” bracelet with folding clasp and exclusive “DOXA fish” symbol or an FKM rubber strap in black or hunter green. Included in the box with each Doxa Army comes is an additional NATO camouflage strap. The special case features the original camouflage pattern of the field uniform worn at the time by the Swiss Army.
