Well it won’t be easy but I guess it’s time for me to eat my words. Today at Geneva Watch Days, Doxa unveiled one of their most anticipated releases since the recent shift in management; a standard production Doxa Army in stainless steel with a couple of bezel and color options to choose from. I’ve been pretty vocal and open about my criticisms of Doxa recently. I mean of course I’m going to sound like a salty jerk after missing out on both the Synchron Military and the Doxa Army Watches of Switzerland Edition. But a lot of my concern was focused on a statement Doxa made on a WatchUSeek post where, in reference to the Doxa Army, the brand stated that “We are not interested in launching just a limited edition online.” Not long after that, we got the extremely limited run of 100 ceramic Doxa Army watches and needless to say, my hopes were running pretty low after that.
But today’s release changes everything and in this case, it feels good to be wrong. While some have criticized this release of cheapening the exclusivity of the Doxa Army and spitting in the face of LE owners, I find it hard to imagine a world where Doxa doesn’t answer to the release of the Synchron Military and other affordable homages from companies like Seestern and Maranez. The most assuring aspect overall is the fact that Doxa also chose to keep the new Army’s pricing relatively close to that of the standard Sub 300 models they offer. Still not the most affordable dive watch around but not a violent price gouge either.
Doxa Army Specs
- Case Diameter: 42.5mm
- Case Thickness: 11.95mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 44.5mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 300m
- Movement: ETA-2824
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Strap: Rubber or Stainless Steel Bracelet
- Price: $2,050 – $2,190
Another surprise is the version with a bronze bezel and a hunter green bezel insert. Seeing the chatter online has been hilarious so far and it’s clear that this will be a hard pass for some. But it’s an interesting risk that Doxa took and I don’t actually hate it. I’d go for the standard steel/black bezel combo, of course. And hey, at least it isn’t a $70,000 18kt gold Sub 200 T. Graph!
It’s tough to say without having the watch in-hand, but to me this is looking like a solid release from Doxa. Sure, I wish it came in at a little under $2k, but it isn’t that bad when you consider it as a chance to own a re-release of a super unique, ultra-rare watch with modern specs behind it. Well played, Doxa. You really shut me up with this one… and my order is in.
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Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.