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ReviewMilitary-Issue: The Doxa Army Stainless Steel Collection

Following a declassification of the Swiss Army’s records, Doxa have brought back the Doxa Army diver’s watch, first issued by the army in the 60s

Ajinkya Nair November 15, 2022

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In the realm of tool watches, it’s difficult to find a brand with more history or pedigree than Doxa. From the 1930s, through the quartz crisis of the 1980s, they created a brand around a concentrated emphasis on the purpose-made tool watch, garnering the attention of hardcore divers and adventure amateurs alike. While the brand have been operating since 1889, it wasn’t until 1967 that the company focused solely on professional diving watches. Doxa’s release of the Sub 300 marked a pivotal point for the brand, as it was a runaway hit. It followed the simple formula of pairing technological prowess, but priced lower than its contemporaries.

50 years after the inception of the DOXA Army, the brand reissues this iconic model that has attained cult status and is instantly identifiable to commemorate its history with the elite Swiss Army Divers unit

Special Forces

The 300T’s success did not go unnoticed, capturing the interest of Special Forces. The Swiss Army established a unique unit of military divers trained to become an elite corps in 1966. The first diver from the corps began training in 1968, and at about the same time, the Doxa Sub 300T passed a tough battery of tests devised by the Swiss Army so that the watch could become standard equipment provided to its divers. In 1969, the brand and the Swiss Army went one step further, co-developing a timepiece to meet their special requirements. And thus, the Doxa Army was born. Up until last year, Doxa couldn’t even mention this achievement, but as soon as the Swiss Army declassified certain old records, a door was opened for Doxa.

Declassified

After releasing a limited re-edition in titanium and ceramic last year, this year, Doxa unveiled the sought-after Army in stainless steel with two distinct bezel styles to choose from. If you’re familiar with Doxa, you’ll know that their cushion shape and clipped lugs cause their case dimensions to appear deceptively large. Measuring 42.5mm in diameter and 44.5mm from lug to lug, the case is 11.95mm thick. The cushion-shaped case ensures that this chunky watch can easily be accommodated on even smaller wrists.

A dive-ready 300m of water resistance is ensured by solid steel casebacks and screw-down crowns, and flat sapphire crystal is used for the glass. Both models have fully demarcated countdown scales, but one has a bronze bezel ring with a green ceramic inset while the other has a more traditional design with a black ceramic insert, positioned within a stainless steel outer ring.

An additional NATO camouflage strap is included in the box with each Doxa Army. The special case features the original camouflage pattern of the Swiss Army’s field uniform from the time

The reliable ETA 2824 automatic movement powers the new stainless steel Army watches. While the movement may not be exotic, this calibre has had decades to demonstrate its dependability, precision, and ease of maintenance thanks to a plentiful supply of parts. It boasts a 42-hour power reserve, a high-beat rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour, and 25 jewels with Doxa’s ornamentation on the automatic winding rotor.

Discover the full Doxa Army collection here.