Doxa Wristwatches

Perhaps because of founder Georges Ducommun’s fondness for automobiles (he had one of the first in the region), Doxa was one of the first watchmakers to produce timepieces for cars. By 1921, Doxa was the official supplier to renowned sports-car manufacturer Bugatti.

One of the hallmarks of a Doxa watch is its fine internal workmanship, as well as its sense of style. For example, Doxa pocket watches from the 1920s feature handsome dials depicting golfers at play, while its women’s wristwatches from that era are sometimes hidden within elegant, 14-karat gold bangles.

In the 1930s, Doxa was one of the leading makers of chronographs, some of which were housed in 14-karat yellow-gold cases. And the firm continued to make watches for the military throughout World War II, particularly for aviators.

After the war, Doxa produced handsome, round calendar wristwatches. In 1954, the company gave a gold watch to each player on West Germany’s winning football team—the lads were in Berne, Switzerland for the World Cup. By 1956, the company’s designers were at it again, this time creating the square, Bauhaus-inspired Graphic in both men’s and ladies’ models.

But the biggest event in Doxa’s history was its foray into waterproof watches, which happened in 1967. The Doxa Sub 300T (300 is the number of meters it was rated for) featured a U.S. Navy air-dive table on its bezel to aid no-decompression divers while underwater. Even more helpful was the wristwatch’s brilliant orange dial, which was designed for divers in dark, potentially life-or-death conditions.

Divers loved the Doxa, which was embraced by U.S., British, French, and Polish naval forces. And so successful was the orange-colored dial that Doxa added a few more models, including the silver-dialed Searambler and yellow Divingstar.

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