Despite the overall explosion of vibrant dial designs in the watch industry, few brands have as deep or vivid a relationship with colorful dials as Doxa. Since the release of the first diver with an orange dial in 1967, the brand has consistently offered its Sub diver line in a wide spectrum of bright shades - from the classic orange Professional to the bold yellow Divingstar, teal Aquamarine, silver Searambler, black Sharkhunter, and sea blue Caribbean. This sextet of dial colors and their expressive names are integral to Doxa's unique place in the pantheon of dive watches, and with this in mind, the brand's decision to add a seventh color to its repertoire is significant. Doxa has decided to introduce this new color in the popular entry-level Sub 200 line along with a new expressive name - Whitepearl. The pure white color of the new Doxa Sub 200 Whitepearl adds a sense of stark modern style to the vintage-inspired diver line and stands out noticeably from existing models.
Like other models in the Sub 200 line, the 42mm stainless steel case of the Doxa Sub 200 Whitepearl should wear smaller than the numbers suggest, thanks to its short lugs and wide case shoulders that extend well beyond the toothed diving bezel. The overall shape should be familiar - twisted lyre lugs and a broad polished bevel running from lug to lug along the case sides. The screw-down crown lacks a protective guard but is partially recessed into the side of the case for added protection and a vintage Seamaster-style look. Interestingly, the Whitepearl model uses a black fish emblem on the crown instead of the orange one found on other Sub 200 models. This avoids the mismatch seen in images of many non-orange Doxa models and carefully continues the strict monochromatic image of the Whitepearl. To mimic the visual depth and shine of a vintage Bakelite bezel insert, the Sub 200 Whitepearl uses a two-part insert with a base of stainless steel painted white and a ring of clear sapphire. The resulting combination should be scratch-resistant while adding depth to the look of the late '60s Sub 200 line. Like the rest of the series, the Doxa Sub 300 Whitepearl is water-resistant to 200 meters.
While the six other dial color options in this series add bright base colors or warming fauxtina lume, the Doxa Sub 200 Whitepearl takes a truly monochromatic approach. The main dial surface is a true snow-matte optical white, without any soft eggshell hues often used for white dials. Similarly, the glossy black used for the ladder tube and large printed minute scale is deep and austere, leading to a bold and dramatic contrast in early images. Polished edges give this minimal modernist combination a touch of flair while not overpowering the rest of the design. Overall, the Sub 200 Whitepearl dial in early images looks far more contemporary than its vintage-leaning siblings and fits perfectly into the current lineup of white dial divers.
Doxa has equipped the Sub 200 Whitepearl with the well-established automatic ETA 2824-2 movement. The 2824-2 has been used in watches for decades, and while it remains reliable and easily serviced, its specifications are beginning to show their age. The power reserve is 38 hours at a frequency of 28,800 beats per second. Doxa completes the Sub 200 Whitepearl with a pair of strap options. The first is Doxa's signature stainless steel bracelet with five polished central links and brushed outer links. For a more modern sporty look, Doxa also offers the Sub 200 Whitepearl on an optically white textured rubber strap with a Milanese mesh pattern.
The new Doxa Sub 200 Whitepearl, with its vibrant new dial color and the most modern look in the series, is a unique addition to the brand's lineup and a potential harbinger of future developments in other brand dive lines.
The Doxa Sub 300 Whitepearl model is now available at official dealers for 950 Swiss francs. For more information, visit the brand's website.