JM: The Doxa Sub 300 Carbon is an old classic in a new suit and should have a very solid fan club. This also makes it my winner in this category. It is a capable diving watch, yet at the same time a statement of style. What I like most about the chronometer-certified SUB 300 is that it is a tool, yet it still offers a vibrant contrast between the black carbon case and the aquamarine-colored dial, strap, and other details. MG: Doxa can be seen as the godfather of diving watches, and one might even almost forget that the brand’s rich history even included timepieces like the Grafic, a Bauhaus-styled dress watch. It’s not my top pick this time around (sorry!) but I’d certainly consider it as a fun watch and diving trip partner.
GG: Every year I say nice things about Doxa in this category, and every year the brand doesn’t win – at some point I will start to take it personally! The SUB 300 Carbon COSC Aquamarine has cool coloring, high-tech material science, Super-LumiNova indices, wetsuit bracelet expansion link, deep-water chops, and chronometer certification going for it. Practicality for purpose was my first filter. Fortunately, most of the preselected watches here do work well as real dive watches. As far as I’m concerned, if a watch doesn’t fulfill, and ideally excel, the practical functions of a dive watch, then it shouldn’t qualify in this category. I understand that any serious diver (or even amateur diver) would wear a dive computer and not rely on a mechanical watch, but that doesn’t excuse the watch from being non-functional. The category isn’t named “Waterproof Fashion Watches” or “Aquatic Themed Watches” so a watch that really wouldn’t work well to dive with shouldn’t win. JM: When it comes to the Diver’s category, things start to take a turn toward being a bit tough on the nominees because, at least in my mind, a diving watch is a piece of technical safety equipment and so it must be functional first and foremost. GG: As usual, this year in this category we’re seeing a mix of tool watches that one might actually choose to use underwater as a dive computer backup and “desk divers” that will see their toughest duty during a light rain shower on the way to the office. And when you do that here, there are only a few left to choose from. I’ve also decided to go with your method on evaluating this category by separating the desk divers from the real divers. And since Breitling is not competing in this category this year – though it is in competition in three other categories right now! – perhaps one of those you mentioned has a fighting chance.
Maybe they have more luck this year?ĮD: Interesting observation, Martin. MG: There is never a shortage of diver’s watches in the watch world, so it’s interesting to note that three of the six models were also nominated in the 2020 GPHG, although in different versions: the Doxa SUB 300, Reservoir Hydrosphere, and Ulysse Nardin Diver X couldn’t prevail last year against Breitling’s Superocean Automatic 48 Boutique Edition. Nominated Diver’s watches in the 2021 GPHG
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