The story of the Doxa Army is getting a new chapter this week with the release of the Sub Army 200T done in collaboration with Hodinkee. The watch represents the first effort from the pair, both of whom have a rather prolific track record of collaborations. Doxa first resurrected the so-called Army design, based on an original concept developed in 1969 for the Swiss Army, back in 2022, recreating the funky asymmetry right down to the little crosshair rendering at 4:30. But, sporting a matte black ceramic case, this was no re-issue. And neither is this rendition done with Hodinkee, which sets the design within the context of the 39mm 200T. And yes, there’s plenty of that Hodinkee grey to be found in this take on the design.
The Sub 200T may not get the visibility of its more famous stablemates, being a modern creation sitting among historic heavyweights, but it’s actually the most approachable variation of Doxa’s design language available, and it’s still capable as a dive watch in its own right. This is a package that makes a lot of sense for an interpretation of the Army, not just because of its more wrist-friendly dimensions, but also for its more palattable price point. It uses the same Sellita based SW200 that you’ll find in the Sub 300T, and what it lacks in depth rating bragging rights, it makes up for in day to day comfort and character.
Plus, at 39mm in diameter, and a mere 10.7mm in thickness, this watch doesn’t really need to be titanium. And the 200 meter depth rating is still perfectly serviceable, even if you plan to take it diving (which you most definitely should). It’s kind of the best of all worlds, retaining the iconic Doxa design language in a modern, versatile platform that you could rock everyday. Perfect for a project like this.
Hodinkee and Doxa have returned to the famed Army design, but some liberties are being taken in this interpretation. What immediately stands out here is the warm grey and wheat color palette that underpin the orange focal points of the hands. The center of the dial gets a rough texture that holds up against the strong graphic shapes that comprise the chapter ring, whose greyish blocks intrude upon the dial with reckless abandon. The hands are almost cartoonish in nature, but easy to pick up at a glance, and to differentiate between. This is Doxa character at its very best, and the almost subtle nature of the colors being used as backdrop provide a strong and compelling juxtaposition to the nature of the design itself.
The grey bezel insert is fully indexed, and stands a prominent feature of the design as a whole without fighting against it. Likewise, there is a date complication here, which might feel out of character for a Hodinkee dive watch collaboration, but the disc itself has been color matched to the portion of the dial within which it sits, so it never feels distracting or out of place. This is a very well thought out design, and shows the surprising versatility of the Army framework.
Doxa will produce 250 examples of the Army 200T for Hodinkee, and the watches will be available exclusively through Watches of Switzerland. The price is a very reasonable sounding $2,000, though I suspect they’ll be a hot item in the secondary market for years to come. Keep an eye out for hands-on impressions coming soon. Doxa / Hodinkee
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