Doxa '565' ref. 13921, Silver dial, c. 1950s

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

DOXA is without a doubt best known for their dive watches — the Sub 300 range in particular. And while today their entire range is dive watches or dive-watch adjacent, the full story is so much richer than that, stretching all the way back to the company's founding. Founded by Georges Ducommun 1889 in Le Locle, Switzerland, DOXA wasn't chasing depth ratings, rather expertly engineered dress watches and pocket watches. They even received a gold medal from the International Exhibition in Milan in 1906. From there, DOXA spent the better part of the 20th century all over the map, producing just about everything and anything that a large manufacturer might be during the first half of the twentieth century, including: opulent cocktail watches, precision chronographs, travel clocks, dress watches, and straightforward watches built for everyday use. The piece that we have here is is a time-only piece utilizing a familiar 'waterproof' case design. Dating to circa the 1950s, the steel case is reminiscent of the famous '565'-style case utilized by brands like Patek Philippe, Movado, and also DOXA, coming in at 35mm in diameter and featuring a screw-down caseback with a signed, domed crown. It remains in exceptional condition with sharp and symmetrical lugs, strong finishing present throughout, and showing only faint wear. Inside, the silver dial features a satin-finished surface with 'raised' gold-tone indices, evenly patinated luminous plots and a matching gold-tone lance' handset. It is powered by an automatic-winding movement. DOXA may just be the single worst victim a brand being associated with one particular watch model... Pieces like these versatile, robust, and just plain attractive steel 'Calatrava' prove it.