The Doxa SUB 600T Professional is a super diver to make a splash with
Jamie WeissI’ve always been entranced by the world of diving, but I’ve never done a serious dive. I’ve had a SCUBA lesson in a three-metre-deep pool, and the deepest I’ve ever dared to dive while snorkelling was about five metres down during a holiday in Thailand – that’s about it. But I’ve always loved dive watches, especially ‘super divers’. You know, the Omega Ploprofs, Bell & Ross Hydromaxes and Rolex Sea-Dwellers of the world. If the idea of wearing a watch that’s water-resistant to 300 metres is kind of ridiculous, I think the idea of something that’s rated for double that or beyond is particularly mad.
That leads us nicely to the Doxa SUB 600T Professional. Within Doxa’s modern range, the 600T is a bit of an oddball. Confusingly, the modern 300T is actually water-resistant to 1,200 metres – so the 600T is, these days, not the deepest-diving watch in the range. It’s also aesthetically very different to the rest of Doxa’s watches, which either feature Doxa’s signature cushion shape or more conventional round cases. The 600T, with its angular, blocky design, stands out, but it’s for this reason that I reckon it’s so appealing, and why it’s the Doxa I’d want to add to my collection next.
Terrifically trapezoidal
Let’s talk about the SUB 600T’s case first, as I think it’s the watch’s biggest selling point. First introduced in 1982, the SUB 600T is definitely a child of its era. The ’80s in watchmaking was all about combining stark, angular forms with organic, rounded shapes – a byproduct of the ’80s’ obsession with emerging computer technologies. Think Gérald Genta’s Octo or Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Seiko designs. The SUB 600T is a particularly bold example of this aesthetic, with its chunky and slightly eccentric case.
When Doxa revived the SUB 600T for the 21st century, they added to that ’80s vibe by swapping out the more conventional boxy indices of the original for dots and pyramid-shaped indices, which gives the SUB 600T a bit of a Pac-Man vibe – especially when you throw in those vibrantly coloured dials. The crown at 4 o’clock and offset dial text adds a jaunty feel.
By the way, here’s a bit of a Doxa primer for you: Doxa gave watches with orange dials (like this one) the ‘Professional’ suffix, with other colours called out using other suffixes like ‘Sharkhunter’ for black dials and ‘Divingstar’ for yellow dials. This is all to say that the SUB 600T Professional has a particularly unique aesthetic, both within Doxa’s range as well as in general, and it’s one that I’m a big fan of. It makes the watch feel exceptionally purposeful, like it’s a proper tool – which it is, thanks to its 600m water-resistance rating.
Surprisingly wearable
Despite its chunky construction, the Doxa SUB 600T Professional is surprisingly wearable. On paper, the SUB 600T is thicker than the 300T (14.5mm thick versus 13.4mm thick), but it actually feels thinner than the latter – perhaps because the SUB 300T features a boxed crystal. Similarly, the SUB 600T is about 1mm longer lug-to-lug but doesn’t feel quite as large thanks to its smaller case diameter and less pronounced lugs. It’s by no means a small watch, but it’s more compact than you might think. Some other members of the T+T team also reckon that the SUB 600T is quite top-heavy. Personally, I’m used to wearing a Tudor Black Bay Pro, so I found the Doxa SUB 600T pretty manageable, but I recognise that others may feel differently… But at the end of the day, this is a tool watch, not a dress watch.
Something that really surprised me about the SUB 600T is just how comfortable its bracelet is. A simple three-row affair with lightly brushed surfaces, it’s rather slinky, surprisingly shiny and matches perfectly with the angular design of the SUB 600T’s case. I dare say it’s even nicer than the ‘beads of rice’ bracelets available on other Doxa models.
I do have a gripe with the bracelet, though: the clasp. It’s totally functional, and helps the watch sit far flatter on one’s wrist than if you were to wear the SUB 600T on its rubber strap, which adds almost 10mm of thickness when done up, but it’s extremely stiff to open and close. Those with brittle nails, beware. The buckle itself is also only made out of pressed steel, which feels a little cheap, and it also lacks on-the-go micro-adjustment, which I think is a missed opportunity.
However, my biggest complaint with the SUB 600T is its movement. It’s powered by a Sellita SW200, which is an utterly inoffensive workhorse that no doubt helps keep the price down (and I reckon it’s priced very competitively, especially for a 600m water-resistance watch), but its 38-hour power reserve is a letdown. But the buck’s gotta stop somewhere, I suppose.
On a more positive note, the bezel action on the SUB 600T has to be the nicest I’ve ever felt. While the bezel itself is quite thin at only around 3mm, it’s easy to get your fingers around it thanks to the clever design of the knurling and unbelievably satisfying to adjust, with a satisfyingly loud click and very little play. You can get the SUB 600T Professional with either a stainless steel or black ceramic bezel, but I reckon the latter looks better and is what the real Doxa aficionados will go for – having a scratched-up steel bezel is a point of pride for Doxa owners.
Just the right amount of attention-grabbing
Indeed, the Doxa SUB600T Professional is the kind of watch that probably looks better a bit beaten-up – but I know if I owned one, I’d be so reluctant to let it get too damaged because I think it’s a really pretty thing. I didn’t expect this robust dive watch to be such an effortless daily wearer, despite its eye-catching orange dial and boxy case. I mean, that’s part of what makes it such a great daily wearer – it looks so different to the vast majority of watches on people’s wrists. The Professional’s orange dial really does make a difference here, as it suits its tool watch character and helps it work as a bit of a statement piece without being too in-your-face.
That’s what makes the Doxa SUB 600T Professional particularly compelling, especially when compared to other dive watches with similarly above-average water-resistance ratings. It’s not small, but it’s definitely smaller and wears so when compared to most of its competition. It’s capable, but not completely artless. Yes, it would be a shame to completely coddle a ‘super diver’ like this and never let it see a bit of damage. Watches are meant to be worn, and a dive watch like this should really be taken into the water. But I’ll leave that choice up to you.
Doxa SUB 600T Professional pricing and availability
The Doxa SUB 600T Professional is available now from the Time+Tide Shop. Price: A$2,145 (steel bezel, rubber strap), A$2,195 (steel bezel, steel bracelet), A$2,245 (ceramic bezel, rubber strap), A$2,395 (ceramic bezel, steel bracelet).
| Brand | Doxa |
| Model | SUB 600T Professional |
| Reference Number | 862.10.351.10 (steel bezel, steel bracelet) |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm (D) x 14.5mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 600 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Dial | Orange, applied C3 Super-LumiNova |
| Strap | Steel bracelet with folding clasp |
| Movement | Sellita SW200, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, unidirectional diving bezel |
| Availability | Available now for enquiries |
| Price | A$2,195 (as tested) |