When Doxa dropped a new Sub 250t GMT a month ago, it was filled with almost universal admiration. Nine different dial options have debuted, including the most famous Doxa colorway. We had the opportunity to see them all in Geneva and spend time with them at Fratero headquarters. Today we will check out these works and deal with the hands of GMT.
When colleague Thomas reported on the first release of the Sub 250T GMT, he said that Doxa has not offered Sub GMT since 2006! Given the popularity of this complication, that’s surprising. Now I know that Doxa fixed this, but is this a watch that everyone was waiting for? In most respects, the answer is yes. Especially considering the price. Let’s investigate.
DOXA Sub 250T GMT
Before we get into the practical section, let’s summarize the basic specifications of the Sub 250T GMT. Many of us really include a lot of you, but we thought this watch was a sub 200T with extra hands, but that’s wrong. The 200T is a 39mm x 41.5mm watch with a thickness of 10.7mm. The new 250T is slightly larger, 40mm x 42.9mm and 10.85mm thick. Certainly, I struggled to communicate the difference in my wrists – that’s a good thing!
When it comes to options, it’s best to remember that this is a doxa and there are many colors available. Orange experts, black shark hunters, omble black vintage shark hunters, silver shea wranglers, dark blue Caribbean, yellow diving stars, turquoise aquamarine, white white pairs, green sea emeralds are all available in FKM rubber rubber straps or stainless steel beaded Breckel beds. Unlike the 200T, GMT is not available in sunrays and matte versions of each color.
Specifications suitable for Doxa
As a DOXA, there are minimal basic expectations for newer watches like the Sub 250T GMT. It requires substantial water resistance and the watch is rated at 250 meters. A screw-in crown and a solid stainless steel screw-in caseback support this.
The brand’s traditional non-suppressing dive bezel, with a secondary 60 minute scale, includes bright dots to aid in diving timing. Super Luminova can also be seen in hands and indicators. Regarding the exercise, Doxa says the auto is “Switzerland” with a 28,800Vph and a 50-hour power reserve. The 24-hour hand is adjustable and makes this a caller-style GMT.
I’m looking directly at Sub 250t GMT
When we stepped into our appointment with Doxa in Geneva, we were greeted with a massive case of watches. All the sub 250T GMT variants on the straps and bracelet were there. In all the colors, it felt like a bowl of skittles! Once the visual overload subsided, I dug up the shards, started to process them, and put some on my wrist.
Handling Doxa directly is easier than before, but if you’ve never experienced it, I’ll try my best to explain it. C-case watches are not very popular, but Doxa sub-backs this trend. Picking up one for the first time offers a different feeling compared to a typical diving watch. The DOXA, like the Sub 250T GMT, feels solid but light. The lug is shorter than usual and the bezel looks overly complicated, but it’s accurate. It feels like a tool or instrument that matches the original intent.
Perfect dimensions for most wrists
With such a short 42.9mm lug-to-lag measurement, the Sub 250T can work with a variety of wrist sizes. Due to the shape of the case, it looks wide. This helps you feel even at bigger wrists at home. Another important dimension is 10.85mm thick. Although not invisibly thin, divers are pleased to slide comfortably under the sleeves of most shirts. Doxa builds this watch for everyday use, and the footprint is proof of pudding.
Bracelet or strap?
Choosing beads for the colorful 18mm FKM rubber strap and rice bracelet can be difficult. Both are comfortable, but each has its disadvantages. The FKM is incredibly comfortable and flexible, but requires trimming to fit your wrist. Another negative is the large, bulky clasp. On the positive side, the clasp has a built-in micro-load just. The bracelet gives off a retro diver vibe and is comfortable enough, but I would like to taperely thinly towards what is held. Overall, it’s hard to get the wrong choice, but you’ll choose a bracelet for another 40 euros. What’s more, these watches have a reputation for being “strap monsters,” so try out all sorts of options.
Controversial GMT Hand
To create a GMT feature, Doxa chose to add a fourth hand to the watch. The 24-hour hand is attached to the center and refers to a 24-hour rehearsal scale in two colors. This hand is a skeletonized copy of the fine hands of all but one color variant (in a moment). The 24-hour GMT hand is easy to read, but it’s more visible on some dials. My idea is that Doxa wanted to provide functionality but chose to prioritize the original diving hand. Furthermore, this design reminds us of the last DOXA GMT, the 2006 750T. Because my experience with GMT hands is that I don’t think I can read as quickly as I would normally spend time. why? My brain is not trained to read the 24-hour dial, so checking times in another zone always requires more checks. Long story short – Hollow, slightly invisible GMT hand is fine.
Callers and Travelers
Every time I write an article about GMT Watch, the top comments are related to the discussion of sender and traveler movements. Look, I get a use case for the Traveler GMT movement, but I use both while on my trip. I can’t imagine an instance where one felt an advantage over the others while taxing my gates. Plus, I’m paradoxical and I actually like to use my main time hand to display the time of my house. That’s something I always did in 1675, then used the bezel to fit local time to the hands of the arrows. In fact, my number one suggestion for the Sub 250T GMT is to provide an externally rotated 24-hour bezel.
Exception part – Vintage Shark Hunter
For fun, Doxa decides to get lost in the traditional, newly added colours in vintage shark hunters. Instead of using matte or sunray finishes, this dial has a black, gray and brown ombré effect. Bright material expands vintage effects with old radium colour shades on hands, indicators and bezel pips. Another major change that looks more traditional is the bright arrow hands with red tips, not the skeletonized design. It looks great, and yes, it makes me wonder if it should be used in all color variations. Ultimately, I like the difference and keep it special for the vintage Sharksunter. Hollow hands in other colors look more modern and work better with the design. At least that’s my opinion!
Which is the best color or color?
Of the nine different dial colors available on the Sub 250t GMT, which one do you like the best? They are all great and certainly I’m still used to some of the recent additions, such as green and aqua. It’s hard to beat the original expert, Searambler, or Sharkhunter. But if I had to choose, it lies between the White Rules and the Vintage Shark Hunter. The white dial is crisp and I like the simple black and white look. But the smoky vintage shark hunter is unique and appeals to my vintage side. Anyway, I think I’m happy with both.
Final Thoughts
The Sub 250T GMT is perfect for your DOXA catalog. Competitive prices are also available, taking into account the brand’s reputation for making high-quality watches for 2,550 euros with elastic straps or 2,590 euros with bracelets. Is GMT complications worth 1,000 euros more than a similar size of 200T? For many, 24-hour hands are useful during work or travel, so the answer is yes. The fact that Doxa has added complications to its iconic sub-platforms while maintaining an iconic and easy-to-read look is also impressive. To make nine versions available to please everyone is icing on the cake.
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