Six months in, is the Doxa SUB 600T Pacific still right for me?

Ricardo Sime

Ask enough watch collectors and you’re bound to find someone who has celebrated a milestone by buying a watch. Give us any excuse to purchase a watch and we will happily take advantage. The neighbour’s dog had a baby? New watch. Your son had his first kiss? New watch. And though the process does have its funny moments, I’ll be the first to admit that some life events absolutely warrant a dash to your local AD. In my case that was becoming a contributing writer for a publication that lives and breathes watches. And the watch I chose to celebrate was the Doxa SUB 600T Pacific.

But now that I’ve had the watch for six months, is it still the right watch for me?

To answer that question, I have to go back to the beginning. It started this past January, after an an amazing winter that saw me writing consistently for Time+Tide. I suddenly felt the need to mark this moment in my life. No matter what the future would hold with me and T+T, I would want something tangible to remember this time. And what better way to do that than with a watch? And there was no better candidate than the Doxa SUB 600T Pacific.

It would mark my first Doxa. The colour combination was lively and fun. Something my collection severely lacked at the time. And though it was a bit chunky, the use of titanium cancelled any issues I may have had with weight on the wrist.

When it finally came in, it immediately took its place as my go-to diver and travel watch. From Colorado winters to Watches and Wonders photo shoots, the Doxa Pacific felt right at home. There was also the added benefit of it being the most neutral option, no matter the brand I was meeting with. It was my version of a home jersey, something that even the most patronising of brand reps could understand me wearing.

What has also won me over is just how comfortable the watch is. I’ve never owned a titanium diver before this and it took a few days before my brain came to grips with the lack of weight. But once there, I may never go back to the heft of stainless steel. I also love the effortlessness of the no-date mechanism. Simply wind, set and go. And finally, the fitted rubber strap gives me more affordable Aquanaut vibes and I soon realised just how much I love that look.

There are, of course, a few things I’ve noticed that I wish were different. The rubber strap, though extremely comfortable, would have been a supreme fit if the adjustment holes were not as far apart. I am also quite envious of the stainless steel bracelet on the SUB 600T SS. If anyone from Doxa is reading this, an identical titanium bracelet would be the icing on this already delicious cake.

Yet even with this wish list, I can’t see myself giving this watch up. It reminds me of a recent article I wrote, where I challenged the idea of sentimental value when it comes to watches. I honestly believe that sentimental value often gets in the way of evolving as a collector. We end up holding on to pieces that we no longer wear because our likes have changed. I am mentioning all this now to say that some watches are absolutely deserving of the untouchable-ness of sentimental value. And my Doxa SUB 600T Pacific has become one of them as it continues to be the right watch for me.