The new Doxa Splash Gent (ref. 700.10R.061.20) quartz diving (or, being more honest, diving-styled) wristwatch will not surprise you with a highly-complicated movement or an extreme water resistance rating. However, in these tough times, this new timekeeper may well become a nice choice for a person who simply wants to get a cool, masculine-looking timekeeper that increases one’s personal mojo by a magnitude of seven.
Traditionally for Doxa timekeepers, the new diver features a huge, sturdy-looking stainless steel case around 47 millimeters in diameter.
Although this one is clearly not suitable for professional diving (in fact, given its pretty uninspiring water resistance rating of just 100 meters, I would use extreme caution wearing it even for snorkeling,) the Splash covers its setting crown with a huge crown guard that serves little practical purpose, but certainly makes the watch cool.
The rotating bezel, too, seems to be here for purely decorative purposes, although you can also use it as a minute track.
Equipped with a quartz chronograph movement (it appears to be the same Ronda cal. 5030.D that also animates the 2008 CX Swiss Military Watch Argonaut 1000 TQ diver,) the watch offers a standard tri-compax layout with a 30-minute counter placed at 9 o’clock and a 12-hour totalizer occupying a position at 6 hours. A small seconds indicator, which is similar in look to the minute counter, stays at 3 hours.
Although the approach makes the timekeeper’s dial look more balanced and, well, stylish, there is something about it that I don’t really like.
I mean, it would be more appropriate to clearly separate the chronograph counters from the seconds display. It could make the watch look less symmetrical, but would definitely increase its legibility. Well, that’s not really a problem, just a minor source of irritation for yours truly.
Of course, all hour markers and the hours and minutes hands come painted with bright luminous substance.
It is nice to note that the dial is protected from the elements not with some cheap mineral glass, but with a scratch-proof synthetic crystal that, regrettably, comes without any anti-reflective treatment.
A verdict? Well, the watch certainly looks cool and, if you are not into professional (or, again, any sort of) diving, could be a nice purchase if you only plan to wear it for swimming or just want to look cool and mean during a beach party. Considering the current state of the world economy, this one may well be a bestseller if Doxa manages to keep the price low.
See also: Deep Blue Sea Chrono 1K (1000M) Diver
Photos: Doxa
Doxa Splash Gent 700.10R.061.20 specification
Price: €400 (MSRP)
Movement: Quartz, Swiss Made
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph, date, tachymeter
Power reserve: A couple of years
Case material: Stainless steel
Shape: Round
Size: 47.00 mm
Dial: Black, with vertical Geneva stripes
Numerals: Arabic
Hour markers: White, luminous
Hands: Open-worked, luminous
Water resistance: 100 meters
Strap: Orange rubber strap (18/27 mm) with stainless steel buckle
Crystal: Sapphire
Case back: Solid