DOXA SUB 11891-4 Army

One of the lesser known versions of the DOXA sports watches from the 1970’s would be the DOXA SUB Army reference 11891-4.

Very few spotted and even less documentation to be found.

Some claim it to be a Swiss military watch… What is real and what is not, I do not know but here is my take on this “mythical rare bird”…

So, what is the DOXA Army? The DOXA Army is a watch similar to their more famous SUB 300T, but with some differences…

One of them being very shy from the broader watch community! While searching the Internet, you will find only a handful of watches and even less documents!

Here is one of the documents on Instagram, credit @rockathier

As can be seen, the case and bezel shape is same as for the SUB 300T, but other than that…

Black case (upper part) including crown, 60 minutes count down bezel similar to the Omega SM300 166.024, T.W.O tone dial with large luminous index and very different shaped hands.

DOXA Army catalogue scan – credit @rockathier

In the 1970’s several brands started to make “black” cases. Some more successful than others…

Very few DOXA Army still have their black cases, most of them, like on mine, the coating have worn off.

You can still see some residue in the “saw” edge of the bezel and on the back of the case.

The two tone dial with the special “army” logo. Different from other vintage SUB’s is that the “army” logo is also engraved on the case back.

Even if the case was coated, case back was not.

So far I have been able to zoom in as far as to identify that the case reference 11891-4 looks to be identical to the 11899-4, except the black coating.

Another detail is that all DOXA Army I have seen so far have case numbers in the span 66758nn – 66759nn which indicates that not many very made.

Based on the highest and lowest number, my guess would be a maximum 100 pieces. Spotted on the Internet and social media, maybe 10 so far…

Some claim that the DOXA Army would be a Swiss military issued watch.

DOXA did deliver the SUB 300T to the SWISS Army in the 1970’s, but I am not really convinced that the DOXA Army is one of those watches…

Why?

A) If an army unit would order a watch, why print “Army” on the dial and back? Why not stating for example “Swiss Army” or “Army” and the Swiss cross?
B) Pictures found so far of the Swiss Army issued DOXA, show the SUB 300T Professional with the orange dial.
C) No military markings on the case back. Swiss Army marked their watches with the Swiss cross and “EMD” (Federal Military Department).
D) This photo shows more of the catalogue page from the DOXA Army scan above. This scan show the DOXA Army featured in the normal DOXA catalogue which indicates that it was offered to the general public and not made as a specific military watch.

Again, catalogue scan – credit @rockathier

My take would be – that DOXA made this model either as a prototype, trying to win an Army contract…

Or it was a try to follow the fashion trends of the 1970’s…

Similar watches was made by several brands during this period in time. Below are a couple of examples: the Omega 166.0068 and the Girard-Perregaux 4057

Regardless if the military connection is true or not, the DOXA Army is a really cool watch!

Originally delivered with an “Army” pouch like this one: credit @wristyourtime

For me, the DOXA Army turned out to be another example of rule #3 Patience is a virtue.

Last year in March I was contacted by a dear friend wondering if I would be interested in a DOXA that would come up for sale…

Friend: Are you interested in a DOXA? Me: Yes, which one?
Friend: The Army. Me: Hm (YES!)…
Friend: It’s rare. Me: Maybe (YES!)…
Friend: It will be fully serviced. Me: Depends (YES!)…
Friend: Should I get it for you? Me: OK (YES!)

We made a deal and… Spring became summer… Summer became autumn… In November last year I finally got delivery of the watch!

But the wait was well worth it – the DOXA Army is so different from all the other DOXA SUB’s! Thank you, my friend!

DOXA SUB 11891-4 Army – very different, very cool

As I am not a big fan of “black” cased watches (with a few exceptions, most of them being Girard-Perregaux models), I am not very upset with the black coating gone…

The case have a different polish compared to other DOXA SUB’s, more like a sandblasted surface which gives the case a darker hue. Guessing the normally polished surface is not a good base for coating the case.