Reply With QuoteNot too bored? Would love to see some other Doxas so feel free to post yours.
Nothing too exciting but thought I'd share the story of my Doxa 300T, show the others and hopefully see pictures of what we have elsewhere on the forum.
Last year I was scouring Ebay and noticed a listing for a "Mens Diver - old". The one picture of the watch head was poor but I could clearly make out the Doxa shape and the US logo, and the description confirmed it was a Doxa Sharkhunter that had belonged to "my late father". Now like many I'm really sceptical of anything that says it is an unwanted gift or that it belonged to a deceased family member, but the bidding started off low and the other items the seller had for sale seemed to suggest a clearout of "old" bits (vintage car, walking sticks and other odds and sods). Anyway I fired a mail off to the seller in the States asking for some better pictures.
I woke up the next morning to see the listing had ended and suspected someone had got in with an offer. The seller later replied to say they were having second thoughts about what should and should not be sold from her fathers belongings and had subsequently removed the watch from sale. Yeah right, whatever. They did say they would contact me if they decided to sell and I thought that would be the end of that. Fast forward a few months and I get another message asking if I was still interested in purchasing the Doxa and would I like to make an offer. I'd checked the sellers Ebay history and the car had been sold with lots of "warm" feedback about how lovely the lady was so put forward a bid which was accepted.
I did ask if the watch had been serviced. I didn't get a reply other than the watch would be posted after the weekend and they had found the box and bracelet that would be included. Eh? Box and bracelet? Could be interesting. A week or so passed, bit of customs faffing and the watch was with me.
I was gobsmacked. The watch came with the original beads of rice bracelet and endlinks although the expanding link springs were goosed, and the original box. James (dreamboat10) quickly sorted out the crystal for me and replaced the gaskets which had turned to mush (a real sign the back had not been opened for a long, long time if at all) but the movement was very clean.
Now here's where it gets really interesting. The seller had included a personal letter thanking me for the purchase and goes in to detail about her father, how he met her mother, his time in the US Navy as a diver and once he'd left, his employment as a commercial diver to which the watch was a part of. The conclusion is the watch was purchased in around 1968 and can be seen worn in photographs of father and daughter on the 4th July 1973. Obviously there's more content but I was left speechless.
I've since had help from the forum to bring the watch back to somewhere near its former glories and have to thank Mike (demer03) for supplying the springs that allowed me to fix the beads of rice bracelet, Paul (gingerboy) for the case work, Karl (senraw) for his skills painting the bezel, and James (dreamboat10) for the crystal and gasket change. Here it is now with a few of its stablemates (poor phone pics I'm afraid).
Last edited by RLE; 2nd May 2015 at 17:43.
Not too bored? Would love to see some other Doxas so feel free to post yours.
Mine here. Also dad's watch which was sold after he passed away.
Before:
After:
If you ever get bored and i know you do, you know where i am ;)
Hope your well chap,
Best,
James.
Here's mine, and a little of its backstory. I acquired the watch in a trade. I had listed a Tutima NATO chrono for sale (lovely watch, but I just never bonded) and was contacted by a gentleman who offered this Sharkhunter for a straight swap. I didn't know much about Doxa history but I figured the dollar to dollar value on the two watches was roughly equal and I'd always fancied a vintage Doxa so I jumped on his offer.
After I got the watch, I discovered that I'd stumbled onto a polka dotted unicorn of a watch. I learned that it was a fairly rare misprinted dial (since confirmed as legitimate by Dr. Pete Millar). Sharkhunters are supposed to be black dials (as you obviously know). Mine was silver. That should have been printed as a Searambler. Apparently a few of these escaped the factory in 1967 (pre Synchron era). I have only seen one other in existence currently, and it was recently being shopped around for about $1000 more than what I have tied up in mine.
As you might suspect, this is a keeper and is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Thanks for sharing the story of your Doxa, it puts the human angle on this silly hobby.
n2
Nice story and watch! I've had a couple of good eBay deals like this (if only I could find my old 6105 8119 I sold a year or two ago...)
Not a boring post at all....the watch is looking really good.
I have a 750T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler LE
my only 300T
Here's mine. Bought here on the forum from a well respected member :).
It's one of my favorites at the moment. Now looking for a Professional or Searambler, so if anyone wants to part of his feel free to send me a PM.
And with my other Doxa's
Wow, and if that is not wow enough, wow again. Great watch with a great story.
Mine belonged to François Dorado who was a diver and photographer on the Calypso. He got the Doxa from Captain Cousteau.
It still feels very special when I wear it!
Not surprised Mark. Truly special example you have there given the interesting heritage.Originally Posted by MarkB
Lovely Doxas but note the absence of a Divingstar.
Takesalickin: seen your silver dial on a few Friday threads but never noticed the Sharkhunter text. Very interesting and thanks for posting.
Dreamboat10: never say never and as you rightly allude you know what I'm like.
I would think it would! Very nice!
All these Sharkhunters are starting to make me think someday I need to add a black dialed Shark to the one I have now.
Cracking story and cracking find, always good to see another one given a bit of TLC and brought back to life, need to stop reading or I'll start hunting them down again !
Cheers
Simon
Ralph Waldo Emerson: We ask for long life, but 'tis deep life, or noble moments that signify. Let the measure of time be spiritual, not mechanical.
Quite interested in Doxa as a brand . Seem to have an interesting history and who can resist a watch called a Sharkhunter.
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