The Definitive Retro Automatic Dive Watch Gets a Full Titanium Upgrade

Another winner for the Clive Cussler series.

Close-up of a stainless steel watch case with a knurled crown engraved with "DOXA" and an orange-accented bezel.

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By Brad Lanphear

Published 1 hour ago

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What’s a SUBA diver’s favorite type of watch dial? A sand-wich dial!

My unabashed dad joke (I have two kids, so I’m allowed) is backed by the fact that sandwich dials have been used in dive watches for decades, enhancing legibility through contrasting depth. That’s why Doxa devised a new “superimposed titanium” sandwich dial for its latest Clive Cussler model.

Close-up of a DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 dive watch with a silver bezel, orange minute hand, and black textured rubber strap on a carbon fiber surface. — The SUB 300 Ti5 is the fourth entry in Doxa’s Clive Cussler series.

Doxa debuted the first Clive Cussler model in 2023, paying homage to the prolific author who helped establish the Doxa mythos through his Indiana Jones-esque protagonist, Dirk Pitt. An avid diver, Cussler also founded the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) to help preserve historical shipwrecks.

While the first two signature models leaned too heavily on the literary angle with faux-aged compass dials, the third entry is arguably the coolest SUB 300 released since the line was revived in 2020. It has a vintage-faithful design with the NUMA logo stamped on the signature orange dial.

Silver DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 automatic wristwatch with gray dial, orange minute hand, and black perforated strap on a wrist. — The SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler has a 42mm elliptical titanium case.

The newest Clive Cussler model is a worthy follow-up, sticking even closer to the standard SUB 300 blueprint. It improves upon the icon with Grade 5 titanium for the case, proprietary decompression bezel, crown and caseback.

The elliptical cushion case is the same size, measuring 42mm wide, 13.4mm tall and 45mm lug-to-lug, and features the same radial brushed top and polished sides. However, a relief Doxa word mark replaces the etched-and-lacquered fish logo on the crown, and the helium escape valve is gone.

Below deck

From a technical standpoint, this is the first instance of Doxa using the Clive Cussler series to debut a new feature. It utilizes the brand’s first “dual-plane” titanium dial plate, which is a fancy way of saying sandwich dial.

Close-up of a DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 dive watch with orange and black hands and a date window showing the 15th. — The SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler features a titanium sandwich dial.

Two titanium plates are superimposed, with laser-cut apertures in the top plate forming Doxa’s customary baton hour markers. The center of each 3D index is filled with Super-LumiNova, and a framed date window sits at 3:00.

The matte titanium dial resembles a darker variation of the brand’s radiant steel Searambler motif. It has the same black printed minute track, date window frame, crosshair and logos, along with the same orange minute hand distinguished from the black hour hand and seconds hand.

A worthy tribute

The SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler is powered by the same Sellita Caliber COSC-certified SW200-1 automatic movement found throughout the Doxa catalog. It’s the top-grade “Chronometer” version (it comes in four grades) of a dependable Swiss workhorse that beats at 4Hz and offers a 38-hour power reserve.

Due to the full titanium case build, it comes on a quick-release black rubber tropical strap with a titanium pin buckle. I appreciate the vintage aesthetic of this choice over the brand’s standard rubber strap, and Doxa doesn’t offer a titanium beads-of-rice bracelet.

Silver DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 automatic dive watch with black rubber strap underwater on a wrist. — The SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler comes on a black tropical rubber dive strap.

When I covered the previous Clive Cussler model, I called it the signature model that the late author, who passed away in 2020, would most likely wear. Given that he was an experienced SCUBA diver, I think this is the one he would choose to dive in.

The titanium build makes it lighter than a standard SUB 300, and the sandwich dial provides excellent submerged visibility.

Availability and pricing

Doxa’s Clive Cussler series is more than an ode to a niche author who was a noted fan. Part of the proceeds from the watch’s sale are donated to Cussler’s NUMA foundation, supporting a mission that both parties believe in.

The Doxa SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler is available now from Doxa for $3,390. It is a limited edition of 300, with each watch numbered on the caseback beside the etched NUMA logo.

Silver Doxa SUB 300 Ti5 automatic watch with gray dial, orange and black hands, black textured rubber strap.

Doxa SUB 200 Ti5 Clive Cussler

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Sellita Caliber SW200-1 automatic
Water Resistance	300m

$3,390 at Doxa

About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.

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