DOXA has returned to the world of novelist, explorer and shipwreck hunter Clive Cussler with its lightest tribute yet. Released on July 15—the day Cussler would have turned 95—the SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler is limited to 300 pieces and recasts the original 1967 SUB 300 in Grade 5 titanium.

DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler. Image: WatchRider.

A titanium dial with hidden history

The most unusual detail is not the metal case but the dial. DOXA constructs it from two superimposed Grade 5 titanium plates. The upper plate is laser-cut, creating a layered relief, while the sandblasted finish gives the grey surface an appropriately industrial character. Black lacquered hands preserve contrast and the oversized orange minute hand supplies the familiar DOXA signal colour.

The dual-plane titanium dial and two-scale bezel. Image: DOXA.

The date disc and the numerals 15, 7 and 31 appear in orange, spelling out Cussler’s birth date: July 15, 1931. The unidirectional bezel is equally busy for a reason. Its polished outer scale shows DOXA’s no-decompression depths in orange, while the brushed inner track carries a conventional 60-minute scale in black.

DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler. Image: DOXA.

Familiar SUB 300 proportions, less weight

The cushion-shaped case measures 42.5 mm across, 45 mm lug-to-lug and 13.4 mm thick. Grade 5 titanium is used for the case, bezel, screw-down crown and screw-down caseback, while an anti-reflective glass-box sapphire crystal preserves the domed profile of the vintage original. Water resistance is 300 metres, and the watch comes on DOXA’s textured black Dive Flex rubber strap with a Grade 5 titanium pin buckle and 20 mm lug spacing.

The glass-box crystal and 13.4 mm titanium case in profile. Image: DOXA.
The 42.5 mm case on the Dive Flex rubber strap. Image: DOXA.

Inside is a COSC-certified Swiss automatic from the Sellita SW200 family, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 38-hour power reserve. DOXA decorates the movement, although the solid back keeps it out of sight. The engraving instead features the National Underwater and Marine Agency emblem, the 300-metre rating and each watch’s individual number.

NUMA caseback of the DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler
The caseback carries the NUMA emblem and individual edition number. Image: DOXA.

The Cussler connection

Cussler’s fictional adventurer Dirk Pitt regularly wore a DOXA SUB, while Cussler himself founded NUMA to locate and help preserve historic shipwrecks. DOXA says part of the proceeds from this edition will support the organisation, extending a partnership that turns the tribute into more than a name on the dial.

The presentation box leans into that history. Styled like an open archival display, it pairs the watch with a signed message from Cussler’s son Dirk and a note from DOXA CEO Jan Edöcs.

The special Clive Cussler presentation box. Image: DOXA.

DOXA prices the SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler at €3,190 in Europe and $3,390 in the United States. It is available through DOXA’s website and authorised retailers. Between its genuinely new titanium construction, clever birthday Easter egg and tightly limited run, this is one literary tribute that does not need a plot twist to feel adventurous.

Conclusion

I can confidently recommend the DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler. I have always liked DOXA’s distinctive orange accents, especially the oversized orange minute hand that makes its watches immediately recognisable. I also have a DOXA Shark 300 Ceramica Automatic D127SBO, so this design language already has a personal place in my collection. The lightweight Grade 5 titanium construction, unusual layered dial and subtle Clive Cussler references make this limited edition particularly appealing. It remains a serious, capable dive watch, but it also has enough personality and history to feel special every time it is worn. Down below, a shot of my Doxa, from the Instagram account.