So far Doxa has released two special edition watches in memory of famed adventure fiction writer Clive Cussler, the author behind the beloved character Dirk Pitt. Now, on what would be the occasion of Cussler’s 94th birthday, they’ve released a third one. However, where the two previous editions were both part of the SUB 300T collection, this new one departs that trend to bring us the revival of a currently defunct SUB subcollection. Meet the SUB 750T Clive Cussler Edition.
The 750T if you’re unfamiliar is Doxa’s largest diameter watch, sitting at a monstrous 45mm. Though while it was broad (and still is with the Clive Cussler edition also sitting at 45mm) it was never particularly thick in comparison to other watches in Doxa’s stables around the time it was launched in the early 2000s. It measured 14mm, meaning it was actually slimmer than the original revival SUB 300T which was 17mm. Even today’s version of the 300T is 13.65mm, only just undercutting the 750T. Which is even more significant because Doxa have used the opportunity of this Clive Cussler edition to shave off even more thickness from the 750T bringing it down to just 11.95mm – their slimmest 45mm watch ever produced.
As is SUB convention, the name 750T refers to the model’s water resistance rating, which is 750m making it a fully fledged saturation diver. Though there is one oddity when it comes to the watch’s name. The original model was known as the SUB750T, one of the only watches in Doxa’s history not to have a space between the model and the water resistance. That has been rectified with the Clive Cussler edition which is officially the SUB 750T.
Focussing a little more on the watch’s utility underwater, it features a unidirectional bezel with a very niche type of scale on it that I’ve only seen once before during my 5 years at Oracle Time. Ironically, that one watch was released only 2 months ago and it’s the Serica 5303 PLD. The scale in question is known as the DT Max scale and it shows how long you can spend underwater at certain depths and resurface without needing any decompression stops – useful for professional occupations below the waves such as wreck salvage or bomb disarmament. The reason the scales on the Serica and Doxa look quite different is that the Doxa gives the depth in feet while the Serica is in metres, so while the numbers vary quite significantly, they are providing the same information.
For the dial, Doxa have departed from the compass rose design of the previous special editions in favour of the classic Doxa orange with the logo of the National Underwater Mariner Agency (NUMA) between 7 and 8 o’clock. NUMA is an organisation founded by Clive Cussler as part of his underwater exploration exploits, where he searched shipwrecks for lost treasures and artefacts – he discovered or surveyed 80 relics with NUMA. However, the compass rose isn’t completely gone, it’s now hidden as the engraving on the caseback.
There are other hidden details to be found on the dial as well, making it something of a treasure hunt in its own right. The date wheel features some coloured numerals in Doxa orange, 31, 7 and 15, like a mysterious code. Put them in the right order though, 15/7/31 and you have Clive Cussler’s birthday, the 15th of July 1931. He would have been 94 this year and as such the watch is a limited edition of 94 pieces.
Powering the watch is the Sellita SW300 automatic calibre with 56-hour power reserve. Doxa are one of the few brands who don’t regularly publicise which movements they are using so I’m thankful they have here. It’s a step in the right direction for clarity and customer confidence to be able to know instantly, without having to do some digging of your own, what calibre is inside your watch.
It’s watches like this that make me fall in love with Doxa. It’s filled with the spark of adventure with its wide, legible dial in intense orange with Super-LumiNova accents. The work of Clive Cussler is admittedly before my time, I was only 7 when Matthew McConaughey played Dirk Pitt in Sahara (2005), but despite that I appreciate the Romance of adventure fiction. At a price of £2,690 it’s very tempting, even at a size of 45mm.
Price and Specs:
More details at DOXA.
