The Watch Dirk Pitt Would Wear: DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler
If you've ever read a Dirk Pitt novel, you already know this watch — or at least its ancestor. Through more than 50 books published in over 40 languages, Clive Cussler's indestructible hero raised sunken ships, foiled villains, and checked the time on one thing: a DOXA SUB. Now, on what would have been Cussler's 95th birthday, DOXA has unveiled a tribute worthy of the man — the SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler, a numbered limited edition of just 300 pieces worldwide.
Here's the part that matters most: for the first time ever, DOXA's annual Clive Cussler edition is available through authorized retailers — and King Jewelers will receive a very limited allocation. Once our pieces are spoken for, there are no more. Contact us today to reserve yours.
A Friendship Written Into Fiction
Few relationships between a watch brand and a writer run this deep. Cussler didn't just wear a DOXA watch— he wrote it into the DNA of his most famous character, introducing the SUB to millions of readers around the world. And it wasn't product placement; it was affection. Cussler, a genuine maritime explorer, founded the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) in 1979 to hunt for historically significant shipwrecks. His team explored more than sixty lost vessels, most recently discovering the Carpathia — the ship that rescued the survivors of the Titanic.
Since Cussler's passing in 2020, his family has stayed close to the brand. His son, the author Dirk Cussler, puts it plainly: "The connection between DOXA and my father was never simply a commercial partnership — it was a shared adventure... This titanium SUB 300 captures something of who he truly was."
Why the SUB 300, and Why Titanium
DOXA could have picked any model for this tribute. Choosing the SUB 300 was deliberate — it's where it all began. Introduced in 1967, it was the first dive watch designed for the general public that still met the demands of professional divers, complete with DOXA's patented unidirectional bezel correlating depth and dive time against US Navy no-decompression limits.
The material is just as pointed. This edition marks the return of Grade 5 titanium to the DOXA collection — lighter, stronger, and more corrosion-resistant than steel. Case, crown, caseback, and even the dial are all Ti5, making this one of the lightest, most resilient watches DOXA has ever built.
The Dial: What Matters Most Lies Beneath
The headline innovation is an all-new dual-plane dial architecture — a first for DOXA. Two superimposed Grade 5 titanium dials sit fractionally apart. The lower dial carries the Super-LumiNova® hour markers and minute track; the upper dial is laser-cut with apertures matching the exact geometry of the markers beneath, revealing the luminous elements below.
The result is a subtle, shifting play of depth and shadow — visible in daylight and in the murk — that adds remarkable dimension without ever compromising legibility. DOXA's own description is hard to beat: the dial invites the eye to return "much like one watches the surface of the ocean, knowing that what matters most lies beneath." For a watch honoring a man who spent his life searching beneath the waves, it's a fitting metaphor rendered in metal.
The Details Cussler Fans Will Love
Look closely at the date window at 3 o'clock: the numerals 15, 7, and 31 appear in DOXA orange — Clive Cussler's birth date, hidden in plain sight. The oversized minute hand, a historic SUB signature, is rendered in that unmistakable DOXA orange, as are the depth indications on the bezel's outer ring.
Flip it over and the screw-down titanium caseback carries the NUMA emblem, the COSC certification, and each watch's individual number (XXX/300). The black Dive Flex rubber strap, with its perforated tropical-style pattern, nods to the 1960s era when the original SUB 300 first opened professional diving to the public.
Built for the Water, Not the Display Case
The specs read like a proper tool watch:
Case: Grade 5 titanium, 42.50 mm × 45.00 mm, 13.40 mm thick
Water resistance: 300 m (~984 ft)
Crystal: "Glass box" sapphire with anti-reflective treatment
Movement: Swiss Sellita SW200-1, COSC-certified chronometer, 28,800 vph, ~38-hour power reserve
Bezel: DOXA's patented unidirectional dual-scale dive bezel
Retail price: USD $3,390 / CAD $4,250
COSC certification means every piece is an officially certified chronometer — precision to match the durability. And a percentage of proceeds from every sale is donated to the NUMA foundation, funding the shipwreck-hunting mission Cussler founded. Buy the watch, and you help continue the very adventures that inspired it.
Limited Allocation at King Jewelers — Reserve Now
Only 300 numbered pieces exist worldwide, and King Jewelers has secured a limited allocation — a first, as previous Clive Cussler editions were never available through retailers. Demand for this release is already exceptional: DOXA originally planned just 95 pieces before expanding the run to 300.
When our allocation is gone, it's gone. Contact King Jewelers today to reserve your SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler.
Frequently Asked Questions About the DOXA Clive Cussler
How many DOXA SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler watches were made?
Just 300 numbered pieces globally, each individually engraved (XXX/300) on the titanium caseback. King Jewelers will receive a limited allocation of this worldwide run.
How much does the SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler cost?
Retail price is USD $3,390 / CAD $4,250.
How do I reserve one at King Jewelers?
Contact us directly — by phone, email, or in store — and we'll secure a piece from our allocation on a first-come, first-served basis. Given the size of the edition, we strongly recommend reserving early.
What makes this edition special?
It's crafted entirely in Grade 5 titanium (case, crown, caseback, and dial), features DOXA's first-ever dual-plane dial — two superimposed titanium layers creating remarkable depth and dimension — and carries a COSC-certified chronometer movement. It also honors Clive Cussler with unique touches like his birth date (15-7-31) shown in DOXA orange in the date display.
Is this the first Clive Cussler edition sold through retailers?
Yes. Previous Cussler tribute editions were sold exclusively through DOXA's website. This is the first time authorized retailers like King Jewelers can offer the annual Clive Cussler release.
Does my purchase support a cause?
Yes — a percentage of proceeds from each sale is donated to NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency), the nonprofit Clive Cussler founded in 1979 to discover and preserve historic shipwrecks.
Is it a true dive watch?
Absolutely. It's water-resistant to 300 meters (~984 feet) with DOXA's patented unidirectional dive bezel, Super-LumiNova on all dive-related displays, and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.
Who was Clive Cussler?
An internationally bestselling author and maritime explorer who wrote or co-authored more than 50 books — famously the Dirk Pitt series, whose hero wears a DOXA SUB. He founded NUMA, whose expeditions have located more than sixty historic shipwrecks, including the Carpathia, rescuer of the Titanic survivors.
