Rediscovering my spirit of adventure with the Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler
Jamie WeissSome things just look better when they’re a bit broken in: jeans, boots, guitars, and in some instances, watches. I’m very much of the opinion that you shouldn’t polish away scratches on your watches, especially tool watches, as they help make your watch, well, yours. But as much as I like things with a bit of patina, I’ve always viewed “pre-distressed” products with suspicion. Jeans with holes already torn in them from the factory, custom shop distressed guitars that cost thousands of dollars, Golden Goose sneakers… It’s like a weird sort of aesthetic stolen valour. I particularly don’t like watches that are “aged”. With modern surface treatment technology and manufacturing techniques, it’s possible to make a brand-new watch’s case or dial look like it’s been at the bottom of the ocean or a dusty shoebox for decades – and I’m not a fan. But maybe I’m a horological curmudgeon. Maybe I ought to rediscover a sense of whimsy and adventure and expand my horizons.
That’s exactly the thought process I had when testing out Doxa’s SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler. It’s not the sort of watch I’d normally be interested in. Hell, I’ve never even read a Clive Cussler novel, not for any philosophical reason, mind (although I’ve seen the Matthew McConaughey movie…) But after having it strapped to my wrist for a while, I can understand why this sort of horological storytelling is so popular – and Doxa’s executed it better than most.
A quick note on the strap
For my review, I wore the Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler (a.k.a. the Clive Cussler V2) on a “Sand Beige” Artem HydroFlex strap. This watch does come with the option of an “aged” beads-of-rice bracelet that matches its case, but I thought I’d be adventurous – and this sandy Artem strap worked perfectly for this adventurer’s watch as it matches the colour of its aged lume perfectly. I’m also personally not a big fan of Doxa’s rubber straps: I find that with the folding clasp, they add a huge amount of bulk on the wrist, something that the thinner form factor and pin buckle of the Artem HydroFlex avoids.
Old soul
Before I start talking about what it was like to wear, let’s talk a little bit about how Doxa managed to make this new stainless steel watch look so old. There are quite a few different ways you can make “aged steel”. Panerai, for instance, use a thin PVD coating which is then hand-finished, tumbled and polished to create its “Brunito” aged steel cases. At a more affordable price point, Casio uses a similar process. Edox uses a technique where they brush rare earth minerals in a thin layer across the top of their aged steel watches. Alternatively, you can age a watch’s steel case yourself by burning the everloving f*ck out of it, sanding it down and/or rubbing coffee grounds into it, as this DIY guide explains.
Doxa hasn’t explained the exact process it uses to “age” the stainless steel for its Clive Cussler models, but the wording of their product description for the Clive Cussler – that it’s an aged finish – would lead me to believe that it’s either a PVD or DLC coating. The irony of this is that because this aged finish is a surface treatment, it will actually protect the watch from damage or natural aging – freezing it in time, in a way. Doxa also describes its dial as being “hand ground”: I surmise that they produce a normal brass dial, scuff it with a low-grit sanding block and then apply a black surface treatment and graphics. Sinn does something similar for its “Grinding Dials”.
In any case, it’s one of the most convincing aged steel cases I’ve seen on a watch. It looks aggressively oxidised and worn, with only the unblemished, vibrant paint adoring its bezel and crown logo betraying its true age. The dial is slightly less convincing, however: the aged lume and off-white date wheel are great, but how would a dial get scuffed like that without the hands or indices being smooshed? But we can suspend our disbelief for that. You do want to be able to read your watch, after all.
Raise the Titanic!
But what’s it like to wear? In short, it’s a bit of fun. I think the factor that sets Doxa’s Clive Cussler models apart from other aged steel dive watches on the market is that it’s got a heightened sense of whimsy that others lack thanks to its connection to Clive Cussler’s swashbuckling stories. Wearing an aged steel watch is a sort of cosplay after all (as is wearing any tool watch when you’re naught but a desk diver) but rather than cosplaying some anonymous sailor or diver of years gone by as you might with other timepieces, you’re embodying Dirk Pitt – a steely man of action, sure, but also a quick wit; a charming rogue; a man of the world.
That’s something worth addressing, actually: I think it speaks to the strength of its design that the Doxa Clive Cussler can be appreciated even by those who aren’t Clive Cussler fans. I think this Sharkhunter variant is also an upgrade over the original, as its black dial makes it slightly dressier; slightly more incognito than the parchment-like dial of the first SUB 300T Clive Cussler. This, in turn, expands its appeal and versatility.
A design feature I think is secretly genius is the caseback, which is engraved with the names of shipwrecks and other historical artifacts discovered or explored by the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA): originally a fictional US government organisation in Cussler’s books which was turned into a real-life private non-profit oceanographic organisation in 1979, funded and run by Cussler himself until his death in 2020. Not only does this give the watch a tangible connection to Cussler’s fictional and charitable endeavours, but to my eyes, resembles the sorts of patterns or engravings one might find on an Aztec artefact (or Inca Gold?) – fitting for a watch that itself looks like an archeological find.
Aesthetics aside, at the end of the day, it’s a SUB 300T, which is a thoroughly competent tool watch. Water-resistant to 300 metres with a screw-down crown, automatic helium release valve, fantastic unidirectional diving bezel and a robust cushion-shaped case, there’s not much to complain about with a SUB 300T. I’ve got big wrists so I can cope with the 42.5mm case (which honestly doesn’t wear that large anyway). What I can’t cope with is the 38-hour power reserve, which is a little underwhelming, but you can’t have everything – especially at this price point.
Closing thoughts
While you won’t catch me wearing ripped jeans any time soon, I could be convinced to wear the Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler again. Doxa could’ve very easily gone down a more corny route when paying homage to the world of Clive Cussler, but it’s rather tastefully done. It manages to straddle the line between Boys’ Own, Indiana Jones, pulp fiction playfulness – and general wearability – exceptionally well, helped by the fact that underneath its faux-aged exterior is an uncontroversially great dive watch.
Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler pricing and availability
The Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler is limited to just 93 pieces and is available now. Part of the overall profit from sales of the watch will be donated to NUMA. Price: US$3,250. Find out more about the Artem HydroFlex strap we paired it with here. Price: US$218.
| Brand | Doxa |
| Model | SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler |
| Case Dimensions | 42.5mm (D) x 14mm (T) x 44.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel with antique coating |
| Water Resistance | 300 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Hand-ground Sharkhunter black |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Bracelet and strap | Case-matching beads-of-rice bracelet, folding clasp FKM rubber strap with antique folding clasp (Watch pictured on third-party Artem HydroFlex strap in Sand Beige) |
| Movement | Sellita SW200-1, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, unidirectional diving bezel, helium release valve |
| Availability | Limited to 93 pieces |
| Price | US$3,250 |
Made in partnership with Artem Straps. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.