Hands-On With The New Doxa Sub 750T Clive Cussler
With Doxa being a relatively small brand, it’s not every day that we get word of a new model. Yet, here we are, and while we’ll see that the new Sub 750T Clive Cussler is a limited edition, we’re hoping the new case foreshadows a serial-production launch. But let’s focus on the release at hand. This piece celebrates a few milestones.
The new Doxa Sub 750T Clive Cussler is the latest diver honoring the famous fiction author. While it is a posthumous release, Cussler would have turned 94 today. Also, 2025 is the 20th anniversary of the film Sahara, which starred Matthew McConaughey as Cussler’s most storied character, Dirk Pitt. What better way to honor these two milestones than to release a new Sub? As we’ll see, this watch is for the big-wristed folks who may feel a bit left out with the trend toward smaller watches.
The Doxa Sub 750T Clive Cussler
The latest Sub 750T is a rethinking of a watch that debuted 20 years ago. It remains a large, heavy-duty diver with a 45mm diameter and 47mm length, but it capitalizes on the recent popularity of thinner watches. Indeed, this piece has a slim 11.95mm profile, including the AR-coated sapphire crystal. That’s a nearly 2mm reduction compared to its predecessor, which is a big deal for the shirt-sleeve set.
Even though the watch sports a slim and trim figure, it’s no lightweight in the diving department. True to its name, the 750T has a 750m depth rating. Naturally, it employs a screw-down crown to protect the movement. Happily, though, there’s no helium valve. Finally, the unidirectional no-decompression bezel stands proud of the case and displays markings in feet.
A familiar dial color with a NUMA patch
Like Pitt’s watch in the books and movie, the Sub 750T Clive Cussler proudly sports an orange Professional dial. The familiar printed Super-LumiNova indexes mark every hour except for 3 o’clock. A date window resides in this space. It has a fun party trick with mostly black numerals but an orange 7, 15, and 31, signifying Cussler’s birth date. Of course, the typical black-framed luminous handset with its laughably cool and small hour hand is in place. Aside from the black minute track and verbiage, the watch has a large patch logo on the lower left.
Cussler founded the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) as a non-profit maritime preservation organization. It was also the organization Pitt belonged to in the novels. Normally, a nod to fiction comes off as kitschy, but in this case, there’s credibility associated with NUMA because it does exist. Plus, for many Doxa fans, there’s an inextricable link between the watch brand and the stories.
A sturdy Sellita SW300 lies beneath a special case back
Doxa doesn’t typically mess around with display case backs, and the Sub 750T Clive Cussler is no exception. Here, the watch has a stainless steel screw-in case back adorned with a compass rose. The motif is present throughout the books, so it fits well. A nice surprise is the use of the Sellita SW300. We’re used to the SW200-1, but the 300 boasts additional power reserve. The watch is now more competitive with a frequency of 28,800vph and 56 hours of “fuel” in the mainspring.
How does the Sub 750T Clive Cussler wear?
The 750T made its way to our HQ for the photo shoot, but I had the opportunity to try on a prototype at Watches and Wonders 2025 in a closed-door session. As expected, a 45mm watch is a bit large on my smaller wrist. However, the 47mm lug-to-lug makes it bearable. For someone with medium-to-large wrists, this watch should wear as well as a 200T or 300T does on mine.
Then, there’s the thickness. We’re so used to big, heavy dive watches in diameters like this (unless they’re titanium) that it’s downright refreshing to put on a big tool watch that’s so thin. The 11.95mm thickness is fantastic for a large, highly water-resistant diver, and it’s immediately noticeable. I suspect buyers of this watch and future releases with this case size (we can hope!) will love it.
Regarding the accouterments, the watch comes standard with the brand’s steel beads-of-rice bracelet and includes a diver’s extension. For those who enjoy a sportier look, an orange and black nylon strap is also included. And for those who enjoy shopping for and piling up aftermarket options, it’s good to be aware of the 21mm lug spacing.
Severely limited and priced in line with other models
The Sub 750T Clive Cussler is limited to just 94 numbered watches and is available beginning today on the brand’s official website. Pricing is listed at €2,890, and the watch arrives in special book-like packaging. Furthermore, Doxa is donating a portion of the sales to NUMA. Overall, I expect this limited edition will sell out quickly. It’s attractive and refers to an important part of the brand’s history. More importantly, we’re hoping it announces a great upcoming collection of larger divers.
