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Doxa Sub 300 Searambler 42.5mm Mens Watch
Ref. 821.10.021.10
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Stepping up in Doxa's range
The original SUB, launched in 1967, was the first diver's watch to carry a dual-scale bezel showing both elapsed time and depth — a Doxa patent that let divers calculate no-decompression ascent schedules without a separate table. The silver dial, which seemed counterintuitive at the time, turned out to be the most legible colour underwater, and both that choice and the bezel have stayed in every generation since. This is a direct continuation of that design, not a reinterpretation of it. The cushion case wears closer to a 40mm round than the 42.5mm diameter suggests, and at 13.4mm it clears a cuff without the thickness that most serious divers carry. The domed sapphire mimics the profile of the original Plexiglass, which gives the dial a slightly convex appearance that reads differently in raking light than a flat crystal would. The silver sunray dial with black markers is the original Searambler configuration — vivid contrast in clear water, and the Super-LumiNova on the dive markings handles the rest when it is not. The Sellita SW200-1 here carries COSC certification, which means it has been measured against a stricter accuracy standard than the movement alone would require. The beads-of-rice bracelet uses screw attachments rather than pins and the folding clasp includes a wetsuit extension, so it adjusts over a drysuit without tools.
- Reference
- 821.10.021.10
- Brand
- Doxa
- Collection
- SUB 300
- Case size
- 42.5mm
- Case thickness
- 13.40mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Sellita SW200-1
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 300m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 45mm
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
Learn more about Doxa
Doxa was founded by Georges Ducommun in Le Locle in 1889, and spent its early decades on pocket watches and, notably, dashboard clocks for the emerging car industry — supplying Bugatti among others.
Its lasting contribution came much later. In 1967 Doxa released the SUB 300, developed in consultation with professional divers, and it introduced several things now taken for granted. The dial was orange, chosen after testing which colour remained visible longest as depth filtered out light. The bezel carried a US Navy no-decompression scale rather than simple minute markers, letting a diver read safe bottom time directly. The beads-of-rice bracelet included an expansion section to fit over a wetsuit.
Jacques Cousteau's organisation distributed the watches, and US Divers sold them in America. The SUB became genuine professional equipment rather than a dive-styled dress watch, and it appears throughout Clive Cussler's novels on the wrist of Dirk Pitt.
Doxa struggled through the quartz era and was largely dormant before being revived by the Jenny family, who reissued the SUB faithfully from 2002 onward.
The modern range remains almost entirely dive watches, with the same cushion case, the same bezel scale, and dial colours named for their depth-rating heritage — Professional orange, Sharkhunter black, Searambler silver, Caribbean blue.
- 1889
- Georges Ducommun founds Doxa in Le Locle.
- 1908
- Supplies dashboard clocks to early car manufacturers.
- 1967
- The SUB 300 debuts with an orange dial and decompression bezel.
- 2002
- The SUB is reissued under new ownership.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (3,308), Automatic Watches (1,651), Sports Watches (816), Silver Dial Watches (736) and Dive Watches (578).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 300m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- 45mm lug-to-lug keeps the 42.5mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Doxa Sub 300 Searambler alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 821.10.021.10 | L37884566 | R32222108 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,940 | £1,925 | £2,000 |
| Case size | 42.5mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 300m | 300m | 300m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 72 hours | 80 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 300m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 45mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £1,940. There is nothing to compare it against today.
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