The Black Ceramic & Gold Doxa SUB 300β Sharkhunter (With Video)

Doxa is synonymous with wrist-worn mechanical diving instruments. The brand has pioneered several firsts in the industry, such as the double scale for the bezel insert to determine the speed of an ascent without the need for decompression stops. Introduced in 1967, this style of bezel can be found on pretty much all of Doxa’s watches, except for the SUB 200 collection (including the chrono’s). Where most Doxa’s are graced in bright orange, or any of the other colourful tones, a completely black Doxa is a rarity. Sure, there have been instances where Doxa played around with a full black case, such as the SUB 300 Carbon, but always with a certain degree of very vibrant colours. Breaking with tradition though, Doxa now introduces a style never seen before, and one that is surely going to spark debate amongst purists. Nevertheless, the new Doxa SUB 300β Sharkhunter is a Doxa diving instrument through and through.

Before we get into the specifics of this new SUB 300β Sharkhunter, it’s important to note this isn’t just a new colour of the fabled Doxa diving instrument. Sure, it’s a SUB 300 at heart, but the important bit is the β, or Beta symbol from the Greek alphabet. The watch has retained the typical style of Doxa watches but presents in a very contemporary package, with a slightly reworked profile to obtain a slimmer, sleeker watch when compared to the regular SUB 300T. Furthermore, the Sharkhunter term is still used to indicate a black dial but one of a very different kind, as I’ll explain along the way.

The exterior of the SUB 300β Sharkhunter comes in matte black ceramic, similar to the limited edition Doxa Army made for Watches of Switzerland last year. It measures 42.50mm in width and 44.50mm in length, with a height of 11.95mm. The highly scratch-resistant case is topped with an 18k 3N gold unidirectional rotating bezel and crown, resulting in a colour scheme that evokes a distinct John Player’s Special vibe. The insert, with its signature double scale for depth in feet (outer ring) and time in minutes (inner ring), is also done in full matte black. Doxa was the first by the way, to use such a bezel on a diving watch, back in 1967 and the style, along with the helmet shape of the case is still at the core of the brand.

The black and gold theme continues on the inside too, as the matte black dial is finished with a coarsely-grained texture. The only contrasting bit of colour comes from the applied 18k gold-plated indices and the beige Super-LumiNova on the hour markers and hands. The minute track, as well as the logo, name, crosshair lines and outline for the date window are finished gloss black. The contrast is striking, to say the least, and the somewhat ghosted dial is certainly a departure from the well-known style by Doxa. Even the date disc underneath the dial is matte black with gloss black digits, complementing the stealthy look of the dial and case.

The Sellita SW200-1 ticking inside this Doxa is covered by a solid caseback in black. It runs at a rate of 28,800vph and has a power reserve of 38 hours. The benefit of this movement it’s its reliability and serviceability, although the power reserve could do with an upgrade to bring this workhorse movement up to par with other widespread mechanical movements. It is a COSC-certified chronometer, however, and is finished to Doxa’s specifications although it’s not visible obviously. Although easy to miss thanks to the ghosted black-on-black theme of the dial, it does indicate the date of course.

The Doxa SUB 300β Sharkhunter is not limited, which is quite surprising for such an evocative interpretation of the brand’s iconic dive watch style. Often such watches are limited by number, or a production window, but not in this case. It’s fitted to a black FKM rubber strap that comes equipped with Doxa’s steel folding clasp and integrated ratcheting extension system. To match the tone of the case, dial and strap, the clasp is PVD-coated in black. It retails for a price of EUR 7,250 or USD 6,950 and will be available from October 2023 onwards through all of Doxa’s points of sale and the brand’s e-commerce platform.

For more information, please visit DoxaWatches.com