October 28, 2026
A Tribute to the Original Frogmen
After eight years of reviewing watches, four of them at aBlogtoWatch, this writer had only ever handled Doxas briefly, until the Sub 300 Beta “Frogger” arrived. Created with San Diego retailer Belmont Watches, this limited edition honors the Navy Underwater Demolition Teams, the original “frogmen.” Their successors, the Navy SEALs, have been based in nearby Coronado since 1945. Though not an obvious first pick, the watch quickly rose near the top of the “Which Doxa would I buy?” list.
Slimmer Case, Smarter Bezel
The Frogger measures 42.5mm wide, 44.5mm lug-to-lug, and just 11.95mm thick, making it the slimmest Sub 300 available. The smaller Sub 200T (39 x 41.5 x 10.7mm) gives up Doxa’s signature wrist presence, while the Beta keeps that presence without the clunkiness of other models. An all-black ceramic bezel and matching crown replace the usual split-scale steel. This edition also reverses the typical color scheme, with a bright orange inner timing scale and a deep green outer no-decompression scale. That change suits land-based wearers, who rely more on the timing scale. The sawtooth bezel delivers 120 crisp clicks with no play. A helium escape valve is included, though it feels more aspirational than essential.
Bracelet and Strap Choices
The fully brushed bracelet replaces the polished beads-of-rice finish with a tougher look. Its ratcheting micro-adjust clasp is functional, if unremarkable. The 20mm lugs accept aftermarket straps, and Belmont includes a green textile NATO. Thanks to the thin case, the NATO raises the watch only to roughly the height of a standard Sub 300.
A Dial Free of Waves
The highlight is the grained deep-green dial, which drops the wave pattern found on standard Betas, a trend the reviewer finds contrived. The balanced handset borrowed from the Doxa Army replaces Doxa’s usual lopsided hands, and its orange hands stand out clearly against the olive background. Vintage-tone Super-LumiNova glows evenly, even on the tiny bezel pip. The caseback trades the usual sailboat for a relief map of Coronado and San Diego that subtly includes Belmont’s location. Each caseback is individually numbered out of 100.
Movement, Price, and Verdict
Inside is the Swiss Sellita SW200-1 automatic, beating at 28,800 vph with a 38-hour power reserve. Unlike other Sub 300 models, it lacks COSC certification. Purists may dismiss the Beta, but this edition could be the best of the bunch. It is priced at $2,890 USD and limited to 100 pieces.
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