Watches with left-handed crowns (often referred to as “destro” watches) have seen a rise in popularity over the last couple of years, although the industry has a long history of producing timepieces with this inverted style of crown setup. Along with being more ergonomic for left-handed individuals, a lefty crown configuration can also help to keep the winding crown out of the way and prevent it from getting caught on things or receiving impacts. Among its latest releases unveiled this year at Geneva Watch Days 2024, Doxa has brought its Sea Emerald Green colorway to the rest of its catalog (which made its debut appearance on the midsize SUB 200T earlier this year); however, the Swiss brand has also announced the new Doxa SUB 300T Aristera, which is a limited-edition destro version of its flagship diver and the first automatic SUB model to feature a left-handed crown.

Doxa’s catalog can be slightly confusing, due to the number of models with similar names that all embrace this same cushion-shaped profile. While the Doxa SUB 300 Beta is the slightly more dressy version designed to be a diver that can more easily integrate into formal and urban settings, the brand also offers both the SUB 300 and SUB 300T. The Doxa SUB 300 is the vintage-inspired version that features a domed crystal and a chronometer-certified movement, while the SUB 300T is the modernized execution that offers four times the depth rating and a helium gas release valve. Rather than being based upon the vintage-themed SUB 300, the new Doxa SUB 300T Aristera is a destro version of the modernized SUB 300T, which the brand created specifically for left-handed individuals. The word “Doxa” means “glory” in Greek, and the “Aristera” name of this latest 300-piece limited edition translates to “left” as a reference to the configuration of its winding crown.

Crafted from 316L stainless steel with a utilitarian cushion-shaped profile, the case of the new Doxa SUB 300T Aristera measures 42.5mm in diameter by 14mm thick, with lugs that are set 20mm apart and extend to create a fairly compact overall lug-to-lug profile of 44.5mm. Just like the standard-production SUB 300T models, the new SUB 300T Aristera features a helium release valve and an impressive 1,200 meters of water resistance, although its inverted configuration means that its movement has been rotated 180 degrees inside its case. Since the screw-down crown (which is signed with an orange version of Doxa’s fish logo) now appears on the left-hand side of the watch, the SUB 300T Aristera’s helium escape valve has also been inverted, and it now sits flush against the side of the case at the 3 o’clock position.

Similar to the standard-production SUB 300T models, the new limited-edition Aristera version features a flat sapphire crystal above its dial, while a solid screw-down caseback closes up the reverse side of the watch. Additionally, while Doxa’s signature unidirectional no-decompression bezel still appears on the new SUB 300T Aristera, it is slightly different than what can be found among the core-collection models, and it features an aluminum insert as a nod to the style of bezels that was introduced during the Aubry Frères era in the 1980s. Rather than having a high-polished outer ring with a brushed internal section, the entire bezel insert on the new Doxa SUB 300T Aristera features a matte silver finish, and it showcases a thinner font for its black and red scales, along with a large inverted triangle instead of two dots at the zero marker.

Despite its left-handed crown configuration, the dial and hands fitted to the new Doxa SUB 300T Aristera appear in the same style as what can be found on the standard orange-dial “Professional” version of the SUB 300T. All of the dial elements appear in their usual positions, just as they do on their right-handed siblings, with the date window maintaining its standard place at the 3 o’clock location. Black-finished hands and hour markers with Super-LumiNova inlays display the time against the vibrant matte orange surface of the dial, and the handset appears in Doxa’s signature style, with an oversized minute hand that facilitates at-a-glance readings of elapsed time while underwater. Additionally, while no photos of the caseback are available at this time, the press release for the SUB 300T Aristera states that the caseback will be adorned with an engraving of a sailing vessel, along with a “Limited Edition XXX/300” inscription that contains each watch’s individual number.

While Doxa never lists the specific calibers that it uses inside its watches, it is widely known that its SUB 300T models (along with a significant portion of its current collection) are powered by the Sellita SW200 automatic movement, and it can only be assumed that this familiar self-winding caliber is also used inside the limited-edition SUB 300T Aristera. That said, Doxa does offer the specifications for the movement, which include a 25-jewel design, an operating frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz), and a power reserve of approximately 38 hours, which further confirms the presence of the Sellita SW200. Additionally, since no mention is made of COSC certification, it is safe to assume that these are the standard-grade versions of the Sellita SW200, rather than the chronometer-grade variety used inside its vintage-inspired SUB 300 series.

While the standard-production SUB 300T models are available with the option of either bracelets or rubber straps that are color-matched to their dials, the limited-edition Doxa SUB 300T Aristera is exclusively offered with the collection’s stainless steel beads-of-rice bracelet, although a secondary black and orange striped fabric strap is also included with the watch. The beads-of-rice bracelet is the same style that Doxa uses on quite a few of its models, and it features completely solid components with the same style of folding clasp that can be found on both the bracelets and rubber straps within its modern catalog. Doxa’s clasp operates with a double push-button release, and it includes an integrated wetsuit extension system that offers incremental tool-free adjustment. Meanwhile, the secondary striped fabric strap features metal keepers, and it secures around the wrist with a traditional tang-style buckle.

Rather than joining the lineup as a core-collection offering, the Doxa SUB 300T Aristera will be produced as a limited edition of 300 examples, and it will have an official retail price of $2,490 USD, which makes it approximately 25% more expensive than the standard bracelet-equipped SUB 300T models. On one hand, this feels like a rather steep premium for what ultimately adds up to an inverted crown setup, a vintage-inspired aluminum bezel insert, and an additional fabric strap. However, that 25% increase only represents a total of $500, and the SUB 300T Aristera is still less expensive than the retro-themed SUB 300, which features a domed crystal and a chronometer-certified movement. While I can’t imagine that we will see Doxa add a left-handed model to its permanent collection, the SUB 300T Aristera is the first left-handed automatic SUB that Doxa has ever put forward, and it will be interesting to see if the brand will create any other left-handed models at some point in the future. For more information on the Doxa SUB 300T Aristera, please visit the brand’s website.