The NEW Synchron SEALAB Ti300M exemplifies an almost twenty-year tradition of resurrecting diver’s wristwatches from a formative era of oceanic exploration, reviving lauded names such as the venerable Aquastar for modern-day aquanauts, breathing life back into forgotten icons in their purest aesthetic forms while meeting the exacting technical standards expected today.
It also nods to the corporate history that defined the Man-in-the-Sea era, when the U.S. Navy quite literally planted men, real men, not square-panted buffoons but old-school aquanauts on the ocean floor and expected them to live and thrive down there–not in pineapple houses either but in high-tech, hermetically sealed environments, more akin to a moon-base and outfitted to the nines with advanced measuring equipment.
While the SEALAB missions of the mid-to-late 1960s became synonymous with Blancpain, Jaquet Droz, Tudor, and Rolex, Doxa remained one of the most accessible entry points for collectors seeking a piece of that rich dive-watch heritage, forever linked to the era’s unmistakable orange dials.
Yet it was the lesser-known Synchron Group, established in Switzerland in 1968 that pioneered the watch conglomerate model, manufacturing Doxa SUBs during the height of the Navy’s underwater habitat testing.
While Synchron was a significant part of DOXA’s history, the modern-day DOXA, now almost a staple brand among dive-watch aficionados largely owes its success to the man behind Synchron and Aquastar, a connection between the two names (DOXA and Synchron) that undeniably endures to this day.
In 1968, Synchron brought together Doxa, Ernest Borel, and Cyma under shared resources. From that year forward, the Doxa SUBs carried the Synchron "star" logo on their casebacks and crowns. Today, under the leadership of Rick Marei, who led the modern resurgence of Aquadive, Aquastar, and the original strap brands Tropic and ISOfrane), Synchron is reclaiming its role as the manufacturer behind this distinctive design language.
SEALAB 300Ti, it’s a name forged under pressure, carrying the weight of both success and tragedy, extolling the virtues, the brawn, and daring of the undersea pioneers of the U.S. Navy’s SEALAB SAT (saturation) -diving experiments of the 1960s, a period when real men slept on the seabed, not in pursuit of a good night’s kip, but in the pursuit of hard data and harder limits.
SEALAB II (1965) stands as the program’s greatest success story. Aquanauts lived at 205 ft. for 45 days off the coast of La Jolla, proving that humans could survive and function in a pressurized environment for over a month at a time. It was a defining moment for commercial diving, military operations, and the future of underwater exploration.
SEALAB III (1969), coinciding with the first full year of the Synchron era, ended in tragedy. During a dive to 610 feet, aquanaut Berry Cannon lost his life due to a CO₂ scrubber failure, bringing the Navy’s ambitious habitat program to a sobering close. Progress, especially at depth, has always carried a price.
The SEALAB 300Ti carries that legacy on its shoulders, equal parts triumph, risk, and earned respect, a fitting tribute to those undersea heroes.
The SEALAB Ti300M honors the late-1960s aesthetic but executes it with thoroughly modern engineering. The case, caseback, bezel, and crown are all realized in Grade 5 Titanium, delivering approximately 40% less heft than Stainless steel while offering superior tensile strength and scratch resistance, exactly what a modern professional instrument demands.
At 41mm in diameter and just 11.9mm thick, the proportions strike that rare balance between vintage correctness and modern wearability. More importantly, Synchron retains the full-size dial geometry of its historical models, preserving the uncompromised legibility that real dive watches live and die by. No gimmicks. No unnecessary bulk. Just clarity and function.
Tactical Straps, Tropic® and ISOfrane®
True to the Rick Marei era of Synchron, the SEALAB Ti300M is paired with rubber that actually matters.
Standard issue is a genuine Tropic® strap, the iconic 1960s basket-weave design, softer and more compliant than original vintage examples while retaining the unmistakable period-correct look.
Optional is the legendary ISOfrane® strap (currently offered at a special pre-order price of $99).
With its ladder-style ventilation and proprietary isoprene compound, the ISOfrane defined the professional dive-watch aesthetic of the 1970s and remains one of the most comfortable and durable rubber straps ever produced. It adds an unapologetically utilitarian stance that feels right at home on a serious tool watch.
Specifications:
Case: 41mm Grade 5 Titanium; 45mm lug-to-lug; 11.9mm thick.
Movement: La Joux-Perret G100 (Soigné/TOP grade), adjusted in 4 positions; 60-hour power reserve.
Dial: Vibrant orange with X1 Super-LumiNova® and date window.
Water Resistance: 300m (990 feet).
Pricing and Availability
The Synchron SEALAB Ti300M is a limited edition of 500 pieces worldwide.
Pre-Order Price: $990 USD (Regular MSRP $1,390).
Pre-Order Window: Ends January 31, 2026.
Delivery: Scheduled for February 2026.
PRE-ORDER the Synchron SEALAB Ti300M
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