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OX Frog 300
These days its not easy to make your dive watch stand out, and extreme tool dive watches have been around for a long time, but the OX Tool Watch Brand set out to do just that, and not only did they build a watch that stands out, they built a watch with a lot of function, and even a few quirks. The OX Frog 300 (shown here in the Rescue Edition) is a 300m ISO rated titanium dive watch with an offset case, dual left-side (destro) crowns, a large internal bezel, and something not seen often on a dive watch: a GMT complication. It also comes with an NFC blue ID System disk that works with an app to store life-saving data about you. There are many color options available, including a few limited edition versions such as their NASA model, and even an 18k gold version. It can also be had on a FKM rubber strap or a titanium and ceramic bracelet, and pricing starts at $1,720.
Specifications
- 45mm Grade 3i Titanium Case
- Inner Aluminum Bezel
- ISO 6425 Compliant
- 300m Water Resistant
- 51.2mm Lug to Lug
- 14.79mm thick
- 3mm Domed Sapphire
- 22mm Lug Width
- 135 Grams
- Miyota 9075 Movement
- Rubber Strap/Titanium Clasp
- ID System Disk
Price as reviewed $1,720
https://www.oxwatches.com/ox-oceanix-divers-watches-range
OX Tool Watch states that nothing on the OX Frog 300 is off the shelf, except the Miyota 9075 GMT movement. Every part of this extreme tool diver was made with custom tooling, including all the screws used for the case. The 3-piece case (or what looks like a 3-piece case to me) is made of Grade 3i titanium. That “i” denotes a proprietary process for the titanium, where the titanium is stronger and more scratch resistant than standard grade 3 titanium- at least that is what OX states. Throughout my time with it, I’ve found this watch to be fairly scratch-resistant, but I can’t say with authority that it’s more scratch-resistant than regular grade 3. The case is all finely sand blasted, and this is quite a unique case with the offset design, and those massive left side crowns.
Like any watch that purported to be a tool diver, it has the helium release valve on the side of the case, and along with the case back ring, the only parts that are highly polished. As I’ve mentioned many times in these reviews, HRVs are for saturation divers in a pressured chamber and hold no value to any other type of diving, but these days, I guess you can’t have a deep diver without one.
The massive crowns are what I believe to be a hard plastic, which may be true for both, but the dive crown is cerakoted, though I am not sure why the time crown isn’t. The time crown is protected by the large crown guards, so maybe they felt this would help prevent dings and scratches, though only time will tell how it will hold up in the long run. And now is as good a time as any to mention all the text and engraving all over the case, such as the arrow to let you know the direction to turn the internal bezel crown, and the engraving on the top of the case to signify this crown is used for diving time. Lots of text and branding are a theme with this watch, as you will see in this review. I find it a little much; others will say it’s part of its charm.
Both crowns feel great, though; they are easy to grasp and rotate, and while I don’t have a pair of diving gloves handy, I did check them with a pair of outdoor work gloves, and I was still able to use the crowns without issue. The 8 o’clock crown is to set the time and GMT function (don’t worry, there’s an engraving to let you know that as well), and that internal bezel crown does not lock or screw down, and is unidirectional as well, so it functions as a standard outer bezel would. It’s also able to be used up to 1oom underwater and ratchets audibly with a very solid and precise click at each turn.
The OX Frog 300 dial is what I would refer to as busy, and while there is a lot of function happening here, I still feel the adage “less is more” applies here. The hour and minute hands are large and do stand out enough against the matte black dial, even with the hour hand being dial colored, but that GMT hand does seem to get lost on the dial, and I think with this model, an orange GMT hand would have fixed that. The internal bezel is muli-colored, very easy to see, and I imagine would be easy to see underwater. The applied indices are a good size, and they get the sandblasted finish treatment as well to match the titanium case. Between those indices, you have the 24-hour time, which is used in conjunction with the GMT hand. Since this is the Miyota 9075 movement, you don’t see the GMT hand independently, which moves around when you are setting the time. Instead, putting the crown in the first position moves the hour hand independently, allowing you to easily set it for your destination time. This is what is called a True or Flyers’ GMT, and for those that do travel, this is a great feature, but this movement does delete the quick set date function, and yes, there is a date located at 8 o’clock, though it can be hard to see.
Speaking of less is more, that brings us around to the non-crown side of the case, where you find the massive FROG text. Look, this is nothing new; many brands either engrave or paint the sides of cases with various text, and while this one is definitely “stand out”, I do find it a little much. I don’t know if it’s what I would refer to as a deal breaker, but I would prefer a clean case side here. Some will love this though, and for those that do, that is not just white paint they used, it is lume paint, and while it glows in the dark brightly, there’s no functionality here, its a gimmick or a cool factor, or what I would refer to as a glow in the dark billboard.
While it may sound like I am being a bit of a Debbie Downer here, the reality is I love a lot about this OX Frog 300 diver. Yes, I do find the text and overall branding to be a little much, but I love the overall look of this case, especially that it is an offset case or asymmetrical, and while it is not the first watch to do it, it is rare, especially in the dive watch world. The combination of the offset case and those massive lefty crowns gives this watch a very distinct look and feel, one I am all for. I even love the colors used here, and if you want even more color to your OX diver, check out the other versions of this watch HERE.
I especially like how this watch wears, even though it is a large watch, larger than I typically wear these days, at 45mm, with a lug to lug of 51.2mm. Yet, on my 7 1/2 inch (19,05cm) wrist, this is a very comfortable watch and I love the way it looks on my wrist. It is flashy with this design, no matter the color combo, and yet that is part of the appeal. This watch is anything but the norm, and that’s exactly what Joseph from OX wanted.
The OX Frog 300 is available with this FKM rubber strap, which again, is heavy on the branding, but it is a well-made strap, and one that you can adjust to fit your wrist in two different ways. One is cutting the strap, which is what you need to do to size it. I don’t love that you have to cut the strap, mostly because there is no going back from it, and of course, if you ever want to gift it to someone or sell it, unless they have the same wrist size, they will need to purchase a new strap.
It does have a great titanium clasp though, with a push button opening and a tooless quick adjust system that has spoiled us all, so assuming you measure twice and cut once and it feels great at room temp or in the cold weather, it may feel a little tight on those hot days, and if so, just move that extension out a bit and you’ll be good to go. And if this rubber strap doesn’t suit you, there is a titanium and ceramic insert bracelet available, though you will need to shell out an extra $300.
But there is one thing this OX Frog 300 has that no other dive watch has, and that’s what you see printed on that dial, on the rubber strap, and well, on the disc itself. That’s the ID system, a patented emergency data system that uses this blue disc, which screws into the case back to secure it to the watch. This disc has an NFC chip, not GPS, as it’s not used for tracking. Rather, with the app you can upload vital info about yourself- a picture of your face, blood type, allergies, previous injuries, etc, potentially life-saving info that first responders can access by putting their phone near your watch.
I hesitate to use the word revolutionary, and I want to be very clear on a few things- I did not download the app to test it out, and I was not able to screw the disc into the case back either. My disc, I believe, was faulty, but even if it wasn’t, I am not sure if the two finger indentations are the best way to screw and unscrew this disc. That said, I’m not a designer or an engineer, and I do love the innovation here, especially for an analog watch.
The gold-plated case back of the OX Frog 300 does have one quirk, though: you won’t be getting that case back off yourself to access the movement, nor will any watch repair personnel. Only the manufacturer can remove the case back, which I am guessing means they have a proprietary tool to remove it, and thus, if you have any issues, the watch will have to be sent back to the manufacturer, which is located in Shenzhen, China. OX does have their headquarters in the USA, so you may not have to actually ship it to China yourself, but hopefully your watch doesn’t need to be repaired often.
Another thing I want to touch on, something that I know is a point of contention for many. This watch is manufactured and assembled in Shenzhen, China. Being manufactured in China isn’t the issue; rather, it’s the price because it’s manufactured in China. At almost $1800, the OX Frog 300 is what many consider pricey for an all-China-made watch. Here’s the thing: a lot of watches are made in China, even expensive ones. Maybe they are assembled elsewhere, and the country of manufacture is then overlooked, but many have expressed that this watch is too expensive. Another factor is the Miyota 9075 movement, which many would prefer to be Swiss at this price point.
