Damasko, a German brand, embodies the words "simple, sturdy, and durable." While it may look plain at first glance, it's actually very well-made. We reviewed the DK10 L, a model equipped with an in-house movement from this niche brand known only to those in the know.
Text & Photographs by Shinichi Sato
Article published on September 5, 2022
Damasco is actually a high-spec brand
The watch we reviewed this time was the "DK10 L" from Germany-based Damasco. This model is equipped with Damasco's in-house automatic movement, Cal. A35-1, which features a silicon balance spring and silicon escapement produced in-house. The case is so robust that Damasco boasts that it "cannot be scratched even when hit with a hammer."
Despite being such a high-spec watch, this model remains true to its basics, or to put it bluntly, looks like a plain aviator watch.
Let me state upfront that I have been longing to get my hands on this product for some time. So why was I so drawn to it? In this article, I would like to explain its appeal while unraveling the history of the Damasco brand and its specifications.
A glimpse of foresight in an in-house movement
Before I begin my impressions, let me introduce the Damasco brand.
Automatic movement (Cal. A35-1). 24 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 52 hours. Ice-hardened nickel-free stainless steel (diameter 42.0 mm). 100m water resistance. Price: 506,000 yen (tax included).
Based in Regensburg, Germany, Damasco began its history as a metalworking company in 1990. It launched its watch business in 94 and has since honed its watch-related technical capabilities. With roots in a metalworking company, the company has extensive knowledge of metal materials and the processing and hardening techniques for cases and bracelets. It also holds numerous patents for exterior structures that enhance the reliability and durability of tool watches, and serves as an official timekeeper for Airbus, proving its technical capabilities.
The Damasco Cal. A35-1 automatic movement used in this watch is equipped with a silicon balance spring and escapement made in-house by Damasco. It is worth noting that Damasco only perfected these two elements technically around 2006.
Patek Philippe began researching the application of silicon to watchmaking techniques in 02, and released the 5250 model equipped with a silicon Spiromax balance spring in 05, followed by the Pulomax escapement in 08. Breguet, which had been collaborating with Patek Philippe in researching silicon parts for watches, was the first to adopt silicon in 06.
In contrast, Damascus had already developed silicon and DLC coatings for escapement parts in 00 with the aim of improving movement performance. It is only speculation, but it is likely that they realized the usefulness of silicon around escapements around this time and had accumulated the know-how, which allowed them to successfully establish the technology for silicon parts by 06. This shows foresight that is on par with the two companies that are considered leaders in silicon technology for watches (Editor's note: The first example of using silicon parts in a wristwatch was the Ulysse Nardin Freak in 2001).
Damasco is also working hard to become a manufacturer with integrated in-house production, including balance springs and escapements, and the in-house production ratio for the Cal. A35-1 and the hand-wound movement Cal. H35-1 (debuted in 11) is up to 90%. Even the bearings that support the automatic winding rotor are developed in-house.
The DK10 L, equipped with Caliber A35-1, is one of the models that incorporates the manufacturer's greatest technical expertise. The movement, visible through the transparent case back, is covered by a thick, large bridge and has a striped surface.
There is very little clearance to the case back, and the balance wheel is quite recessed. Considering that the finished thickness of the watch is 14mm (actual measurement), it is easy to imagine that the movement itself is also thick. The balance wheel is a free-sprung type called a Damasco weight balance wheel, and below it you can see a silicon escape wheel that reflects a reddish-purple color with the "DAMASKO" logo carved into it. The watch also meets the magnetic resistance requirements of 8 A/m, which far exceeds the requirements of DIN8309, and the earthquake resistance requirements of DIN8308, which require it to withstand a drop from a height of 1m onto a hard wooden floor.
The case is made of patented ice-hardened nickel-free stainless steel, the same material used in submarines and space shuttle fuel tanks. This is a nickel-free martensitic stainless steel that is hardened by cooling it to below freezing during quenching. While the details of this process have not been disclosed, the ultra-low temperature cooling process, commonly known as sub-zero treatment, allows the steel to uniformly transform into martensitic steel, increasing its hardness and reducing dimensional distortion over time. I suspect that Damasco uses a similar process.
Martensitic stainless steel is less corrosion-resistant than the stainless steels used in many watches, such as 904L, and Damascus appears to have come up with a solution to this issue, but we'll have to wait for further information to be released.
After hardening, the steel is tempered to increase its stability and flexibility, resulting in a base material with a Vickers hardness of 710, about four times that of regular stainless steel. Damasco then applies a multi-layered hard coating called "DAMEST Coating," with a total thickness of about 7 microns. This results in a surface hardness of 2500 Vickers, creating a case that the company boasts is officially "unscratchable even when hit with a hammer."
