Z
Zach Weiss
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In the world of independent watches, brands like Damasko stand out. Small, family owned and operated, they produce a limited amount of watches per year with a focus on quality and technology that surpasses most brands many times their size. Though in a year, they might produce a fraction of what other sport watch brands do, and their name is not on buses or on shelves in watch shops across the US, Damasko still manages to produce truly exceptional pieces of engineering and for a good value too. And I mean value in the true sense. You get something of quality that exceeds its price tag, not something for as little as possible.
As such, Damasko is a favorite around w&w, with this being our third review of their watches. If you’re familiar with the brand, you’ll know they focus on modern pilot’s watches and chronographs. While they have a bunch of models, the differences between them are often slight. With and without bezel, with and without PVD, a different color hand, etc… The dials are often the same or similar within a couple of styles. More importantly, they all share the same astounding case tech, which is the driving force behind their watches.
The watch we’re looking at today, the DC66, is a Valjoux 7750 powered chronograph with a bezel. The same watch is essentially also available without a bezel and in PVD. The dial also has a lot in common with the DA36, which we reviewed in PVD some months ago. It’s about as no-nonsense as a pilot’s chronograph can be with a focus on legibility and sheer toughness. The DC66 is for those who are looking for a chronograph that can take a beating, and emphasize at-a-glance legibility over decorative flourishes. At $2,305 the DC66 is not inexpensive, but it’s worth every cent.
Unlike with many watches we review, this watch happens to actually belong to me (and was purchased by me), and has for quite sometime. As such, these opinions were formed over a longer than normal period, as the DC66 is one of my most worn watches.
Damasko DC66 Review
Case: Ice-Hardened Steel
Movement: Valjoux 7750
Dial: Matte Black
Lume: C1
Lens: Sapphire w/ AR
Strap: Leather
Water Res.: 100 m
Dimensions: 42 x 48 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Lug Width: 22 mm
Crown: 6.3 x 5mm
Warranty: 3 Years
Price: $2,305
Case
The case of the DC66 is a clean take on the modern pilot, accentuated by a bold bezel and lots of great hidden tech. As with most pilot chronos, the DC66 is on the larger side, coming in at 42 (about 44 at the bezel) x 48 x 14mm. Despite the dimensions, and my preference for smaller watches, I’ve always found this watch very wearable regardless of its size on paper. This is largely due to the very slender lugs, which taper to a narrower thickness than normally found, putting more emphasis on the dial and bezel. Though in general there are few surprises to the case design, (slab sides, typical profile) the shape of the lugs is almost elegant, nicely contrasting the overall utilitarian and almost harsh pilot elements.
One of the most fundamental technologies at play in the case of the DC66, and all Damaskos for that matter, is the use of their proprietary ice-hardened, nickel-free steel. Coming in at 710 vickers, which is much harder than typical 316L steel, Damaskos are very hard to scratch. I can speak from personal experience in that I’ve worn this watch fairly regularly for the last 1.5 years and have not damaged it at all…not even marks on the backs of the lugs from strap changes. This keeps your watch looking just-out-of-the-box longer and gives you some additional confidence when wearing it. Not to say I intentionally bump into things, but if I knew I was going to do something where that was more likely, like go to a concert, I’d wear the DC66 over other watches. It’s not just aesthetics though, they use the ice-hardened steel though out the watch, including in the pushers, crown and crown tube, increasing their durability.
The ice-hardened steel also adds an appealing color to the watch. The DC66 has a gorgeous, satin bead-blast finish (something that would normally be easier to scratch) that is made all the more attractive by emphasizing the steel’s dark gray color. It approaches the color of titanium, but to my eyes has a different luster.
Of course, few things are perfect, and there is a downside to the metal. The process of hardening actually gives the watches a slight magnetism of their own. I’ve tested this with my watch and a simple magnetic compass… when next to the watch, the magnet points at it. The movement is protected from this and other magnetic fields by way of an anti-magnetic inner cage, giving it 80,000 A/m of protection. Nevertheless, this is considered by many to be an issue.
One of the major visual elements of the case is the bezel, which is fairly broad at around 5mm wide. It features a proprietary, super hard bezel in black with white numerals, and a chunky grip. I particularly like the grip design as it’s so purposeful, and works as intended. When you grasp the bezel, your fingertips immediately find an edge to hold on to. It also has an almost gear-like industrial feel that is aesthetically appealing. Looks aside, it’s also the best bezel mechanism I’ve felt. Damasko uses in in-house developed and manufactured ceramic bearing system (!) giving the bezel bi-directional, ratcheting functionality. In other words, it’s a 60-click bezel that turns both ways, but more importantly, it lines up literally perfectly every time, has little to no back-play and has one of the most satisfying clicks I’ve ever felt. To say that I play with the bezel when it’s on my wrist is an understatement… it’s almost distracting.
The DC66 has a nice, wide pushers that measure about 5mm in diameter. Along with the guarded screw-down crown, which measures 6.3 x 5mm, the right side of the watch has a lot of nice details. Aesthetically, the chunky pushers and long crown are aggressive, playing off of the bezel. More importantly though, they both work and feel great. The wide pushers are a pleasure to push, and the crown is one of the easiest to grasp and re-thread I’ve used. As with everything else, they are both loaded with tech. The pushers and crown have self-lubricating cells, ensuring smooth action, and feature Viton gaskets. As said before, everything is also made of ice-hardened steel including the threading, so stripping is very difficult.
The post Damasko DC66 Review appeared first on worn&wound.
Continue reading...
Let us know your thoughts and impressions.
In the world of independent watches, brands like Damasko stand out. Small, family owned and operated, they produce a limited amount of watches per year with a focus on quality and technology that surpasses most brands many times their size. Though in a year, they might produce a fraction of what other sport watch brands do, and their name is not on buses or on shelves in watch shops across the US, Damasko still manages to produce truly exceptional pieces of engineering and for a good value too. And I mean value in the true sense. You get something of quality that exceeds its price tag, not something for as little as possible.
As such, Damasko is a favorite around w&w, with this being our third review of their watches. If you’re familiar with the brand, you’ll know they focus on modern pilot’s watches and chronographs. While they have a bunch of models, the differences between them are often slight. With and without bezel, with and without PVD, a different color hand, etc… The dials are often the same or similar within a couple of styles. More importantly, they all share the same astounding case tech, which is the driving force behind their watches.
The watch we’re looking at today, the DC66, is a Valjoux 7750 powered chronograph with a bezel. The same watch is essentially also available without a bezel and in PVD. The dial also has a lot in common with the DA36, which we reviewed in PVD some months ago. It’s about as no-nonsense as a pilot’s chronograph can be with a focus on legibility and sheer toughness. The DC66 is for those who are looking for a chronograph that can take a beating, and emphasize at-a-glance legibility over decorative flourishes. At $2,305 the DC66 is not inexpensive, but it’s worth every cent.
Unlike with many watches we review, this watch happens to actually belong to me (and was purchased by me), and has for quite sometime. As such, these opinions were formed over a longer than normal period, as the DC66 is one of my most worn watches.
Damasko DC66 Review
Case: Ice-Hardened SteelMovement: Valjoux 7750
Dial: Matte Black
Lume: C1
Lens: Sapphire w/ AR
Strap: Leather
Water Res.: 100 m
Dimensions: 42 x 48 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Lug Width: 22 mm
Crown: 6.3 x 5mm
Warranty: 3 Years
Price: $2,305
Case
The case of the DC66 is a clean take on the modern pilot, accentuated by a bold bezel and lots of great hidden tech. As with most pilot chronos, the DC66 is on the larger side, coming in at 42 (about 44 at the bezel) x 48 x 14mm. Despite the dimensions, and my preference for smaller watches, I’ve always found this watch very wearable regardless of its size on paper. This is largely due to the very slender lugs, which taper to a narrower thickness than normally found, putting more emphasis on the dial and bezel. Though in general there are few surprises to the case design, (slab sides, typical profile) the shape of the lugs is almost elegant, nicely contrasting the overall utilitarian and almost harsh pilot elements.
One of the most fundamental technologies at play in the case of the DC66, and all Damaskos for that matter, is the use of their proprietary ice-hardened, nickel-free steel. Coming in at 710 vickers, which is much harder than typical 316L steel, Damaskos are very hard to scratch. I can speak from personal experience in that I’ve worn this watch fairly regularly for the last 1.5 years and have not damaged it at all…not even marks on the backs of the lugs from strap changes. This keeps your watch looking just-out-of-the-box longer and gives you some additional confidence when wearing it. Not to say I intentionally bump into things, but if I knew I was going to do something where that was more likely, like go to a concert, I’d wear the DC66 over other watches. It’s not just aesthetics though, they use the ice-hardened steel though out the watch, including in the pushers, crown and crown tube, increasing their durability.
The ice-hardened steel also adds an appealing color to the watch. The DC66 has a gorgeous, satin bead-blast finish (something that would normally be easier to scratch) that is made all the more attractive by emphasizing the steel’s dark gray color. It approaches the color of titanium, but to my eyes has a different luster.
Of course, few things are perfect, and there is a downside to the metal. The process of hardening actually gives the watches a slight magnetism of their own. I’ve tested this with my watch and a simple magnetic compass… when next to the watch, the magnet points at it. The movement is protected from this and other magnetic fields by way of an anti-magnetic inner cage, giving it 80,000 A/m of protection. Nevertheless, this is considered by many to be an issue.
One of the major visual elements of the case is the bezel, which is fairly broad at around 5mm wide. It features a proprietary, super hard bezel in black with white numerals, and a chunky grip. I particularly like the grip design as it’s so purposeful, and works as intended. When you grasp the bezel, your fingertips immediately find an edge to hold on to. It also has an almost gear-like industrial feel that is aesthetically appealing. Looks aside, it’s also the best bezel mechanism I’ve felt. Damasko uses in in-house developed and manufactured ceramic bearing system (!) giving the bezel bi-directional, ratcheting functionality. In other words, it’s a 60-click bezel that turns both ways, but more importantly, it lines up literally perfectly every time, has little to no back-play and has one of the most satisfying clicks I’ve ever felt. To say that I play with the bezel when it’s on my wrist is an understatement… it’s almost distracting.
The DC66 has a nice, wide pushers that measure about 5mm in diameter. Along with the guarded screw-down crown, which measures 6.3 x 5mm, the right side of the watch has a lot of nice details. Aesthetically, the chunky pushers and long crown are aggressive, playing off of the bezel. More importantly though, they both work and feel great. The wide pushers are a pleasure to push, and the crown is one of the easiest to grasp and re-thread I’ve used. As with everything else, they are both loaded with tech. The pushers and crown have self-lubricating cells, ensuring smooth action, and feature Viton gaskets. As said before, everything is also made of ice-hardened steel including the threading, so stripping is very difficult.
The post Damasko DC66 Review appeared first on worn&wound.
Continue reading...
Let us know your thoughts and impressions.