Author Topic: Damasko DC 66  (Read 12855 times)

Offline chrisyen

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Damasko DC 66
« on: May 22, 2009, 11:34:56 PM »
i was looking for a simple chronograph as daily watch all this while...
simple nice looking, tough, good water resistant, lume....


after long research online... i was settled with a RXW Plasmir Milgraph...
100m water resistant thank to the quatro lock, eta 7750, c3 sandwich dial + h3 gas tube, bracelet & connoly leather....
almost perfect, but later i found it is bit small.... 40mm! so i sold it to my colleague just because of it is 'small'


then i was months without a chrono on hand (i had dozen of vintage seiko chrono not wearing)... that is a bad feeling...
so i start research again, was thinking bout a omega professional, then i was offered for a new omega speedmaster professional from moon to mars last week...

but some1 took it earlier...

suddenly i received an offer for a watch i been looking for a yr.... THE DAMASKO DC 66
it is even more expensive than the heavily discounted new omega from moon to mars for this used eta 7750 chrono watch...
why i willing to pay for it without seeing it?

the watch arrive today, lucky i felt it justify the price i paid for...




the case -
i'll say it well deserve 10/10, look at the spec below.... u never get any better... not even best brand in this market!

• Stainless steel, nickel-free, bead-blasted
• Ice-hardened to guaranteed 60 HRC or 710 Vickers
• Integrated anti-magnetic inner cage, anti-magnetic to 80,000 A/m or 100 mT
• Screw-down crown with protective shoulders
• Crown, pushers, and tubes hardened to 60 HRC

bezel
10/10.... not as good looking as rolex gmt ii... but u wont get better at this price range

• Hardened bi-directional rotating bezel with patented ceramic ratchet elements
• Innovative hardened diamond coated scratchproof bezel insert with sealed
luminous dot

water ar

• Water resistant to 10 bars/100 metres according to DIN 8310
• Solid screw back with O-ring Viton™ gasket
• All gaskets made from Viton™ which offers a premium chemical resistance
and which is superior to most other materials used in the watch industry
• New patented crown and pusher system, crown stem and pusher shafts are
machined with minimal tolerances and leave almost no gap between
pusher/crown and case, butnevertheless do not scratch. Crown and pushers
are also equipped with a permanent lubrication cell which eliminates friction.

crystal -
with the best ar coating on both side... this used baby has few scratches... original quality should be 10/10 unless u dont like outer layer!

• Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, AR coating on the
underside only available on special request
• Crystal gasket resistant to UV radiation
• Crystal has a secure fit even in case of a sudden negative pressure

Dial:
i'll say 8/10 - the 30 mins n 12 hrs counter is difficult to read since all marker  is same size.... lume is so so...

• Matt black with white numerals
• Hour markers and triangle at 12 coated with luminous compound

Hands:
8/10.... c1 luminous also not bright enough in dark

• All hands including the chronograph hands painted in matt black with
white luminous compound Luminova™ C1

Dimensions:
10/10 for a daily watch... really well proportion !

• Case diameter:42.00 mm
• Overall diameter including the bezel: 43.80 mm
• Overall height: 13.70 mm
• Lug width: 22.00 mm
• Weight without strap: 106 grams

today i'm a happy man
my four made in germany


hope it will be my

Offline chrisyen

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2009, 11:39:16 PM »
more about damasko technology
    

The Watch Case

It has always been one of our major goals to design a watch case with superior resistance against scratches, knocks, and general wear, but the materials commonly available, including the rather soft titanium definitively do not feature the necessary characteristics. The term 316L describes the kind of steel which is predominantly used in the watch industry. It features good corrosion resistance but is also relatively soft. Occasional knocks with a watch made from this material will often lead to serious scratches or dents.
Although there is the possibility to harden the surface of 316L (1.4435) or 1.4301 up to 1200 Vickers by diffusing carbon into the top layers of the steel, there is no way to temper the material. Due to the austenitic structure of the alloy it is impossible to make sure that that steel remains its hardness throughout the body.
Various tests have proved that this kind of surface treatment is not suitable for our purposes because it only hardens the top layer of the metal. This leads to the so-called egg-shell effect. We were able to dent and scratch the “hardened” surface with an ordinary pair of tweezers (which are normally made from spring steel) because the material underneath the hard layer was not able to withstand the pressure.

Due to the reasons described above we searched extensively for better alternatives. In 1994 after five years of research we took out patents for 20 closely related martensitic sorts of stainless steel which highly exceeded our expectations. They are absolutely nickel-free, offer a good corrosion resistance, and can be tempered up to 64 HRC/800Vickers which is four times the hardness of every other steel currently used in the watch industry.
What makes this material so special is the fact that the molten steel is enriched with 0.35% nitrogen under high pressure. Nitrogen and carbon are responsible for the hardness of the alloy. Under normal circumstances it takes about 1% of carbon to temper a martensitic steel up to 60 Rockwell but the low nitrogen content of our steel only requires 0.35% of carbon to achieve this superior hardness and in addition to that leads to an excellent corrosion resistance which is many times higher compared to other temperable martensitic steels. Due to the special process of hardening we call this steel “ice-hardened, nickel-free stainless steel”. This material is patented for our applications and Damasko makes exclusive use of this pioneering material.

The entire watch case, including hardened crown and pushers is designed, engineered, and machined at our factory near Regensburg. Until the end of 2002 we supplied our cases to a well known German watch brand but from now on these cases will only be available through Damasko.
After the special heat treatment mentioned above our steel reaches a maximum hardness of 62 Rockwell which makes it superbly scratch-resistant. You have to search hard to find a common household item ( apart from a sapphire nail-file or a brick) that is able to scratch the case.
Due to its superior performances this steel was mainly created for aeronautical use in:

- ball bearings for jet-engines
- rotor bearings for helicopters
- fuel pumps of the “Space Shuttle”
- high-speed bearings in CNC lathes
- dental and surgical instruments

    

The Gasket System

The main operating elements on a chronograph are the crown and the pushers. The crown is used to set the correct time, and in case of a mechanical wristwatch to wind the movement. The pushers are used for starting, stopping, and resetting the chronograph functions of the watch.
These operating elements basically consist of the visible piece of the crown and chronograph button and a shaft which connects them to the movement.

One of the major problems we had to face during the construction of our new crown and pusher system was to find a solution to seal the operating elements against the ingress of moisture and dust. Conventional systems make use of two O-ring gaskets made from an elastic material such as Nitril™. The longevity of these gaskets is to a large extend determined by the quality of the material and the friction between the stem and the O-ring. This friction factor increases the wear and ultimately leads to worn out and leaking sealing elements.

After extensive research we found a solution to the problem – our lubrication cell. Once again the concept for this unique element is a miniaturised design derived from industrial engineering. The lubrication cell is basically a tube made of our patented hardened stainless steel which is screwed into the drill holes for the crown and the pushers. The cell is filled with a synthetic viscous lubricant and sealed with two innovative Viton™ elements which prevent the filling from leaking or migrating.
The lubricant fills the microscopic surface roughness of the polished crown and pusher stem and eliminates friction and wear. Our lubricant system offers a longevity of gaskets and operating elements which is second to none.



    

The Case inside the Case – The Magnetic Field Protection

Every Damasko watch features an important technical detail which is not visible at first sight but has a major influence on its accuracy under harsh conditions – the anti-magnetic cage.

Only very few mechanical pilot’s watches are equipped with this feature. The unique inner case consists of the dial, the movement retaining ring, and a second back. These parts are made of a special material with anti-magnetic characteristics which is able to withstand magnetic fields with a strength up to 80,000 A/m. They are machined with maximum precision to ensure an exact fit and to prevent the escapement from being magnetically charged.



The Patented Crown

During the development of our new crown we had to face the fact that literally every current crown system that works on a basis of a decoupling screw-down crown has two major weak spots that may sooner or later result in a defect.

The reason for that is to be found in the positive-fit coupling elements of the crown. They often consist of a fairly weak hexagon bolt which with1mm width across flats. Another reason for a defective crown mechanism is the wrong choice of material. Most watch manufacturers still make use of brass, German silver, or rather soft stainless steel (see “The Watch Case”). this leads in many cases to chamfered corners of the hex bolt which makes a form fit almost impossible. In such a case you would neither be able to wind the movement by hand nor to set the correct time.
Many watch manufacturers seem to be aware of this problem and use an inferior coupling crown which is permanently connected to the movement.
The wrong choice of materials described above also sometimes results in ruined and worn out threads of the crown mechanism which also impacts the water resistance of the watch.

After extensive research we developed a decoupling screw-down crown which is constructed according to standards derived from mechanical engineering. The use of a hex bolt with 2mm width across flats and the fact that the entire crown, including shaft, thread etc. is made from our patented hardened steel (60-62 HRC) results in a longevity which is second to none.
All gaskets of the new crown system are made of Viton™, a material with high chemical and mechanical resistance which is superior to every other gasket material (Nitril etc.) currently used in wrist watches.
Crown and pushers are also equipped with our patented lubrication cell which ensures a smooth action and lubricates the shaft and the gasket. The tubes of both crown and pushers are, according to industrial engineering, screwed into the case using a special key. Almost every other watch manufacturer makes use of an inferior press fit tube.

Our new crown system is patented.



    

The oil-free escapement

For over 100 years the Swiss Anchor Escapement has been the most precise and reliable escapement for wrist- and pocket watches. In order to work properly it needs to be oiled regularly on the palettes and on the teeth of the escape wheel and in addition to that, watch manufacturers recommend to service a mechanical movement every 2-3 years by disassembling, cleaning, and lubricating it. An insufficiently oiled or even dry escapement ultimately results in bad accuracy or even worse, in worn out parts.
Since 1998 Damasko has experimented with different kinds of coatings which should lower the friction coefficient between anchor and escape wheel. Latest technological achievements showed that coatings made of various layers of amorphous carbon (Diamond Like Carbon/ DLC) are probably the most advanced solutions to create a dry escapement. The process to generate such a layer is called Plasma Activated Chemical Vapour Deposition (PACVD). Apart from its black colour the coating features the following characteristics:

- Extreme hardness of approximately 1800 – 3000 Vickers
- Excellent wear resistance
- High chemical resistance
- Superior surface quality
- Extremely low friction coefficient. DLC – Steel: 0.07 (without lubricant)
- Movements parts can be coated at a temperature that does not affect the structure of the metal (< 200 degrees)

This coating process was originally designed to increase the wear resistance of moving engine parts, cutting tools, and even medical implants. In addition to the hardness and wear resistance of the layer, the extremely low boundary friction coefficient makes this method of coating so interesting for us.
We started by coating the escape wheel of the ubiquitous but reliable ETA 7750 with amorphous carbon. As mentioned above, the combination of the ultra-hard carbon layer and the polished synthetic rubies (AL203) of the anchor already lead to a very good boundary friction coefficient, which allowed us to construct an escapement which works fine without any lubricant at a daily accuracy of approximately +- 2 seconds. Furthermore the escapement delivered an amplitude of 290-325 degrees, which is already very good.
But we thought that the combination of DLC on DLC should deliver even better results. We went one step further and designed an new one-piece anchor with a modified geometry and slightly different parameters. After polishing, tempering, and again polishing this anchor was also DLC coated and fitted to the movement. The result was absolutely amazing! Due to the extremely low friction coefficient of DLC on DLC the escapement delivered an amplitude of 300 – 347 degrees without any lubrication. Of course this was only a test run. In order to make sure that this result will also be achieved during serial production it is necessary to establish an effective quality control.
After two years of extensive testing on different movements, no signs of wear can be regarded and the escapements still deliver excellent amplitudes.
During our latest test run we replaced the synthetic rubies of the anchor by palettes made of silicon carbide and found out that this innovative material is another outstanding friction partner for the DLC coated escape wheel.

Boundary friction coefficients of the most important material combinations:

- DLC – Steel: 0.07
- DLC – Synthetic ruby: 0.05-0.06
- DLC – DLC: 0.04-0.05
- DLC – SiC:0.03-0.04
- For comparison the traditional, lubricated escapement:
  Steel – Synthetic ruby (oiled): 0.05

The results of our research and the use of new materials for the escapement are patented.

All in all it is clearly visible that our efforts on this field have led to a major progress and for the near future we will put our main emphasis on the design of a completely oil-free movement.
Since the publication of our latest patent specifications there were several attempts to copy our technical solutions, this is the reason why these pages only contain very generic information on how our oil-free escapement works.

In 2001 our company started another test run with specially prepared movement plates. On these parts the drill holes that support the gears are DLC coated on their inner surface to eliminate friction. In addition to that we also decided to coat the inner surface of the main spring barrel. Although we are still in the middle of another extensive test phase the movements already work excellent and the treated parts show absolutely no signs of wear. We are confident to present a completely oil-free movement in a relatively short period of time.








Offline Scott C.

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2009, 06:39:42 AM »
Congrate Yen ;)

Thanks for sharing!

 :Cheers:
sc



Offline David_cheong

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2009, 08:40:11 AM »
Hi Yen - Good read.

So did you manage to get any 'Omegas" recently?

Enjoys your watch.

DC
I am almost a recovered watchaholic, but last checked shows only 70% recovered. How?

Offline Leftear

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2009, 09:06:08 PM »
Congrates to your new toy  :thumbsup:
Awesome collection you got there  :thumbsup:
For some reason, I prefer the clean matt dial of the BP which resembles the IWC original 1940 55mm b-Uhren   :Cheers: 

borrowed pic

Offline chrisyen

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2009, 11:28:56 PM »
Hi Yen - Good read.

So did you manage to get any 'Omegas" recently?

Enjoys your watch.

DC

nope?i want the from moon to mars?but sold out before your fren reserve it

Offline chrisyen

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2009, 03:35:26 PM »
after 4 days... average +1 to 2 sec a day...
was told all damasko watch is fitted with cosc movement...
so this could be same.... meaning more finishing on watch part, glucydur balance n anachron hair spring....
plus damasko own dlc escapement..... which they claim less friction.... hope it accuracy really will last longer...

Offline Alvin-8880

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Looks like Sinn 757
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2009, 09:48:26 PM »
at 1st glance. Anyone think so?


Offline chrisyen

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2009, 11:02:08 AM »
yes. damasko is a good at making high precision steel... before they make their own watch, they made the first series of sinn 756... with about the same like damasko dc 56.... so eventually the dc 66 is quite like sinn 757

so far damasko only produce 6 type of watches.... they have their on in house movement design and new watches design as well...
but they do not launch because they simply have no time to produce current order... they r very tiny in scale...

da 36 so far only cross 200 mark... the less  all less than 200 made... some less than 100 made... total less than 1000 made...

regarding sinn 757... below link is a direct comparison review
http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37433

personally i prefer sinn dial which more clean, damasko bit busy on the chrono counter.... but i do not like sinn taken away the small second...
but overall the spec.... ice hardened case, diamond coated bezel.... and its scarce.... help me to reach my decision....

Offline David_cheong

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2009, 12:08:11 PM »
Yen

After reading the reviews and have personally seen your Damasko, I begins to like this Damasko much better when  compared to the Sinn This is one of the toughest chrono make to wear on a daily basis.

No doubt the dial of the Sinn model is much cleaner and neat, but I still like the Damasko with the second hand – which is an important feature on a chrono watch. (and also with day & date features)

Both watches are made in Germany and with almost identical engineering and specification and what you have, I believe too with the same price range (+- couple of hundred). For the flippers, the name Sinn is a better bet. For long term user/s and robust usage, Damasko still stand out between the two choices.

Just my 2 cents worth.
DC
« Last Edit: May 28, 2009, 12:23:37 PM by David_cheong »
I am almost a recovered watchaholic, but last checked shows only 70% recovered. How?

Offline danny

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #10 on: May 30, 2009, 09:02:19 PM »
Hi Yenfoolun,
Congrats on a great catch. Damasko watches are hard to come by and normally there's a long waiting time if you order directly from them.
That's one heluva tough watch that you have there.
 :Cheers:

Offline chrisyen

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #11 on: May 30, 2009, 10:57:25 PM »
yeap...
dc 66 & 67 never come easy...
i was first targeting dc67.... but i never seen one on sale so far....
registered interest direct to damasko was done last yr.... but they just have not enough hand to produce..... :Blue:



Offline chrisyen

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Re: Damasko DC 66
« Reply #12 on: October 11, 2013, 07:57:55 PM »
time ticking..... fast and non stop. so fast its already 4 yrs past

My dc66 gone

da46blk in and out


i still love damasko

left with this... probably will stay with me for many many many more yrs


my 1st lume dial watch


like jos said, those black dial damasko lume wasnt superb
but this 67 lume dial was superb


the deep engrave by damasko always impressed me, simple and yet no other doing it


love this useful 12 hr bezel. not a diver, hence prefer this, easy to use gmt...
damasko rotatable bezel.... after so many yrs, still my favorite! solid ! challenge u to find a better one
the bezel construction was improved and better looking, the ring was disappeared, u hv a better looking wider black bezel


damasko signature day date.... not significant unless u know damasko n particular about the detail


the caseback engraving - again the deep engraving! so far they r the only one doing it this way


same goes with the buckle engraving


HM.... the watch still  without a scratch after 3 yrs...  the bezel is perfect as well! no words. pure class....


the strap was cracked on the edge.... i dressed him with new cordura custom made locally. its my new watch every time i change a new strap on it!

now expecting JOS better photograph review on the in house movement DK series watch from Damasko !