German watch manufacturer with in-house precision mechanics production: cases, bracelets, movement components with up to 90 % vertical integration.
DAMASKO GmbH
Barbing (near Regensburg)New on Amplifa
About DAMASKO
DAMASKO GmbH is a watch manufacturer and metalworking company based in Barbing near Regensburg. Founded in 1994 by Konrad Damasko, the company evolved from a materials specialist for hardenable stainless steels — originally serving, among others, the aerospace industry — into a watch manufacturer with its own precision mechanics production. At the Barbing manufacture, cases, crowns, pushers, bezels, steel bracelets, folding clasps and all movement components such as gears, screws and silicon hairsprings are produced in-house; the vertical integration reaches up to 90 percent. Processes include precision machining, 5-axis milling from solid, ice and case hardening of components as well as the patented DAMEST® coating. Materials include a patented, nickel-free martensitic stainless steel, austenitic submarine steel, austenitic instrument steel, Grade 5 titanium and polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon. Since 2007, the DC56 pilot's watch has been the official service watch of the Airbus Defence & Space test pilots in Manching. Distribution is worldwide via authorized dealers, the company's own online shop as well as the factory outlet and showroom in Barbing.
- Site
- Barbing
- Processes
- Precision-mechanical production of watch components (cases, movements, bracelets, folding clasps) in, Vertical integration of up to 90 percent (in-house production of movement components), Ice hardening/through-hardening of cases made of patented martensitic stainless steel (fully, Case/diffusion hardening of components (case, case back, crown, bezel), DAMEST® coating (nanotechnology coating, lubricant-free escapement), 5-axis milling of lug end links and folding clasps (from solid), Assembly of manufacture steel bracelets (hand assembly), Production of silicon hairsprings and anchor wheels (EPS® hairspring, SIC® silicon hairspring)
- Materials
- Patented martensitic stainless steel (nickel-free, ice-hardened), Austenitic submarine steel, Austenitic instrument steel, Titanium Grade 5, Polycrystalline silicon, Monocrystalline silicon, Viton (O-ring seal), Rubber (bracelet)
- Certificates
- DIN 8310 water resistance test for every watch (10–30 bar), White-light interferometry (optical testing, patented), Test according to NATO military standard Mil.81010 (EADS)
- Founded
- 1994
- Industries
- Watch industry, Precision mechanics, Metalworking, Aerospace (supply history)
- 01
Materials development (hardenable stainless steels, silicon)
- 02
Precision-mechanical production of cases, crowns, pushers, bezels and
- 03
Ice/case hardening and DAMEST® coating
- 04
Production of manufacture steel bracelets and folding clasps (5-axis milling)
- 05
Watch assembly, hand assembly of bracelets
- 06
Testing (water resistance, white-light interferometry)
- 07
Distribution (factory outlet, online shop, authorized dealers) and repair
Materials & Processes
Patented martensitic stainless steel (nickel-free, ice-hardened)
Fully through-hardened case material, up to 64 HRC / 800 Vickers, four times harder than normal stainless steel.
Austenitic submarine steel
Seawater-resistant, antimagnetic stainless steel (among others the outer hull of submarine class 212) for diver's watches, cases, crowns and bezels, case-hardened.
Austenitic instrument steel
Homogeneous stainless steel of high purity for the DC7X chronograph series, components surface-hardened.
Titanium Grade 5
High-strength connecting elements for steel bracelets, folding clasps and screw-in tubes of the pusher systems.
Polycrystalline silicon
Material of the patented EPS® hairspring: antimagnetic, temperature-resistant and shock-resistant.
Monocrystalline silicon
Material for silicon hairsprings and anchor wheels, tested by white-light interferometry.
DAMEST® coating
Multilayer coating approximately 5–7 µm thick providing hardness, scratch resistance and flexibility, also for lubricant-free escapements.
Sapphire crystal (anti-reflective)
Legible watch glass with approximately 2,000 HV, anti-reflective on both sides, with UV-resistant glass gasket.
Viton® (O-ring)
Sealing material for full-thread case backs for water resistance.
Rubber / leather
Bracelet materials for rubber, textile and leather straps.
Locations
Barbing
DEManufacture, sales, factory outlet & showroom
- Materials
- Patented martensitic stainless steel, austenitic submarine steel, austenitic instrument steel, Grade 5 titanium
- 5-axis milling machines
- Laser system (bezel scales)
- White-light interferometry measuring method
- Water resistance/vacuum test systems (DIN 8310, 10–30 bar)
Manufactured Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precision-mechanical production of watch components (cases, movements, bracelets, folding clasps) inAssembly | – | – | – | – | ice-hardened martensitic stainless steel, austenitic submarine steel, austenitic instrument steel, Grade 5 titanium, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, rubber, leather, Viton (O-ring), Super-LumiNova |
| Vertical integration of up to 90 percent (in-house production of movement components)Assembly | – | – | – | – | steel, silicon |
| Ice hardening/through-hardening of cases made of patented martensitic stainless steel (fullyHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | martensitic stainless steel (nickel-free), austenitic submarine steel, austenitic instrument steel |
| Case/diffusion hardening of components (case, case back, crown, bezel)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | austenitic submarine steel, austenitic instrument steel |
| DAMEST® coating (nanotechnology coating, lubricant-free escapement)Surface treatment | – | – | – | – | stainless steel, silicon |
| 5-axis milling of lug end links and folding clasps (from solid)Machining | – | – | – | – | austenitic submarine steel, ice-hardened stainless steel |
| Assembly of manufacture steel bracelets (hand assembly)Assembly | – | – | – | – | ice-hardened stainless steel, Grade 5 titanium, submarine steel |
| Production of silicon hairsprings and anchor wheels (EPS® hairspring, SIC® silicon hairspring)Joining | – | – | – | – | polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon |
| Optical measuring method (white-light interferometry, up to 1 million images per second) forTesting | – | – | – | – | silicon |
| Individual water resistance and vacuum resistance test of every watch (DIN 8310, 10–30 bar)Testing | – | – | – | – | Viton (O-ring seal) |
| Development of own manufacture calibres (A26-X, C51-X, C51-Si, A35-X, H35-1)Engineering | – | – | – | – | steel, silicon |
| Magnetic field protection shielding cage (protection up to 80,000 A/m)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Special alloy (soft iron cage), dial, movement ring, inner case back |
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-axis milling machine | – | – | – | – | Barbing |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Testing
Every watch is individually tested for water resistance and vacuum resistance according to DIN 8310 (10–30 bar). Silicon hairsprings are measured using a patented optical white-light interferometry method at up to one million images per second.
| Evidence | Barbing |
|---|---|
| DIN 8310 water resistance test for every watch (10–30 bar) | |
| White-light interferometry (optical testing, patented) | |
| Test according to NATO military standard Mil.81010 (EADS) |
History
- 1994
Foundation by Konrad Damasko based on high-performance materials technology, among others for the aerospace industry
- 2002
End of the partnership with Sinn; Damasko had previously been a supplier of hardened watch cases to Sinn
- 2007
DC56 becomes the official pilot's watch of the Airbus Defence & Space test pilots in Manching
- 2008
Introduction of the company's own silicon hairsprings and anchor wheels in Germany
- 2010
First own manufacture calibre A 35
- 2012
Manufacture calibre H 35
- 2014
First models with own movements according to Wikipedia
- 2015
Damasko DA38 nominated by GQ as one of the best men's watches under €2,000