# Your experiences with Damasko AR coating (keywords: anti reflective, chrystal, glare, smudges)



## Horatius (Apr 29, 2014)

I am on the fence for a black dial Damasko. About the outer part of the AR coating Damasko uses I found out:
A. It is quite scratch resistant. That is good.
B. It attracts fingerprints and smudges not easily wiped off with a tissue. Could be annoying.

I am considering "outer AR coating delete" as an option. I could on the other hand choose to just have it as is, both sides of the chrystal coated, and remove outer coating later-on in case smudges or scratches are spoiling my view on the dial.

Is anybody regretting having chosen a Damasko without outer AR coating? Is the amount of glare without outer AR coating annoying, just bearable or just fine?

Did anybody remove the outer coating succesfully? How was it done? (as the Damasko outer coating appears to be unusually hard).
_
(pictures just for fun_


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## Happy Acres (Sep 13, 2009)

"not easily wiped off with a tissue"


I have found this to not be true in my experience, it wipes off perfectly, like any other piece of glass. Mine has been great for years, and gives the watch the appearance of having no glass at all.


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## pley3r (Mar 15, 2014)

No issues with the coating on Dk11. Yes it needs cleaning every now and then like any other crystal. The clarity is great, as above its like having no crystal most of the time. As you said can be removed if it becomes an issue or you don"t like it. Won't know without giving it a shot though


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Posted this in January 2013, still valid.



> Had the DC 56, DA 36, DA 46 for years, now owning the DC 66: No scratches at all.


Wait. Added the DA 20 last month. Also no problem. Cleaning every now and then, that's it.


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## kit7 (Mar 25, 2015)

I think perhaps this a myth, have AR coating on my DA44, both sides. I don't think it's any harder to keep clean than any other watch.


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## DummySmacks (Jun 19, 2015)

I haven't had any problems wiping smudges or fingerprints off my DA47. I find the coating and glass to be phenomenal. When looking at the dial head on, I sometimes forget there's glass there.


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## Luke* (May 31, 2011)

I have no problems with my two Damasko's wipes of no problem go for it not a scratch either.


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## Nokie (Jul 4, 2011)

> I have found this to not be true in my experience, it wipes off perfectly, like any other piece of glass. Mine has been great for years, and gives the watch the appearance of having no glass at all.


Agree. I have had two and no issues, very easy to keep clean.


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## boomersooner (Dec 29, 2014)

Coming from a watch with no AR on the outside to one with AR, I will say AR coated watches are harder to clean personally. I am OCD when it comes to smudges on the glass. Regular sapphire wipes off with ease. AR requires a little more "spit n' polish"...


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## Andy Chen (Jan 29, 2016)

boomersooner said:


> Coming from a watch with no AR on the outside to one with AR, I will say AR coated watches are harder to clean personally. I am OCD when it comes to smudges on the glass. Regular sapphire wipes off with ease. AR requires a little more "spit n' polish"...


I find this to be true for me too, yet I prefer the outer AR on my Damasko. Spit n clean is no problem.


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## DesertDweller (Jun 16, 2013)

I, like the others, have had no issues with the outer coating on my DA46.


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## pittman22 (Oct 2, 2008)

I actually just commented on this very subject in another post. I have had zero issues with my DA37's AR. 

I was hesitant to get it with the double-sided coating, but the visual impact it adds and its toughness I wouldn't have the watch any other way.

Very tough, very easy to clean.


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## ThaWatcher (Feb 20, 2016)

I bought a DA34 second hand and it came with a few minor scratches on the outer AR coating and it also attracts smudges very easily. But other than that it's still a great watch!


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## Jax (Oct 22, 2009)

I had a DA44 that got a few scratches on the AR that bugged me under certain lighting conditions like direct sun. I ended up selling it (and disclosing the issue) and later buying a different DA44 with a bracelet (I couldn't buy just the bracelet so I had to get the two together). My second DA44 also developed a scratch on the AR. I was told my the AD that they could replace the crystal with a double or a single sided AR if I wished. I decided to try removing the AR manually before sending it back, and it was virtually impossible. I spent hours on it with polywatch, cape code cloths, and jewler's rouge. Nothing worked. I did make the AR look even worse though but I couldn't get it completely off.

So it's kind of a paradox. While the AR is really tough and impossible to remove, it can scratch, and mine did scratch without even noticing that it had happened. And if you're unlucky like me, it'll really bother you when it does.

Strange thing is I have a DA47 with a white dial and that AR is like new, and I do a lot more rough activities with that watch on than the DA44. I'm not sure if it's a different coating on that watch, or if I just can't see the scratches due to the white face, or if I just am lucky with it. 

I also found that my black dial DA44 shows smudges fairly easily, and sometimes I need soap and water to get them off, while my DA47 (white dial) I can just wipe the smudges off with my sleeve and I'm satisfied. 

I am going to send my DA44 in shortly to get a new crystal and try a one sided AR on it this time. If I really hate having one sided AR I can always swap it again later, but I think I am going to like it better with the single sided AR.


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## kit7 (Mar 25, 2015)

^^^ Jax I think you have mixed up your dials and numbers DA44 has a black dial.


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## Jax (Oct 22, 2009)

kit7 said:


> ^^^ Jax I think you have mixed up your dials and numbers DA44 has a black dial.


Oops. You're right. Correction made.


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## Jax (Oct 22, 2009)

My watch is back from Watchmann with a new one sided OEM crystal installed and I am very happy with it. The reflections with the AR on the inside only are not bothersome to me and as expected it is easier to clean. Best of all it'll never get scratched again!










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## Dre (Feb 29, 2008)

Cool, seems like it was a reasonable turnaround time too. I'll start paying attention to mine, I wouldn't be surprised if I end up developing a scratch or two in the AR.


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## Jax (Oct 22, 2009)

Dre said:


> Cool, seems like it was a reasonable turnaround time too. I'll start paying attention to mine, I wouldn't be surprised if I end up developing a scratch or two in the AR.


Yeah it took about one week from the time I sent it in. It took a couple more weeks for him to get the OEM single sided AR glass from Damasko but he let me wait to send it in after he had the glass in stock. So I was only without a watch for a week. Cost was reasonable too. I'd recommend it to anyone who is having AR issues.


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## macboots (Aug 12, 2012)

Have owned my DC56 since 2009. I wear it hard daily, and the AR coating is still pristine. Smudges up a little, but a quick wipe with a cotton cloth keeps it clean.

It is the "purpley" coating... I understand newer ones have a different type of coating.


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## Bender.Folder (Sep 16, 2014)

outer AR takes smudges but no problem on my second damasko with outer AR. The DC56 I had experience some good bangs on the crystal and it never wore off like the one on the Omegas I owned for example.


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## Jax (Oct 22, 2009)

Bender.Folder said:


> outer AR takes smudges but no problem on my second damasko with outer AR. The DC56 I had experience some good bangs on the crystal and it never wore off like the one on the Omegas I owned for example.


I wonder how mine managed to get scratched since I didn't bang it up? Not that it matters now that I only have AR on the inside.

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## fishoop (Jun 23, 2012)

Throwing my 2c into the mix here...

I have a DA36 black case. I had the watch for about a month and wore it every day while on vacation - swimming in the ocean and hiking. I don't recall any incidents of 'hurting' the watch. I wiped the watch off with a towel and fresh water after swimming every day. After the trip the crystal had significant water spots and some minor scratches that could not be wiped off. I have sent the watch back in for a crystal replacement to have just the underside with AR coating.

I always treat my watches with great care, admittedly I was on vacation so it was not my normal routine - however, it was surprising the coating didn't hold up well.


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## Jax (Oct 22, 2009)

fishoop said:


> Throwing my 2c into the mix here...
> 
> I have a DA36 black case. I had the watch for about a month and wore it every day while on vacation - swimming in the ocean and hiking. I don't recall any incidents of 'hurting' the watch. I wiped the watch off with a towel and fresh water after swimming every day. After the trip the crystal had significant water spots and some minor scratches that could not be wiped off. I have sent the watch back in for a crystal replacement to have just the underside with AR coating.
> 
> I always treat my watches with great care, admittedly I was on vacation so it was not my normal routine - however, it was surprising the coating didn't hold up well.


That's exactly what my experience has been. You'll love it with the new crystal.

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## WatchMann (Mar 3, 2007)

fishoop said:


> Throwing my 2c into the mix here...
> 
> I have a DA36 black case. I had the watch for about a month and wore it every day while on vacation - swimming in the ocean and hiking. I don't recall any incidents of 'hurting' the watch. I wiped the watch off with a towel and fresh water after swimming every day. After the trip the crystal had significant water spots and some minor scratches that could not be wiped off. I have sent the watch back in for a crystal replacement to have just the underside with AR coating.
> 
> I always treat my watches with great care, admittedly I was on vacation so it was not my normal routine - however, it was surprising the coating didn't hold up well.


Hi fishoop-Something I had observed on your original damaged glass (before we did the swap) the scratches were still present under the ar coat, indicating they were in the glass, and ar of any kind would not be able to hold up.


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## Chris Stark (Sep 21, 2015)

I have always been curious as to what additional anti-reflective properties there are by having AR coatings on both sides. I mean, is it 10% better, 20% or how much. And quite frankly, the AR coating on the surface cannot be as hard as the sapphire crystal so it must be more prone to scratching. And yes, I have seen some pretty bad AR scratching by watch abusers, even as good as the one Damasko applies.

I always thought that when I'm ready for a DA36 I would special order it with just the AR on the underside.


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## madwolfa (Feb 13, 2011)

Good read on AR coatings, including the reflectance difference between one side and both sides coating.















AR Coating on the outside on expensive IWC watch?! | Forum | IWC


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## Chris Stark (Sep 21, 2015)

This article seems a bit technical and I'd like to hear from uses with AR on one side vs AR on both sides. My only watch with AR is an Oris Aquis, which seems fine to me with the coating applied only on the underside. This debate will never end I guess. Perhaps because there are cheaper and better types of coatings by various companies.

I would imagine for some pilots and other people that being able to clearly see the time from all angles is very important. But for me I could do without all the negatives of any top coating as mentioned by knowledgeable members here.


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## Happy Acres (Sep 13, 2009)

There is no escaping, its groundhog day  (the movie)


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