# Damest coating ain't that damn tough!



## bbuckbbuck (Jun 16, 2014)

found these interesting pics on instagram, posted by a fellow who's owned the DA46 black for about a year. he said that most of the scratches are from his wife's pottery work (guess she wears the watch) and that he would definitely not recommend getting the black damest coating if he bought the watch again. I had assumed damasko's damest was nearly as scratch-resistant as ceramic, but I guess not.


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## MKN (Mar 27, 2012)

It’s just a surface coating, of course it will wear off. As far as I remember the watch was worn so that it repeatedly rubbed on concrete. Not a lot will stand up to that in the long run.. 


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## bbuckbbuck (Jun 16, 2014)

MadsNilsson said:


> It's just a surface coating, of course it will wear off. *As far as I remember the watch was worn so that it repeatedly rubbed on concrete.* Not a lot will stand up to that in the long run..
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


these posts are from three weeks ago, so not really sure what you "remember."


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Three years, no signs of wear and tear...









One year, no signs of wear and tear either









No work in a pottery, I admit.


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## BundyBear (Mar 3, 2018)

Pottery clay is actually fine sand mixed in a compound/suspension so that it is malleable. I am not surprised that the coating on the watch is damaged because it is like dragging your watch on the surface of a sandy beach or using sandpaper on the watch surface. Any hard wearing surface coating will eventually wear down.


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## Psalty (Jun 18, 2017)

Anything metal or coated can be scarred. The informative photo would be of a Rolex - pick a brand - worn in similar circumstances.


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## bbuckbbuck (Jun 16, 2014)

Psalty said:


> Anything metal or coated can be scarred. The informative photo would be of a Rolex* - pick a brand - * worn in similar circumstances.


Most other brands don't stake their identity on the unique toughness and scratch resistance of their finishing.


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## jalquiza (Jan 4, 2014)

I would personally expect that typical activities will keep them in good shape, but sticking your arm into pottery, working on cars, etc would most certainly scratch anything from any brand. Even the fully ceramic cases (from other brands) have shown to not be bullet proof if you actually wear them.


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## Betterthere (May 23, 2011)

Do you own one or considering buying?


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## MKN (Mar 27, 2012)

bbuckbbuck said:


> these posts are from three weeks ago, so not really sure what you "remember."


They have been posted on more than one occasion and I've talked to the owner about it before. No need to be smug

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## Psalty (Jun 18, 2017)

bbuckbbuck said:


> Most other brands don't stake their identity on the unique toughness and scratch resistance of their finishing.


NO brand claims invulnerability to harsh elements.


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## rdranade (Sep 26, 2015)

That actually looks really awesome I don’t know what you guys are talking about!!


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## jankoxxx (Aug 25, 2009)

yup, I actually like how this Damasko aged and Im pretty sure its having quite the adventurous life


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## BCitizen (Jun 12, 2019)

Really simple.
It`s paint, not steel.


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## jalquiza (Jan 4, 2014)

BCitizen said:


> Really simple.
> It`s paint, not steel.


Well, it's not quite paint.


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## wtma (Jul 26, 2014)

bbuckbbuck said:


> these posts are from three weeks ago, so not really sure what you "remember."


That watch is owned by a member here on WUS, and I've seen pictures of that particular watch here for at least one last year. I asked him if the scratches are only on the coating or they reach the actual steel, and he confirmed that it's only the coating. I actually find it really cool, it's a tool watch that is used how it's supposed to be.


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## riff raff (Dec 28, 2015)

Does Damasko sell a pre-aged, patina'd watch like that?


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## Weetabix (Jun 10, 2018)

I remember those pictures, too. They actually increased my respect for Damasko.

Sent from my VS996 using Tapatalk


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## TJ Boogie (May 14, 2015)

That's fantastic, so the hardened steel withstood it all. Just the coating was blemished and not even considerably, re the grit of clay in pottery. Frankly I think it looks amazing the current condition. Another testament to Damasko! Incredible :-!


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## kwill (Jul 31, 2017)

What's interesting to me is that the crystal seems to be scratch free. Perhaps that is just careful photography but I would expect the pottery clay to wreak havoc with the crystal.


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## reachcontrol (Apr 16, 2012)

I will say my DA36 has stood up to a monumental amount of abuse already working on a Sprinter, and just general wear retrofitting light fixtures in high occupancy buildings....

But I wear it hard, and you've got to expect some wear if you're not babying your watch....

When mine gets its first, or any, scratch - it'll just be par for the course. I wouldn't condemn the brand for my heavy hands....


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## Chris Stark (Sep 21, 2015)

Anything that can be applied can be rubbed, buffed, or sanded off. Same thing with AR coatings or bead-blast finishes.

I actually kind of like the look of the pottery wife Damasko. I wish I had the guts to treat a watch that badly. 

My DA 36 still looks brand new after years, not a scratch, but granted it is not coated.


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## Weetabix (Jun 10, 2018)

This reminds me. Right after I got my DH1.0, I stumbled against a rough, rusty post in the basement. I struck it a decent blow with the edge of my watch. Not a mark.

Damest is good enough for me.

Sent from my VS996 using Tapatalk


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## Ventenberry (Sep 27, 2015)

I'd like to see Damasko offer as an option a bezel and insert that is not Damest coated. But instead still ice hardened and either bead blasted or lightly polished with laser etching for the indices.


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## Brasso (Sep 3, 2013)

That watch looks like it was hooked to a chain and drug down a gravel road behind a truck. Why in the hell would someone wear a watch like that to work with concrete? Get a Casio.


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## cadenza (Nov 6, 2009)

Ventenberry said:


> I'd like to see Damasko offer as an option a bezel and insert that is not Damest coated. But instead still ice hardened and either bead blasted or lightly polished with laser etching for the indices.


Yes, I too have yearned for a non-Damest, case-color-matched grey bezel, with etched black (+ color if on that model) markers and numerals, for years. It would be beautiful.

Until then, Damest the pottery shop torpedoes, and just use the damned watch.
myke's/wife's Damasko and that whole story are fantastic.


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## Magic-Matt (Feb 12, 2012)

Hhhmmm, I've always been very sceptical with ANY time of coatings, no matter how well they pimp them marketing-wise, at the end of the day it's just that, a "coating"... and a good scuff at the right angle can be disastrous, ruining the look of the whole watch.


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## myke (Jan 19, 2012)

Actually you have never talked to me about the durability of the Damest coating that I remember. You made a very sarcastic comment on a post that I made and thats it buddy. I dont know you.



MadsNilsson said:


> They have been posted on more than one occasion and I've talked to the owner about it before. No need to be smug
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## myke (Jan 19, 2012)

This watch was just reviewed by my good friend Bob. here is the link. The actual metal is scratch free. Just the damest coating was scratched as well as the outside of the AR coating on the crystal. I love this watch and I love Damasko. So does Bob. Bob owns a DS 30


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## cadenza (Nov 6, 2009)

Good review, to see a 5-year old watch.
_(I definitely agree with his general assessments, as my Damaskos are 10 years old, and still look pristine.)_

myke:
One thing that is clear to me is that the case, bezel, and crown are made of the ice-hardened steel.
It is also clear to me that the black cases are Damest coated (I assume the black crowns are also Damest coated; is that correct?).

What is _not_ clear to me: are the black bezels also Damest coated, or are they simply PVD coated (perhaps because of the bezel printing, etc.)?

I do not know how the Damest coating works, but the review (as well as some comments here on WUS by Watchmann) imply that Damest is much more durable than standard PVD. Since your bezel is worn but the case is not I wonder if there is some reason Damest cannot be applied to the bezel, or if the bezel is simply more worn because it undergoes much more handling (but then the crown would be worn too, right?).


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Damasko states: 

The bezel and bezel insert are manufactured from our ice-hardened stainless steel, equipped with our patented DAMEST® coating, and con- structed to stay in place. The scale of the ring is not printed, as is conventional practice, but lasered in-house and equipped with white multi-component paint. This prevents the abrasion or chipping of the paint in the long-term.


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## myke (Jan 19, 2012)

The bezels on all of their watches are damest coated even if the case is just the ice hardened steel. My DK 10 has a couple of scratches in the damest coated bezel as well and I am so careful with it. Would be much better IMHO if they just made the bezel ceramic



cadenza said:


> Good review, to see a 5-year old watch.
> _(I definitely agree with his general assessments, as my Damaskos are 10 years old, and still look pristine.)_
> 
> myke:
> ...


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## cadenza (Nov 6, 2009)

myke said:


> The bezels on all of their watches are damest coated even if the case is just the ice hardened steel. My DK 10 has a couple of scratches in the damest coated bezel as well and I am so careful with it. Would be much better IMHO if they just made the bezel ceramic


Thank you.

Yes, ceramic would be super.


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## AdventureTimeWith (Nov 13, 2016)

Psalty said:


> Anything metal or coated can be scarred. The informative photo would be of a Rolex - pick a brand - worn in similar circumstances.


Personally, I think any Rolex without a ceramic bezel would actually look worse than the Damasko.
Although its "Oystersteel" is marketed as a harder steel compared to 316L, mine is more prone to scratching. 
Rolex steel seems to be more resistant to corrosion, as I've owned and worn multiple models in the ocean and in pools.


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## Kirkawall (Mar 28, 2015)

myke said:


> The bezels on all of their watches are damest coated even if the case is just the ice hardened steel. My DK 10 has a couple of scratches in the damest coated bezel as well and I am so careful with it. Would be much better IMHO if they just made the bezel ceramic


I agree. I also own a Tudor Pelagos. I wear it and my Damaskos pretty hard, but the Pelagos' ceramic bezel has held up better than both of my bezel'd Dammies. My trusty old DA36 (bezel-less, of course) still looks new, and I still prefer its blasted finish to the Damest coating, both in terms of look and feel. It's a stone classic, IMO.


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## myke (Jan 19, 2012)

Beautiful scars


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