Damasko Bracelet Torx Question

[Martylaa]

Can anyone recommend a good tool for working on a Damasko Bracelet with those star shaped screws please???


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[AKM]

Damasko usually provide a suitable Damasko branded tool with the bracelet - see their website. Though I don't think it's a special size or anything and small torx screw drivers are easy to find - I don't have the watch anymore so I can't confirm the size you need.

Do you have the bracelet or are you thinking of ordering one?

Personally, I'd never use the bracelet and would only wear the watch on the leather strap. This is because my Damasko bracelet rusted and wrecked my watch case.

Another problem is having the correct lug pins and spring, if you lose them or even one part, you've stuffed as the end links rattle about with a conventional spring bar. Attempting to get spare parts is like trying to get blood out of stone. I gave up after months of asking and sold the watch at a loss to be rid of it.

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[Mj2k]

^ never realised the weird spring springbars were for that purpose. Also amazed it rusted given the nature of the product.


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[AKM]

Also amazed it rusted given the nature of the product.


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The rust is definitely a thing. It can affect any parts made from their proprietary ice hardened steel. With my watch, a faulty bracelet set the ball rolling, though Damasko were adamant throughout that the bracelet was "in perfect condition". I wish I'd never bought it, hence my comments.

Even though fans of the brand say it hardly ever happens and think it won't happen to them; in over 25 years of being interested in watches, I can't remember ever seeing a rusty Longines, Omega, Rolex etc. The only other watches I've seen with corrosion have been made of plated base metal.

Here's the thread with my watch:

Rust on DC56 Si case and bracelet - Watchuseek Forums https://forums.watchuseek.com/f810/r...t-4817115.html

And a few more threads:

Damasko DA343 Rust issue – Watchuseek Forums https://forums.watchuseek.com/f810/d...e-4848183.html

Ha anyone experimented corrosion on the Damasko case due to sweat/salt water? – Watchuseek Forums https://forums.watchuseek.com/f810/h...r-4700165.html [pictures on the third page onwards]

Damasko rust - Album on Imgur https://imgur.com/gallery/ELwmhfI

Thread: Corrosion testing Damasko's steel – Watchuseek Forums https://forums.watchuseek.com/f810/c...l-2306306.html [passes an extreme test which makes it seem all the more unlikely that owners are abusing their watches]

Damasko rust??? - The Dive Watch Connection http://www.thedivewatchconnection.co...ic.php?t=64898 [includes rusty Sinns]

Lastly, the pictures uploaded are of my watch.

[Mj2k]

Wow thanks for posting that, am astounded but clearly is a thing. Before that it was only cheap watches that turn your wrist green I’d experienced years ago. Bit shocked.


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[andy tims]

That rust is a real surprise. I’d be properly annoyed about that given the price of the bracelet.

[AKM]

That rust is a real surprise. I’d be properly annoyed about that given the price of the bracelet.

For me the biggest surprise wasn't that their proprietary technology can go wrong, it was their customer and retailer treatment; they put the customer and retailer, in an impossible position by how they handle warranty claims and complaints.

The only way I'd buy another Damasko would be if it could be serviced independently and was made from a more corossion resistant steel, which kind of defeats the purpose of the brand by deleting all of the 'Damasko bits' from the watch.

The bracelet was a costly option and I got properly burned as whilst Damasko replaced my watch case; with the bracelet, they insisted on bead blasting it and tried to 'gaslight' me by claiming that the orange and black spots weren't there, even though they were still clearly visible after each of their refurbs. Also, each time the watch or bracelet went back to them, it came back with new marks as whilst I used a proper service case, they just chuck it loose inside a cardboard box and when Damasko steel rubs against itself, it goes all shiny.

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[NCC66]

Sorry to continue taking this thread a little off topic but I’m genuinely surprised and shocked at what happened to AKH and his subsequent treatment by Jura/Damasko.

Having read the linked thread on Watchuseek, it seems that both Jura and Damasko haven’t covered themselves in glory, with you being treat extremely badly. I’ve kind of got used to excellent customer service recently from any dealer I’ve purchased from, so this is worrying, as Jura are my local AD. I’ve twice been on the bring of purchasing a DC56, even going so far as to ask whether they would be able to source one on the bracelet. All the watches in the Leeds store are in leather, which is admittedly very nice.

Not so sure now that my 2020 desire, to add one of these to my collection, is as strong as before I read all this!


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[AKM]

Sorry to continue taking this thread a little off topic but I’m genuinely surprised and shocked at what happened to AKH and his subsequent treatment by Jura/Damasko.

Having read the linked thread on Watchuseek, it seems that both Jura and Damasko haven’t covered themselves in glory, with you being treat extremely badly. I’ve kind of got used to excellent customer service recently from any dealer I’ve purchased from, so this is worrying, as Jura are my local AD. I’ve twice been on the bring of purchasing a DC56, even going so far as to ask whether they would be able to source one on the bracelet. All the watches in the Leeds store are in leather, which is admittedly very nice.

Not so sure now that my 2020 desire, to add one of these to my collection, is as strong as before I read all this!


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Leather is the way to go with a Damasko.

I've handled a couple of bracelet models in W Hammond (Jura Leeds) and I wouldn't have bought any of them as they had shiny marks on the bracelet links and, the end pieces which attach to the case, were particularly bad.

The retailers get a bad reputation, but the truth is the stock turns up with marks and looks used. Page & Cooper parted company from the brand, after a delivery of watches that they felt were not in good enough condition to sell. Damasko have recently rewritten their instructions so as to be clear that marks from the steel rubbing against itself are not a defect.

I prefer a new watch to look like new and so for this and my experience of the rust, I'd only recommend getting one on leather and being mindful that if it goes wrong, the customer service will fall far below that of mainstream brands.

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[NCC66]

Leather is the way to go with a Damasko.

I've handled a couple of bracelet models in W Hammond (Jura Leeds) and I wouldn't have bought any of them as they had shiny marks on the bracelet links and, the end pieces which attach to the case, were particularly bad.

The retailers get a bad reputation, but the truth is the stock turns up with marks and looks used. Page & Cooper parted company from the brand, after a delivery of watches that they felt were not in good enough condition to sell. Damasko have recently rewritten their instructions so as to be clear that marks from the steel rubbing against itself are not a defect.

I prefer a new watch to look like new and so for this and my experience of the rust, I'd only recommend getting one on leather and being mindful that if it goes wrong, the customer service will fall far below that of mainstream brands.

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Thanks for the advice and your other posts in this thread. I’ll take heed of it but tbh, I think I’ll be looking towards Sinn now.


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[Dougal]

I agree that a leather or rubber strap seems the way to go with Damasko. Most (all?) of the issues seemed to be on watches with a metal strap. My ice-hardened Damasko is submerged regularly and has been fine, but the strap isn't metal.

Reading the other threads about this issue, it looks like a general problem for any hardened steel (Sinn, Archimede, etc).

[AKM]

I agree that a leather or rubber strap seems the way to go with Damasko. Most (all?) of the issues seemed to be on watches with a metal strap. My ice-hardened Damasko is submerged regularly and has been fine, but the strap isn't metal.

Reading the other threads about this issue, it looks like a general problem for any hardened steel (Sinn, Archimede, etc).

Whilst there have been Damasko cases that rusted / pitted without having the bracelet, I think the bracelet does complicate things.

The endlink fit with the case is very flush leaving almost no gaps. Whilst I used to rinse my watch with fresh water, I can imagine that sweat or chlorinated water could still get trapped in there. Also removing and refitting the bracelet requires a pair of bracelet pliers which most people don't have. Nonetheless, one of my bracelet links gained a rust stain on the outside where no moisture could get trapped - it just seemed to rust in the open air.

The shiny mark issue is frustrating as Damasko don't acknowledge it as a fault even on new stock. It's also not clear whether they offer a service to re-beadblast the bracelet and in my experience, even if they did, your watch might come back with more marks due to careless handling and packaging.

Lastly, those torx screws unscrew themselves and once a month you need to be checking and tightening them up. Threadlocker would be sensible, but there's no fine adjustment on the bracelet, only some longer links and in my experience, I often had to resize it when the temperature changed. The only other solution would be to use threadlocker on most of the links save the ones by the clasp.

It all gets a bit complicated, with bracelet pliers, routine inspections and threadlocker; and if you do find a problem, it's not going to be an easy or cheap fix. The hardened steel seems to be a trade off, at least in the real world.

[mtagrant]

Reading all this makes me glad that I just missed out on the one of SC last week - real shame, as they look excellent. I had a DC37 on strap previously and always appreciated the winding mechanism and general quality. Would have liked to have gone up to a 42mm on bracelet

[AKM]

Reading all this makes me glad that I just missed out on the one of SC last week - real shame, as they look excellent. I had a DC37 on strap previously and always appreciated the winding mechanism and general quality. Would have liked to have gone up to a 42mm on bracelet

My DC56 Si was my favourite watch and I've bought half a dozen watches since and been unable to replace it, such was the niche it fulfilled.

Given multiple the faults including erratic timekeeping, I had to get rid off it for my own sanity. Damasko never replaced the rusted parts of the bracelet and there wasn't even an option for me to buy replacement parts at my own cost; they are like dealing with a brick wall when problems arise.

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