Damasko DC66 Review

In the world of independent watches, brands like Damasko stand out. Small, family owned and operated, they produce a limited amount of watches per year with a focus on quality and technology that surpasses most brands many times their size. Though in a year, they might produce a fraction of what other sport watch brands do, and their name is not on buses or on shelves in watch shops across the US, Damasko still manages to produce truly exceptional pieces of engineering and for a good value too. And I mean value in the true sense. You get something of quality that exceeds its price tag, not something for as little as possible.

As such, Damasko is a favorite around w&w, with this being our third review of their watches. If you’re familiar with the brand, you’ll know they focus on modern pilot’s watches and chronographs. While they have a bunch of models, the differences between them are often slight. With and without bezel, with and without PVD, a different color hand, etc… The dials are often the same or similar within a couple of styles. More importantly, they all share the same astounding case tech, which is the driving force behind their watches.

The watch we’re looking at today, the DC66, is a Valjoux 7750 powered chronograph with a bezel. The same watch is essentially also available without a bezel and in PVD. The dial also has a lot in common with the DA36, which we reviewed in PVD some months ago. It’s about as no-nonsense as a pilot’s chronograph can be with a focus on legibility and sheer toughness. The DC66 is for those who are looking for a chronograph that can take a beating, and emphasize at-a-glance legibility over decorative flourishes. At $2,305 the DC66 is not inexpensive, but it’s worth every cent.

Unlike with many watches we review, this watch happens to actually belong to me (and was purchased by me), and has for quite sometime. As such, these opinions were formed over a longer than normal period, as the DC66 is one of my most worn watches.