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Damasko took us by surprise last year when they announced the DC 80 chronograph, a central-minute chronograph with similar functionality as the Lemania 5100. In order to achieve this feat, Damasko developed a largely in-house caliber called the C51-1 including patented features, and built off of the Valjoux 7750.
New chronograph movements are always of interest as they are few and far between, but ones with central-minutes are of special note. After the demise of the 5100 in the early 2000s, central-minute chronographs have become increasingly rare, which is a real shame considering their utility. Since then, only a handful have emerged, and they have tended to be very expensive.
With the DC 80, Damasko has delivered not only a well functioning example of the central-minute chronograph, but also currently the best value for one with a starting price of $2,737, which is around half that of the competition. That would be exceptional for a watch with a heavily modified chronograph regardless, but in the case of Damasko it also includes a long list of tech that Damasko is known for. We’ll get into all that, but in short, the Damasko DC 80 is one of the most intriguing chronographs currently on the market, delivering features few brands can compete with and at a price that seems too good to be true.
Please note the version of the DC 80 shown here is a custom version they call “Panda,” which features the pushers, crown, and bezel edge rendered in black.
