[Biff99]

Every great watch seemingly has homages made. Many of them exact (except for the name)
Steinhart has made a fortune doing it - even Timex get's the honor.

But Damasko seems to be the exception.

I'm sure something of theirs has been cloned but you won't find any of their newer more popular models with a different name on it. They're simple enough of designs that I doubt there's anything on their dial they can trademark other than their name.

Why do you think this is?

 

[Kenster21]

I think Momentum does (or did).

 

[OSUMBA2003]

That's a pretty obscure brand in which to make homages.

It doesn't make much sense to make homages to a brand largely unknown outside of watch circles and probably Germany.

 

[noregrets]

I would imagine that the hardened aspect makes the cost of manufacturing an homage fairly prohibitive (unless Damasko/Sinn jacked up their prices significantly).

 

[LosAngelesTimer]

While I hate to push someone in the direction of a copy - don’t do it - one of the AliExpress homage ripoff brands makes a Damasko clone.

 

[Palettj]

Every great watch seemingly has homages made. Many of them exact (except for the name)
Steinhart has made a fortune doing it - even Timex get's the honor.

But Damasko seems to be the exception.

I'm sure something of theirs has been cloned but you won't find any of their newer more popular models with a different name on it. They're simple enough of designs that I doubt there's anything on their dial they can trademark other than their name.

Why do you think this is? View attachment 16576921

Damasko is a smaller specialty brand known to enthusiasts like us. Just the fact that we are commenting on this forum makes us a tiny percentage the overall population. I just don’t think there is a market for knock off Damaskos.

 

[LosAngelesTimer]

Damasko is a smaller specialty brand known to enthusiasts like us. Just the fact that we are commenting on this forum makes us a tiny percentage the overall population. I just don’t think there is a market for knock off Damaskos.

Sorry but I think you’re being naive. There are copies of pretty much every watch - you’ll find Christopher Ward ripoffs, ripoffs of Damasko and Sinn…

 

[noregrets]

Sorry but I think you’re being naive. There are copies of pretty much every watch - you’ll find Christopher Ward ripoffs, ripoffs of Damasko and Sinn…

I didn't realize that. That is sad.

 

[LosAngelesTimer]

I didn't realize that. That is sad.

To be clear, I don’t think they make any claims about replicating the tech, just the look.

 

[Dabon]

I'd love to see a picture of that
Or at least a name

 

[flyingpicasso]

I really don't understand the point. Man walks into a bar wearing his Damasko homage. Another man walks up and greets him, "Jack, hi! Oh, hey, new Damasko--nice!" The man smiles to himself, knowing he saved $700 by buying a Chinese knock off of an obscure German watch?

 

[Dabon]

To be clear, I don’t they make any claims about replicating the tech, just the look.

Obviously replicas are a pain but when i see Steinharts submariner clone it doesn't give me the same vibe.
Are you equally down on both?

 

[Dabon]

I really don't understand the point. Man walks into a bar wearing his Damasko homage. Another man walks up and greets him, "Jack, hi! Oh, hey, new Damasko--nice!" The man smiles to himself, knowing he saved $700 by buying a Chinese knock off of an obscure German watch?

When i see Timex homages or even the low end Seiko 5 cloned with a different name it makes me believe $700 would be worth it to these mushrooms.

I can search and find a homage to almost anything popular.
The way Damasko sells out im suprised someone isn't

 

[Biff99]

Someone mentioned momentum

This is getting close but i see cheaper watches (of different brands) cloned and with AliExpress names that match closer than this.

Not sure if this qualifies as a Damasko homage

 

[LosAngelesTimer]

Obviously replicas are a pain but when i see Steinharts submariner clone it doesn't give me the same vibe.
Are you equally down on both?

I buy watches with original designs and avoid companies that build their catalog on the backs of someone else’s work. I’d put Steinhart in that bucket.

 

[Bird-Dog]

Not sure which came first... or if they're both based on some other obscure classic, military design specs, or whatever. But the Sinn 556 I RS seems awfully similar to the Damasko pic in the OP.

Truth be told, much as I respect both Damasko and Sinn, I could wish for a less expensive option than either, especially since the styling is fairly generic (albeit "just right" IMO)..

 

[Biff99]

Not sure which came first... or if they're both based on some other obscure classic, military design specs, or whatever. But the Sinn 556 I RS seems awfully similar to the Damasko pic in the OP.

View attachment 16577644

Truth be told, much as I respect both Damasko and Sinn, I could wish for a less expensive option than either, especially since the styling is fairly generic (albeit "just right" IMO)..

Are the companies connected?

 

[BTNMNKI]

Not sure which came first... or if they're both based on some other obscure classic, military design specs, or whatever. But the Sinn 556 I RS seems awfully similar to the Damasko pic in the OP.

View attachment 16577644

Truth be told, much as I respect both Damasko and Sinn, I could wish for a less expensive option than either, especially since the styling is fairly generic (albeit "just right" IMO)..

That was my thought as well. Surely, if there's one example of Damasko-ness, it's Sinn. Or the other way around. But they have the same style, and the same sales pitch (case hardened, scratch-proof).

 

[StufflerMike]

Are the companies connected?

No. However, there is a story to tell.

The name “Damasko” is known to the watch world here in Germany since 1994 and was always connected to technical research and development. For some time DAMASKO and SINN had been in co-operation, the Damasko & Sinn GmbH Innovativer Deutscher Uhrenbau, Unterheising 17 c, 93092 Barbing, was founded on that occasion.

In the end of 2002 they discontinued their joint venture. Sinn became engaged in the SUG at Glashütte, Damasko went its own way. Why they split up is their secret, you need to ask Damasko or/ans Sinn. As far as I know nobody knows the reasoning.

There has been only one Sinn//Damasko ice hardened case (until end of 2002) - the Sinn 756 I, the 756 II was already tegimented: "Dieser Edelstahl, der auch wegen seiner speziellen Wärmebehandlung eisgehärteter, nickelfreier Edelstahl genannt wird, ist von unserem Haus für den Einsatz im Uhrgehäusebau patentrechtlich geschützt, und als komplettes Gehäuse inklusive von uns hergestellten und gehärteten Drücker und Krone an einen Deutschen Uhrenhersteller bis Ende 2002 geliefert worden." (This stainless steel, which is also called ice-hardened, nickel-free stainless steel because of its special heat treatment, is patented by our company for use in watch case construction, and was delivered to a German watch manufacturer (read Sinn) as a complete case including pushers and crown manufactured and hardened by us until the end of 2002.)"

 

[Palettj]

Sorry but I think you’re being naive. There are copies of pretty much every watch - you’ll find Christopher Ward ripoffs, ripoffs of Damasko and Sinn…

Show me where to find Damasko knock-offs, if you are right I will be amazed. I didn’t think there was a market for it.