Damasko Quietly Reveals New In-House Caliber A26

The work that goes into designing, engineering, and building a new movement is substantial, and the move is generally regarded as newsworthy. We saw it with Oris and their Caliber 400, and with YEMA and their GMT movement. There’s another one that almost slipped through the cracks, however, and it comes from the German brand Damasko. The inaugural movement of the A26 family was developed to create independence from Swiss manufacturers without a significant increase in price. Sounds like a win win to us. So, why the modesty? Let’s take a closer look.

The A26 will be offered as an option alongside ETA fitted watches, meaning they share dimensions as to fit within the same cases. These models, which include the DK30 and DK32, are still 39mm in diameter and under 10mm in case thickness, making the A26 all the more impressive a feat for the brand. Not only does the A26 share dimensions with the ETA 2824, all components that route power from the mainspring to the escapement are interchangeable. This may temper some of your excitement, but on the plus side, it means the movements will be easily serviceable by any competent watchmaker. 

Changes that were made include a new pawl winding system with 2 ceramic ball bearings to increase winding efficiency. Additionally, brass components within the manual winding system, which were common failure points in the ETA, have been replaced with hardened steel. While I  don’t see it mentioned, a glance between the A26 and 2824-2 and you’ll notice a far more robust looking balance bridge, leading me to believe the overall strength and durability of the movement is potentially being undersold by Damasko here.

Out of the gates, the A26 will come in date and non-date configuration, and the use of silicium parts is referenced down the line. While not groundbreaking, the moves here from Damasko are a notable improvement and give the brand greater flexibility in meeting demand for their watches. On top of that, the A26 seems to be a genuine improvement on the already excellent 2824, but further testing will be needed to confirm. Best of all, prices are about the same, giving the buyers a greater degree of control. 

Learn more about the new movement from Damasko right here, and view models with the movement right here.