I was recently looking for a day-date watch and one of the possibilities that I came across was the Bremont MBII. However it is about 3 times as much a Damasko DA36, which is fairly similar apart from the anti-shock mechanism. My question is, is the Bremont worth the extra money or should I go for the Damasko and save quite a bit of money.
Lots of discussion if you click here
It has been discussed to death. (FWIW I had an MBII and really liked it. A good watch, but not cheap.)
Go straight for the Damasko, don't even pass go.
Go for the Bremont. Its a very well built watch. Love mine to bits.
Unfortunately that link doesn't work for me.
Java, why would you pass on the Bremont?
If you want to ask if Bremont is worth the money , then ask the same with any brand and the answer is more or less similar.
There's a search button top right - under that it says 'Advanced Search'. Choose to search thread titles for 'Bremont', and you'll get fourteen pages of threads. Not posts - threads. Have a look.
Indeed, personally the DA46/7 is a worthwhile alternative to the MB2. I still have the MB2, as I identify with the brand and the UK manufacture, but would buy another Damasko at some point.Originally Posted by ryanb741
If you need to ask then the Damasko will be fine for your requirements.
I just don't think there is anything about it to justify the price . I also think the Damasko is a great watch.
In the end it is all down to personal taste.
You can't really justify watch prices with nuts and bolt values.
Totally agree
Yes...er...no...
Oh I don't know. I've read most of the threads and I can't tell.
You can always go and try a Bremont on and decide for yourself - more difficult with the Damasko I know. From my own experience it's difficult telling how the watch will wear from a picture. All but one of the watches I've bought have been ones I didn't get to see first either because they're out of production or because Eddie Flatts produces them and its recently become apparent that he doesn't welcome visitors (although I've heard that his neighbour is worth seeing).
Every watch I've bought has surprised me in someway and it's only after you wear them that you really get to figure out whether you want to keep them. There are a lot of people here who sell on very new watches largely because of this I suspect.
I've always thought that 2nd hand watches offer better value for money than new, especially if you're undecided. It's cheaper to sell on a second hand watch than a new one.
The other problem is that if you're like any of us on here, the watch you really have to have will be the one you buy after you get the Bremont or Damasko - that's when the madness starts...
If you are willing to pay the money then it is worth it. If you are not willing then it is not worth it. Luxury items like watches do not follow the same rules as commodity items. It is all about perception.
I'll admit that I didn't search the forums and for that I apologise. But if there are 14 pages of links that I'd be hear until doomsday readying them all.
The reason I asked was because both watches have hardened cases, what appears to be the same movement and are chronometer certified. The only differences I can see are the rotating inner bezel and the fact the MBII has been tested on an ejection seat (which unless something goes seriously wrong on my helicopter going to and from work I'll never have to worry about). I was just wondering if I was missing something because these two features alone wouldn't seem to justify the extra cost.
Bremonts have a modified movement. Not sure whats modified though.
I know what you mean. Which ever one I end up getting will be watch number 12 in the drawer. If I include all the one's I've disposed of over the years it would probably be closer to number 25.
It depends on what modified means. Being cynical you could say that changing a screw or engraving a nice pattern on the movement counts as modifying it. Without knowing whats been modified you can't really judge.
If you're travelling to work in a Ka-50, I'd say buy the Damasko.
If a hardened case, or tool watches are important to you you might also consider a Sinn. As far as I know, case hardening preserves the watch from scratches better, as does bead blasting. The ability of the movement to stand up to gravitational force is I suspect more of a marketing ploy. If you were ever in the position where you were being fired out of anything I would guess that the accuracy of your watch might be the last thing on your mind. For everyday use the robustness of both watches will probably be more than acceptable.
If you're concerned about value for money there are a lot here who would recommend the Damasko but as imb1 has pointed out, value and cost have a very strange relationship where watches are concerned and whether you think that the watch is worth the price is very much a personal decision. If you hang around here for any length of time someone will start talking about Veblen Goods. Watches are a prime example. If this bothers you, you should probably stop now.
No, they mustn't be, because the same fanboys defend them on every thread. If they were, they wouldn't need the defence. Boring.
I owned an MBII. Great, (really great) watch, but you didn't ask that.
Last edited by burnsey66; 12th September 2012 at 14:34. Reason: Spell Like A Pleb
I'd prefer the damasko although i hear if you choose a bremont you get to meet the company owners Giles and Miles English.
The same question could be asked of all brands of watches tbh.Do you like the watch? Y/N if ''Y'' BUY IT if ''N'' DON'T.
Does the watch hold it's price well? if you ever decide to let it go.I for one don't like to throw money away and look for a watch that is well liked by pretty
much most of us tzer's in the event of a flip lol.I would imagine it has been discussed at length when I say how much of the price in for eg a Rolex are you
paying for that name on the dial.Their are numerous watches to be had and all equally as good either for the same price some substantially less,but all hopefully doing what they were designed to do, so whereas someone not into watches would perhaps ask the same question you have, yet we/us may offer a myriad of excuses to have that watch and justify it whatever it cost........{to ourselves lol}.One watch I bet nearly every tzer will have or has had in their watch collection that is perceived as a ''cheap-ish'' watch by most people on the highstreet, and that watch is Seiko, and yet look at the quality of all they have to offer....not bloody bad tbh.
Last edited by P9CLY; 12th September 2012 at 14:36.
Lol!!!!
Actually Nick and Giles who signed me a brochure recently and invited me to visit their offices in Henley but Miles and Giles sounds much better.
Cool, did you go, take any pics, what happened?
Damaskos have never been chronometer certified, they used to use top grade movements, but that changed to standard and/or elabore movements ages ago. The differences in costs are:
-40% AD 'tax' for Bremont
-Savings from doing the hardening 'in-house' for Damasko
-Savings from having lower-grade movements and not paying for COSC
-Choices made in profit margins
-Not changing the designs (which in the case of the minute recorder in the chronos stops me from buying them)
As others have said, the veblen effect occurs in many brands; why has the Omega Aqua Terra risen in price by £895 in three years?
No not been yet, need to mail them and sort it out.
Sorry these statements aren't exactly correct; I'm pretty sure that Sinn and Bremont use a kloisterising technique which bombards the surface of the case with carbon and hardens the case. Beadblasting doesn't do this, and also needs refinishing. The major difference between the normal hardened finishes of Sinn and Damasko is that they look dull, although the more expensive tegimented Sinn case have the same satinised finish of Bremont cases.
The movement holder, whilst not unique, was implemented primarily for the resistance to vibrations and sudden shock encountered in the tests conducted by Martin Baker. Bremont did find that all movements display less impact from impact when fully wound, regardless of the anti-shock mount.
Also have a look at the AR coating process on Bremont compared to Damasko
The price is not important to me, I was just trying to work out if I was missing something in the Bremont that makes it so much more costly. Its the same with Rolex, I can never figure out why they are so expensive (or so ugly). From what I've read here the Bremont does nothing special over the Damasko so you're buying it because its a Bremont and not a Damasko. Branding is not that important to me. Half the time I wear my Casio not because it is my nicest watch (that would be my Breitling) but because it is my most suitable watch most of the time.
Because Swatch Group isn't as greedy as Richemont
RE: Bremont, their prices seem typical for a 'major' watch brand that is sold in retail stores. £3k or so for a standard automatic on a bracelet puts it just between Breitling and IWC, although neither of the latter two do any case hardening on equivalent pieces.
Guys like Damasko will always be cheaper, as they cut out the dealer, who takes a large % of the purchase price.
Then again you can get a discount off of these other brands, I've seen plenty of Bremonts go for 30% off or more during sale time.
Last edited by spluurfg; 12th September 2012 at 15:16.
Yes you can.
You just can not justify lúxury, and in particular mechánical -, watch prices with nuts and bolts value.
Again you mix things up and shovel it on the heap of Swiss mechanicals.
Are you even aware of the watches that the sponsor of this forum sells??
The very platform this forum is built on has watches that cán in differing degrees be quite well justified with nuts and bolts values; on cost of manufacture + reasonable margin; with very little if any price uplift for perceived added value of image, heritage or whatever.
Nice but be carefull, i heard one of the chairs in the office is a ejector seat really.
Sounds like my office in redundancy "consultation" periods.
In answer to the main question, errrr, no! Get a Damasko mate!
It's true if you're just looking at these being a watch, but if the testing and britishness of these (and looks) appeal then it's worth it. I'd agree with you more if you're getting an older Damasko, but the new ones with the lower quality movements (without a price drop BTW) just seem to be a sell out.
Of course I am awareI have one.
All watches are luxury products.
By all means dream on in your wis-dom. It must be bliss according to the saying.
Probably regret this but...
I happen to agree with you in principle but not in vocalization style
I also think Eddie underprices his watches, but that's a separate matter.
But don't you think you should be able to charge a premium for heritage (for example) if you think customers value it?
I must get a new Casio F-91W when I can afford one..Of course I am aware
All watches are luxury products.
The key thing with 'value brands' is that basing an agument on 'look what's in it therefore you must be getting a bargain' isn't something that interests me. I like the SB GMT because I like the design, not because it could be worth more if it had a different badge. Looking at the components and assuming that we know how much profit is being made is pointless as we don't know the full story for each one.Probably regret this but...
I happen to agree with you in principle but not in vocalization style
I also think Eddie underprices his watches, but that's a separate matter.
But don't you think you should be able to charge a premium for heritage (for example) if you think customers value it?
I do, however, agree that Eddie will always provide a great watch at a very keen price.
Jeeeesus, this again.
Giles and Miles, they sound like a couple of back ticklers, presenting a day-time tv show on how to sell your house.
The other two make some reasonable watches, but I've not bought one yet.
Last edited by Captainhowdy; 12th September 2012 at 19:32.
I see no issue at all with whatever sort of pricing.
The perceived added value in the most extreme of Veblen products is very real: You dó buy the image, association with heritage or a prestiguos heroïc feat or etc. That ís a real added value when it is percieved as such. It can thus very well be excelent value for money.
That part is however completely detached from the watch as such, from it as a device to measure and display time and has then far greater value in other aspects.
Most of luxury mechanicals are the other thing on the excuse of wearing a watch.
As to the OT question the answer lies in the above.
Nó luxury mechanical is priced in relation to the watch parts value. The bulk of the price is the value of the product as the perceived added value.
How hard is that perception for a specific brand/model?
Last edited by Huertecilla; 12th September 2012 at 19:09.
What he said.
Sat on the fence for ages. Met Giles English (and Eddie, same place!) and was reassured there's passion AND engineering in the watches. Picked up a MBII and love it. Can hardly take the thing off.
Watches are expensive luxuries. You either buy what you want and can afford cos you like it, or you get cold feet wondering what other people will think.
Bremont's are good watches. Actually, much better than that. Qualitatively I'd rate it my best watch, but then the others are either much cheaper or much older and there's a lot of design and thought in a modern watch for it to stand out. Whether you think they're worth it is your decision.
Ant
Ah, apologies I stand corrected. I think I've read somewhere that bead blasted finishes are more resistant to scratches, perhaps that's what I was trying to get across. Both Sinn and Damasko put great store in the various ways that they harden their cases and in the case of Sinn apply other sorts of technologies. Perhaps the OP would be interested in these, I don't know.
If the OP is having an ejection seat firing on him on the way to work (in the above mentioned helicopter*), I doubt that he would have to worry about anything at all ... ever! ;-)
*That being said, there are actually helicopter ejection seats. Just not in the type of chopper mentioned above.
Check the Damasko website regarding their view of the Sinn techniques. Sinns are great watches, with many useful technical tweaks, and older Damaskos are worth it as well.
Personally, I've looked at the current Damaskos and owned a few Sinns and have arranged to buy a SMP quartz instead.
I wouldn't pay much heed to a rival company's view on another's techniques tbh - I'm wearing a 6 year old U1 right now and the case looks brand new, not even a swirly on it. I've never known another watch to resist marks like it.
go Bremont!
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