Titanium Damascus
A composite material made from pure titanium and a high-strength titanium alloy.
Inspired by traditional Damascus steel, this specialty material is created by alternately welding layers of pure titanium Grade 2 and titanium Grade 5. However, producing a watch case from Titanium Damascus presents three significant challenges compared to Damascus steel: forging the titanium composite, etching titanium, and hardening titanium.
The forging process is made extremely complex by combining two materials with vastly different strengths and flow characteristics. Under the high pressure of forging, pure titanium phases tend to flow out from the high-strength titanium layers.
The etching process is also far more demanding than for Damascus steel. Steel can be etched using easily handled sulfuric acid, whereas titanium, known for its high chemical resistance, cannot be treated with conventional etching methods. Etching Titanium Damascus requires strict safety precautions and is carried out using hydrofluoric acid (HF).
A Damascus pattern on an untreated surface can quickly lose its appeal when numerous fine scratches blur its organic contours. Therefore, surface hardening is essential for Damascus materials. At SINN, a unique Tegiment Technology has been developed specifically for titanium, with the hardening process also performed entirely in-house.
In 2024, a watch case made of Titanium Damascus was introduced in our 1800 model series. To fully showcase the uniqueness of this material combination, the dial of this model is an integral part of the case ring. As a result, the organic patterns of the dial seamlessly continue onto the case ring.
