Damascus Steel testing at the Royce Institute

At McQuaide, we take pride in not only designing unique Damascus Steel watches, but also in ensuring the authenticity and quality of the materials we use. To provide further transparency, we recently sent an offcut of the Damascus Steel watch case material to the Royce Institute for advanced materials testing.

What is the Royce Institute?

The Henry Royce Institute, based in Manchester, UK, is the UK’s national institute for advanced materials research. It brings together world-leading expertise in materials science to deliver cutting-edge testing and innovation. By working with their researchers, we were able to analyse the steel used in the McQuaide Q1 watch case with industry-leading equipment.

What testing was carried out?

The offcut sample of Damascus Steel was subjected to a range of microscopy and spectroscopy techniques:

• SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) – to examine the surface at very high magnification.

• SE (Secondary Electrons) – creating a topographic map to reveal fine surface details of the steel.

• BSE (Back Scattered Electrons) – highlighting differences in atomic number contrast, which makes variations between the two steel alloys more visible.

• EDS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) – used to map and identify the elemental composition of the sample.

What is SEM?

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) uses a focused electron beam to scan a surface, producing detailed, high-resolution images. This allowed us to examine the microstructure of the Damascus Steel billet, including the way the two alloys were forged and layered together.

What is SE and BSE imaging?

• Secondary Electrons (SE) show the fine topography of a material—essentially a 3D map of its surface. This is ideal for seeing the texture of Damascus Steel.

• Back Scattered Electrons (BSE) measure differences in atomic number, allowing us to visualise the contrast between the 316L and 304L stainless steels used in the billet.

What is EDS analysis?

Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) works by detecting X-rays emitted from the sample when it is bombarded with electrons. Each element emits a unique X-ray "fingerprint", allowing us to determine which elements are present.

In our analysis, the EDS mapping focused on Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), and Molybdenum (Mo), the key elements in stainless steels. The EDS map showed clear differences between the two alloys layered in the Damascus Steel, confirming the characteristic forged patterning.

What were the results of the analysis?

The results showed that Spectrum 8 was consistent with 316L stainless steel and spectrum 7 was consistent with 304L stainless steel, which are the alloys we use in all McQuaide Damascus Steel watch cases. While this was not a full quantitative analysis to measure the exact percentage of each element, the spectrum comparison confirmed the composition and authenticity of the materials.

Why is this important?

Testing at the Royce Institute provides scientific validation of the materials we use and ensures that the McQuaide Q1 Damascus Steel watch is built with the highest quality stainless steels. For us, it’s not just about telling a story—it’s about showing the science behind it.