Delma Continental Bicompax Chronograph
Retro and sporty 1960s styling with multiple case and dial options.
Founded in 1924 in Lengnau, Switzerland, Delma has remained a family-run, independent brand with a focus on sports watches. Its latest collection, the Continental, celebrates the 1960s with a series of Bicompax Chronograph watches that are a reissue of sorts of the brand’s chronographs from that era. Bold steel cases and bracelets coupled with large twin sub-dials create a classic, timeless aesthetic. A variety of dial colour combinations and a two-tone yellow gold PVD option should satisfy most tastes.
The 42mm 316L stainless steel case combines polished and brushed elements, typical of the 1960s, with a narrow bezel that helps emphasize the dial. A somewhat flat, oversized signed crown is flanked by two pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock to engage the chronograph functions. The seven-link steel bracelet continues the polished and brushed aesthetic and comes with a butterfly clasp with pushers. The dial is protected by a domed sapphire crystal, the caseback is solid and the watch is water-resistant to 100 metres.
There are five dial colours with a panda and reversed panda option, and the watch comes in silver, black, blue, brown and green. All dials have a sunray-brushed finish and the two sub-dials feature a guilloché pattern. A 30-minute counter sits at 3 o’clock with the small seconds at 9 o’clock, and a date window is tastefully placed at 6 o’clock. The central chronograph seconds hand is a contrasting red, while the hour/minute hands and applied indices all have Super-LumiNova. An internal, angled tachymeter spans the outermost perimeter.
Two different movements are available for the Delma Continental Bicompax Chronograph, one being a Ronda Z50 chronograph quartz to keep prices under EUR 1,000. The mechanical option is a Sellita SW 510 automatic with 27 jewels, 28,800vph (4Hz) and a 48-hour power reserve. This movement is a clone of the Valjoux 7750 and has a proven track record of reliability and it will do the job perfectly in this accessible context. Functions include central hours, minutes and chronograph seconds, sub-dial seconds at 9 o’clock, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and date at 6 o’clock.
The automatic Delma Continental Bicompax Chronograph models are priced at CHF 2,600 or EUR 2,800 for the standard models and CHF 2,700 or EUR 2,900 for the two-tone yellow gold PVD option. For more information, visit Delma’s website.