Delma Midland Automatic Watch Review
The Delma Midland Automatic is a new entrant in the elegant sports watch segment. The execution of the dial, case and integrated bracelet are hugely impressive and serve to reinforce the Swiss brand’s reputation for simultaneously delivering quality and value.
Delma watch
Some pop bands appear incapable of varying their style, churning out the same type of music, again and again. Moreover, there are several actors who have tasted success playing one character and then, opting to ‘play it safe’, continue performing similar roles thereafter. Likewise, some watch companies create a best-seller, a so-called ‘iconic watch’, and then, having seen the money roll-in, continue creating ‘animations’ of the same model, time after time.
In my opinion, there is little virtue in mediocrity or playing it safe, even if it keeps the bean counters happy. Ambition fuels creativity and in turn delivers freshness. Delma is a family-owned brand that has continuously delivered new and interesting watches.
I think it was at Baselworld 2019 that I first encountered Delma, albeit my memory is not what it used to be. However, one thing is certain, I have never forgotten how impressed I was at the time with the firm’s products and, in particular, the impressive quality/price ratio they conferred.
Delma Blue Shark III
Some time ago, the brand kindly provided me with a Delma Blue Shark III for a weeklong period of ‘hands-on’ evaluation. Measuring 47 mm in diameter, this divers’ watch is certainly no shrinking violet. On the contrary, it makes a statement with its bright orange dial, fulsome hour and minute hands and its hewn-from-granite robustness. Designed for professional use, the Delma Blue Shark III is water resistant to 4000 m, features a helium valve and incorporates a tried and tested Swiss ETA movement. I suspect that in a post-apocalyptic world, the über-robust Delma Blue Shark III would undoubtedly remain unscathed. When I returned the watch, I vowed to buy one at some future point, but alas, it still remains on my lengthy wish list.
Delma – a multi-talented performer
Having enjoyed my time with the Delma Blue Shark III, I’ve since visited the company’s headquarters in Lengnau where I was able to evaluate more models at close quarters. It would be fair to say, unlike an actor who solely plays one character in a soap opera, Delma is certainly not typecast. Indeed, it may have produced an impressive array of divers’ watches, but it has also produced Worldtimers, Chronographs and, to coincide with its centenary, a tourbillon.
Recently, the brand unveiled the Midland Automatic, an elegant sports watch equipped with an intricately textured dial, an integrated metal bracelet and a Swiss Sellita movement. Moreover, this latest model from Delma is offered in an array of dial hues. At this stage, I can already reveal that I’m smitten. Allow me to elaborate.
Delma Midland Automatic – dial
The Delma Midland Automatic dwells in a segment occupied by some of the finest practitioners of Haute Horlogerie. Admittedly, it does not feature a Manufacture movement, nor is it adorned with mirror-polishing and hand-bevelled bridges; its modest pricing precludes this. Nevertheless, it does exhibit the elegant sports watch look widely associated with Gérald Genta and his iconic creations the Royal Oak and Nautilus.
The watch is offered in a choice of six dial hues. These include the usual suspects of black, white and royal blue, but also extend to captivating shades of salmon, evergreen and, my personal favourite, ice blue. The dial epidermis is suffused with a series of pyramidal structures that delightfully cast contrasting soupçons of light and shade. It is this masterful play with depths and textures that has come to define this genre of watch.
The silver-toned hour and minute hands have truncated tips and are lined with Super-LumiNova. The applied indexes are faceted and, once again, lined with luminescent fill. The central sweep seconds hand is endowed with a prominent red tip and, finally, a date display resides at 3 o’clock. And that’s it. I don’t mean this as a criticism; quite the opposite. It is the simplicity of the display, free of unnecessary clutter, that contributes to the elegant appearance of this watch as well as its day-to-day practicality it affords.
Image – Delma Midland with Ice blue dial (this example has a quartz movement, but otherwise it’s identical to the Automatic model)
Delma Midland Automatic – case
When Monsieur Genta unveiled the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak back in 1972, he effectively gentrified stainless steel. Prior to the release of the iconic model, the esteemed Maison had always favoured noble metals. Several other high-end brands then went on to use stainless steel not solely for their utilitarian offerings, but also for some of their elegant sports watches. In addition, nuanced bezel design and integrated steel bracelets were also seen as essential prerequisites for models wanting to compete in this growing market segment.
Returning to the Delma Midland Automatic, its case, measuring 40.5 mm, is formed of stainless steel 316L and is paired with an integrated bracelet. The bezel is a fluted design and the crown nestles between the broad shoulders of a protector. When it comes to the elegant sports watch, the Delma Midland ticks all the boxes.
Image – Delma Midland with Ice blue dial (this example has a quartz movement, but otherwise it’s identical to the Automatic model)
Furthermore, despite its egalitarian pricing, Delma has enriched the watch with some subtle refinements seldom found at this price point. I am sure these nuanced details will continue imparting ownership delight long after the packaging has been discarded (Note – collectors never do this). For instance, the case and bracelet are brushed, while the edges of the case are bevelled and highly polished. Likewise, the edges of the bracelet links, folding clasp and pushers also evince a polished lustre.
To the rear of the case, a pane of sapphire crystal grants sight of a tried and tested Swiss automatic movement, the Sellita SW200-1. Delma also offers a quartz version of the Midland; however, speaking as a purist, I would always favour for the mechanical option.
Closing remarks
The Delma Midland Automatic is imbued with integrity. Housed in a stainless steel 316L case with an integrated bracelet, the watch is beautifully detailed and, measuring 40.5 mm, it should suit the majority of potential buyers. The intricately textured dial proves sublime. Moreover, the hands and indexes impart meaning clearly and without any unnecessary fuss.
But perhaps most of all, this watch is eminently practical. Indeed, it’s ideally suited to daily use, water resistant to 100 m, simple to read, automatic and looks equally as stylish with jeans or formal attire. Put simply, the Delma Midland Automatic, like the brand itself, is a highly versatile performer.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Delma Midland Automatic
- Case: stainless steel, diameter 40.5 mm, height 14 mm, water resistance 10 ATM (100 metres), sapphire crystal to the front and rear
- Functions: hours, minutes, centre seconds, date
- Movement: Sellita SW200-1, automatic movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz); 26 jewels, power reserve 38 hours
- Strap: brushed integrated stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp and pushers.
- Price: CHF 1,250 / £1,150 (RRP as of 21.8.2024)