In 1924, brothers Adolf and Albert Gilomen established A. & A. Gilomen S.A. in Lengnau, Switzerland, and one of the company’s four original watch models was called the Delma. In 1966, Ulrich Wüthrich gained ownership of the company and renamed it Delma. Under Wüthrich’s three-decades-long leadership, Delma released a slew of watches including the Shell Star, Quattro, and Klondike — all of which continue to be part of the brand’s current lineup. In 1996, Wüthrich’s son-in-law Fred Leibundgut took over, and he remains the Chairman and CEO of Delma today, with his son Andreas working closely by his side. To celebrate Delma’s 100th anniversary this year, the family-run watch company unveils the limited-edition Delma 1924 Tourbillon watch, which not only boasts a brand new proprietary 100% Swiss-made movement but is also competitively priced.

The Delma 1924 Tourbillon has a 41mm cushion-shaped case (14mm thick and 47.5mm lug-to-lug) fashioned from 316L stainless steel. Except for the high-polished beveled edges spanning the top and sides, all the other surfaces of the case are satin-brushed. The winding crown, nestled between sloped crown guards, includes an intricately textured surface for easy gripping. The matching brushed steel bracelet fits seamlessly into the 22mm-wide space between the lugs and features semi-circular links in a three-piece construction. The 1924 Tourbillon is accompanied by an additional black Italian calf leather strap, which can easily be swapped in for the bracelet thanks to the quick-release spring bars.

The sable-black dial of Delma’s commemorative tourbillon watch benefits from a grained finish, while the palladium hour and minute hands are lined with white Super-LumiNova BGW9. The lume-filled lozenge-shaped indexes follow the same form as the hands, lending a harmonious look to the face of the watch. There’s also the snailed minute track around the periphery. However, the star of the dial is, of course, the whirling tourbillon at 6 o’clock, making one revolution every 60 seconds and fitted with a blued hand to indicate the seconds.

Caliber DT100.01 is Delma’s first proprietary movement; the company designed it in collaboration with Olivier Mory, Co-founder of BCP Tourbillons. What’s more, despite the need to keep the watch’s pricing accessible, Delma wanted to make sure that the movement was 100% Swiss-made so it turned to local specialists to source the parts. For instance, Atokalpa for the escapements and regulating organs, Gimmel Rouages for the gear trains, Tavadec for the transmissions and mechanisms, KIF Parechoc for the screws and shock absorbers, Générale Ressorts for the barrels, and Ora Temps and CV Décor for movement finishing. The resulting effort is a 19-jewel hand-wound tourbillon movement operating at a frequency of 21,600 vph and regulated in six positions for an average daily rate of -4/+6 seconds. The Delma Caliber DT100.01 comes equipped with a generous power reserve of 105 hours, a variable-inertia balance for superior precision, shock protection up to 5,000 G, and magnetic resistance up to 2,000 gauss. Overall, an excellent modern execution of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s patented mechanism from over two centuries ago.

As is customary with fine watchmaking, the movement is also beautifully decorated and intricately finished — much of which is visible through the sapphire caseback.  For example, the baseplate is embellished with perlage, the bridges are decorated with Côtes de Genève, and a smattering of blued screws, ruby bearings, and gold gears add some color to the ruthenium-treated, dark gray finished movement.

Tourbillon watches, particularly Swiss-made ones, are traditionally exceedingly expensive. However, Delma has always sought to deliver a high-quality price-ratio and it retained this ethos with the 1924 Tourbillon model. The Delma 1924 Tourbillon is limited to just 100 pieces and will initially be sold on a “souscription” (subscription) basis from January 16 to March 16, 2024, for a pre-order price of $9,900 USD. Following that period, the watch will go on general sale for $13,900 USD at authorized Delma retailers. For more information about the Delma 1924 Tourbillon, please visit the brand’s website. 

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