If you regularly read ONEWATCH, you'll know that we have a certain affection for luxury watchmaking... Nonetheless, we love horology in general and consider the whole spectrum of the market, including more affordable watches. However, we have our criteria: the first rule is mechanics. Secondly, there must be an excellent price-to-quality ratio. Here, Delma comes to the rescue, a Swiss company that has been producing watches for several decades and now specializes in affordable tool watches. Following a strong collection of diving watches, including tool watches with a depth rating of 4,000 meters, the brand has also released field watches for all-terrain use. Today, we will review these Delma Cayman Field Watches - a high-performance value proposition.
In recent years, Delma has created a strong collection of water or marine-themed watches, all distinguished by attractive designs, respectable automatic movements, and very satisfying quality. These include the impressive Blue Shark III, watches designed for deep-sea exploration (resistant to pressures of up to 400 ATM or 4,000 meters), or the Cayman Automatic, a classic diver model with 500m water resistance and a slightly vintage design, all at a fraction of the price of the usual suspects.
The case, bezel, and movement of the Cayman, which also comes with a GMT movement and world-time bezel, are made from the same material as the classic Field model but do not compromise the technical specifications of previous models. In this case, the case has not undergone any changes and provides the same 500m water resistance thanks to a screw-down crown and a thick domed sapphire crystal with rather good anti-reflective coating. The case dimensions are 42mm in diameter and 13.3mm in height, which seems quite reasonable given its robustness.
Despite being advertised as "field" watches, the Delma Cayman Field retains the unidirectional bezel of the classic model. The 60-minute scale is applied to a black anodized aluminum insert, and a luminescent pearl marks the zero position day or night. This means these watches, primarily intended for land exploration, are also very capable diving watches. In short, they are watches for any adventure. The watch case is made from classic 316L stainless steel and has a matte finish with beautiful polished bevels on the sides of the lugs, enhancing the overall sense of quality. Considering the price (less than 1,000 Swiss francs), the watch indeed makes a well-made impression.
What has truly changed in these Delma Cayman Field Watches is the dial. Gone is the matte surface characteristic of classic models with applied dot hour markers. Instead, the new edition features a matte black dial with painted baton markers and Arabic numerals at the "12," "6," and "9" o'clock positions, coated with beige luminescent Super-LumiNova. Another interesting feature is the additional 13-to-24-hour scale, a nod to military/field watches of the past. The date is located at the "3 o'clock" position and is highlighted in white. Simple yet legible rhodium-plated hands indicate the time.
Inside the case, the brand has installed the time-tested automatic Sellita SW 200-1 movement, a clone of the venerable ETA 2824 architecture. Solid, sufficiently accurate, and easy to maintain, it is a reasonable choice that keeps the price in check. It is visible through a sapphire case back with a gold-plated rotor and Delma logo.
Finally, to enhance the military, exploratory look of the watch, Delma offers the Cayman Field on a sturdy light khaki canvas strap with a steel buckle. You can also choose a black rubber strap or a stainless steel mesh bracelet.
Availability and Price
The Delma Cayman Field Watch is now available at retail and on the brand's website. The price is 990 Swiss francs, which is very decent considering the overall quality of the watch.
For more detailed information and to order, please visit www.delma.ch.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – DELMA CAYMAN FIELD
Case: diameter 42mm x height 13.3mm - stainless steel case, matte with polished accents - unidirectional bezel with 60-minute scale on aluminum insert, with luminous pearl - sapphire crystal front and back - screw-down crown - water-resistant to 500m
Dial: matte black dial with 24-hour military-style time indication - painted SLN markers - hands filled with SLN
Movement: Sellita SW 200-1 - automatic - 25 jewels - 28,800 vibrations/hour - 38-hour power reserve - hours, minutes, seconds (hacking), date
Strap: light khaki canvas strap with steel buckle - (also available black rubber strap or steel mesh bracelet)
Availability: available now on the brand's website
Price: 990 SWISS FRANCS
