INTRODUCING: The Delbana Rotonda gets perked up with a range of new colours
Fergus NashWe’ve paid a lot of attention to the re-emerging Delma recently, a Swiss brand with nearly a century of unbroken history that not enough people knew about. It may also surprise you to learn that around 20 years ago, Delma integrated another brand into their company with a similar story — and that brand is Delbana. Founded in 1933 by Goliardo Della Balda, Delbana is still operating with Goliardo’s grandson’s involvement despite its ownership overhaul. After much success with their vast catalogue in the Middle East, Delbana are now releasing some more colourful versions of the Rotonda field watch.
The Delbana Rotonda brings some fresh twists to a classic design, using the field watch archetype as a base for what then becomes quite refined and almost dressy. The case has a smooth and sweeping profile, with polished lugs that lean into the luxury side of things. The sizing is a crowd-pleasing 40mm, with a 47mm lug-to-lug length and only 11.5mm thick, meaning it should suit most wrists well. The bezel is fairly thin, giving the dial lots of presence on the wrist. The crown is unguarded in a neat vintage style, with a push/pull construction that makes adjustment quick and easy.
The centre of the Delbana Rotonda features a large sector with an intricate guilloché pattern unlike many others, and it’s this centrepiece which deviates between each of the new references. While the original Rotonda was only available in black, the current lineup also includes a deep forest green, a vibrant midnight blue, a pale and tasteful yellow, and a more stoic copper. Each colour finds its own personality within the watch, and is tonally matched to a different shade of leather strap. The sand and copper dials are also available with a yellow-gold PVD coating on their stainless-steel cases, bringing up the warmth for something a little more flashy.
Powering the Delbana Rotonda, and visible from the display caseback with mineral crystal, is the Sellita SW200 movement. This should come as no surprise to those who know their calibres, as the Sellita SW200 may have even overtaken the ETA 2824 as the most common off-the-shelf Swiss movement sold currently. Being a very near clone of the 2824, its reliability and affordability make it the perfect choice for a daily wearer and the accuracy is often far better than the parameters specified from the factory. With a 4Hz beat rate, 38 hour power reserve, and a date window at 3 o’clock, it’s got everything you need for a great mechanical watch experience.
The Delbana Rotonda pricing and availability:
The Delbana Rotonda is available for purchase at Delbana’s website here. Price: US$1,400 (Steel) / US$1,500 (Gold PVD)
| Brand | Delbana |
| Model | Rotonda |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm x 47mm x 11.5mm |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front, mineral back |
| Dial | Black, blue, green, yellow, copper |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap | Leather |
| Movement | SW200 |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | US$1,400 (Steel) / US$1,500 (Gold PVD) |