Bronze’s Back: Delmas new Shell Star Bronze Diver L.E.

The family-owned company Delma, established in 1924, has made a name for itself for serious dive watches since 1924. The launch of the Periscope line in the late 1960s has put the brand on the radars of many divers. It was not until 1975, however, that the Shell Star collection was launched. Its watches were the first Delma watches fully tailored to the professional needs of divers.

Shell Star watches quickly became a real crowd-pleaser – not only among divers – and therefore have a very special place in Delma’s corporate history today.

What now follows is an update in the spirit of the times: With the newly launched Shell Star Bronze, the watch is now also available in bronze, a material that has underwent a surprisingly pleasant resurrection. There are many reasons for this: On the one hand, bronze boasts a very warm color, which can be easily combined, and which simply looks good on the wrist.

Copper with historical relevance

Bronze also has material-related advantages. Copper alloys in general have a considerable resistance to seawater corrosion, even significantly higher than stainless steel. Throughout history, seafarers have mainly used copper-based equipment. Many parts in constant contact with the sea (such as marine propellers) have therefore been crafted of copper alloys.

From a purely historical point of view, this is the reason why the older diving helmets are mainly made of bronze. Nice side effect: Bronze shines less under the water surface than stainless steel. Bronze dive watches thus attract less attention from the underwater world.

Bronze also oxidizes. What sounds peculiar at first is just a simple chemical reaction. As a result thereof, a bronze watch develops a patina over time. Since every patina is different, every oxidized bronze watch looks unique. A thought that many watch enthusiasts fancy: a unique watch on their wrist.

Well prepared for all sorts of underwater endeavors

As you would expect from a high-performance dive watch, the technical features of the new Delma Shell Star Bronze line leave nothing to be desired: screw-down crown, 500m water resistance (and yet an exhibition case back), helium escape valve, hands filled with plenty of Super-LumiNova C3 and an unidirectional rotating bezel. Delma continues to live up to its claim of 1975.

The differently colored dials all come with a sandpaper structure, which in combination with the bronze case results in a toolish-sporty look. The tried-and-tested and Delma-decorated ETA 2824 beats at 28,800 vph, ensuring a smooth and highly precise seconds hand movement.

The watch, limited to 500 pieces, is now available for CHF 1490.- or EUR 1490.-.

The new Delma Shell Star Bronze at a glance:

• Case material: Bronze
• Case diameter: 44mm
• Limited Edition: 500 pieces
• Movement: Automatic
• Caliber: ETA 2824
• Dial: Sand-textured, in three earthy colours: blue, green or brown
• Strap: Distressed leather with contrast stitching
• Water resistance: 500m/1650 ft. (helium escape valve)
• Price: CHF 1490.-/EUR 1490