The jQuery delay function only works on functions added to the fx queue (functions like fadeIn or slideDown). css is not one of these functions (try to delay any other non-fx-queue aware function and it won't work either).

From the docs:

Added to jQuery in version 1.4, the .delay() method allows us to delay the execution of functions that follow it in the queue. It can be used with the standard effects queue or with a custom queue. Only subsequent events in a queue are delayed; for example this will not delay the no-arguments forms of .show() or .hide() which do not use the effects queue.

jQuery delay is not a substitute for the native JS setTimeout, which in this case would probably be the way to go. You could, for example, do something like this (working example here):

$('#newMessage1').css('border','2px solid #ffa800');

setTimeout(function() { 
    $("#newMessage1").css('border','2px solid #000000'); 
}, 1000);