Leica Camera AG has released the ZM 1 and ZM 2, two mechanical watches that draw inspiration from the brand's photography heritage. These timepieces feature innovative designs and movements crafted to echo the precision of Leica's cameras. A hands-on review highlights their craftsmanship and niche appeal to Leica enthusiasts.
Leica's entry into watchmaking builds on a historical foundation. Ernst Leitz, the brand's founder, trained as a watchmaker in Switzerland during the 1850s before establishing the company known for microscopes and later cameras. The brand previously ventured into timepieces with Valjoux 7750-powered chronographs in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as a collaboration with Valbray on the EL1 Chronograph Leica Limited Edition. The ZM 1 and ZM 2 models originated as prototypes introduced in 2018.
Designed by Achim Heine, a professor of product design at the University of the Arts Berlin, the watches emphasize minimalist aesthetics similar to those of German brands like Junghans and Nomos. Each features a 41mm stainless steel case measuring 14.5mm thick with a 48mm lug-to-lug distance. The case design, including downward-sloping lugs and a heavily domed sapphire crystal, evokes the top plate of a Leica M camera. Finishes combine sandblasted, brushed, and polished surfaces for a tactile quality reminiscent of Leica's camera construction.
Functional elements include a pusher at 2 o'clock for date setting and patented push-button crowns at 3 o'clock with red ceramic inlays, modeled after camera shutter releases. The ZM 2 adds a crown at 4 o'clock to operate an inner GMT bezel. Dials are matte black, cut from solid aluminum, with applied hour markers, a sub-seconds register at 6 o'clock, and a power reserve indicator at 9 o'clock inspired by camera shutters. A small running indicator shows white when the movement operates and red when stopped.
The innovative crown pusher allows starting and stopping the movement without unscrewing or pulling the crown, using a patented system with a locking differential and column wheel. Movements, LH-10 for the ZM 1 and LH-20 for the ZM 2, were developed by Reinhard Meis, former head of development at A. Lange & Söhne, and Andreas Strehler, and produced by Lehmann Präzision in Germany. They run at 28,800 vibrations per hour, with 26 jewels, a 60-hour power reserve, and regulation in five positions.
Priced at €9,950 for the ZM 1 and €13,750 for the ZM 2, the watches include black leather straps with red stitching and are produced in limited quantities of 20 to 50 pieces per month. They are available exclusively through Leica boutiques and selected retailers, targeting the brand's dedicated community of camera fans.