Leica Introduces a Pair of New Watches Inspired by their M11 Monochrom Camera

The worlds of photography and horology are inextricably linked in a number of ways. Both, of course, deal in precision. And time is essential to watchmaking in a very obvious way, and to photography in more subtle ways – the length of an exposure, of course, but also in how an image captures a single moment, and how many images, across a longer period of time, give us a particular impression of a subject. It shouldn’t be surprising to anyone that the Venn Diagram between these two pursuits covers so much shared ground, and it similarly shouldn’t be shocking that established brands in each enthusiast area have made attempts to explicitly link their products to those of their counterpart. Zach just brought us a review of an interesting photography themed watch from Horage, and now we have news of a new watch from Leica, the well respected German camera manufacturer. 

As seasoned as Leica is in the world of cameras, they are brand new to watches, only dipping into the space last year with their debut collection. This new pair of watches represent what is essentially a new colorway for the watches that were unveiled last year. The new ZM 1 and ZM 2 references seen here are inspired by Leica’s latest black and white only camera, the M11 Monochrom. These Monochrom Edition watches, as you’ve probably guessed, have been sapped of all color, with a dial that is essentially black on black, with only the most minimal stark white accents on the dial that draw your attention to the watch’s power reserve and day/night indicator functionality.

What’s interesting about the Leica watches is that they are considerably more than watches made in a design language related to the brand’s cameras. They certainly are that, and we’d expect nothing less, but Leica deserves some credit for including some additional functionality and details in these watches that attempt to make feel as distinct as their cameras and lenses, which are thought of by many serious photographers as Best In Class in terms of their quality. These watches have a unique party trick, in that the push of a button embedded in the crown stops the movement and immediately brings the seconds hand back to zero. This is meant to make time setting more elegant and precise, and offers the wearer an opportunity to interact with the watch in a way that they simply don’t with other watches. The red pusher (the only bit of color on the watch) is designed to have the same satisfying tactile feedback as a Leica shutter.

The ZM 1 and ZM 2 differ only slightly in how they are used. The ZM 1 is a time and date model with a power reserve indicator, and the ZM 2 adds a second time function (via an outer ring at the dial’s perimeter) and a day/night indicator. Both calibers are hand wound, and Leica refers to them as “in house” (they also note that they have a patent on the push-crown mechanism). Both watches measure 41mm in diameter, have 50 meters of water resistance, and are equipped with sapphire crystals on the front and back of the case, which is stainless steel with a black PVD coating. 

The new watches are expected to be available at select Leica stores across the world beginning later in May. The retail price for the ZM 1 comes in at €11,550, while the ZM 2 retails for €15,450. Leica