Renowned German camera manufacturer, Leica is foraying into the horology world with the impressive Monochrom Edition watches that are testament to the timeless elegance and precision of German engineering. Drawing inspiration from the Leica M11 Monochrom camera, the timepieces pay tribute to the principles of black and white photography: light and contrast.
The Leica Monochrom Edition comprises two models: the ZM 1 and the ZM 2 that play with shades of black and grey. Both are handcrafted and developed in collaboration with Lehmann Präzision GmbH, from the initial vision through to the final implementation.
Designer: Leica
From the onset, Leica ZM Monochrom Edition’s minimalist design is devoid of any bright color, with the exception of a red dot from the Leica camera’s shutter button, which finds a place on the crown.
The watches tout satin-finished stainless steel case and PVD coated bezel that absorbs light to reveal depth. This breathtaking design ingenuity is complemented by the domed sapphire crystal beneath which lie the sandblasted aluminum dial topped with black rhodium-plated, diamond-cut, and sandblasted indices.
The Leica ZM1 and ZM 2 Monochrom watches have a lot in common, including hours, minutes and small second display, the transparent caseback, 60 hours of power reserve, and their water resistance of up to 50 meters. The watches are a symbol of Haute Horologie, which besides the casing, shows in the in-house, self-wound mechanical movement and the signature push-crown.
The crown stops the movement when it’s pushed down, resetting the seconds and making the time setting atypical to what the other watchmakers rely on. This places the Leica ZM monochrom edition in a league of its own. The Leica ZM 2 distinguishes itself from the ZM 1 a tad bit with the GMT hand for indicating a second-time zone. It is paired along with a day/night indicator that makes reading two time zones easier with a single set of hands.
The watches come with a handstitched strap made of black calf leather, matching the leather cover of the Leica M11 Monochrom camera in style and durability. The Leica ZM 1 and the ZM 2 are expected to ship in May, starting at €11,550 and €15,450 respectively.
