Originally announced in 2018, the Leica L1 and L2 wristwatches have finally made it to market.
Legendary camera-maker Leica can trace its history back to 1869, when it was created under the name of its founder, Ernst Leitz, in Wetzlar, Germany. That brand recognition, history and reputation for exceptional engineering and design have prompted Leica to move into watches, an industry with many shared values.
“I am very happy that this long-term project is now ready to be presented. I believe that, together with our partners, we have succeeded in developing a Made in Germany watch that is representative of Leica and embodies the values of our premium brand,” said Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, chairman of the supervisory board and majority owner of Leica Camera.
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Developed from the ground up for Leica, the calibre features useful complications like a 60-hour power reserve and hacking; water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters, and zero-reset seconds.
Both models are manually wound, with movements developed in collaboration with Lehmann Präzision that can be seen through the sapphire crystal case backs. A ruby set into the push-to-set crown recalls Leica’s iconic red dot, while the power reserve indicator is similar to one of the company’s past light meters.
A 41mm stainless steel case is shared between the two models, and while the L2 gains a GMT function via an internal rotating bezel, a day/night indicator and an alligator leather strap, the two are very similar, with precise indices and hands; a dedicated pusher for advancing the date, and a style that’s unmistakably Leica.
As expected, both watches carry hefty price tags, with the Leica L1 costing $10,000 and the Leica L2 going for $14,000. The timepieces are available for purchase now exclusively at select Leica Stores, with additional retailers being announced soon.