Everything appears to be going monochrome these days. Today Leica is expanding its horological catalogue with the ZM1 and ZM2 Monochrom Watch Editions. Designed to coincide with the launch of the M11 Monochrom camera, the watches complement the L1 and L2 watches which were introduced in early 2022. Both tell the time in black and white.
According to Leica, “the distinctive design of the Leica ZM watches follows the Monochrom camera series by removing all colours and silver tones, except for the red dot, in order to achieve a truly minimalist aesthetic”.
“Beneath the anti-reflective and strongly curved sapphire crystal are the black rhodium-plated, diamond cut, sandblasted indices, and hands. The case is PVD-coated stainless steel (316L), and the dial, including its feet, is milled from a solid block of high-strength aluminium to reinforce its shock resistance. Both the ZM1 and ZM2 also retain the patented push-crown as on the L1 and L2, which, with a simple push, stops the movement from working, resets the seconds hand to zero and enables easy time-setting. The Leica ZM 2 has an additional feature as a GMT watch (Greenwich Mean Time), which, together with a day/night indicator, allows the wearer to read two different time zones with a single set of hands.”
The Leica ZM Monochrom Editions will be available for purchase from Leica Camera London and selected stores worldwide from 15 May 2023, priced at £9,900.00 (including 20% VAT) for the Leica ZM1 Monochrom and £13,300 for the Leica ZM2 Monochrom.
Exploring new territory with the new Leica L2 watch (Hodinkee)
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I think they are quite beautiful. Leica would not market them if there was no market. I am especially delighted if it adds to their funds for development of camera and lenses.
The sad thing for me is that there are interesting and desirable offerings from Leica, like the Reporter and Ghost models, yet they launch two watches without seemingly looking at the watch market for what else is available. Chutzpah?
Leica could have gone to Nomos, based in Glashutte, and produced some limited run watches with real German pedigree in-house movements, and given themselves some authenticity. Instead they offer watches with off-the-shelf bought in movements and charge many thousands more than they’re worth. Sad.
The movements aren’t off the shelf at all.
They’ve been developed from the ground up, as I understand.
Besides, I haven’t seen the push-crown thing done anywhere else, I believe.
Mono pushers are actually quite common. Lerhman the movement maker is not known as a top draw maker of movements, but they are German.
I think it would be quite a departure from their current line up for Nomos to partner with Leica on something as ‘aggressive’ and ‘stealth’ as these monochrome/greytone offerings. I do not know much about the Lehrmann outfit who have built the movement. For the price, there are many alternative and impressive watches with in-house movements I would buy rather than these two models. I have a Nomos Lambda hand-winder which is superb. A Tudor Back Bay GMT would be another option which costs much less and would be a much better investment methinks.
What Abbott and Costello could do to this would be memorable!
To celebrate the release of the M11-D, Leica may offer the ZM-D, which has no visible watch face at all.
“Beneath the anti-reflective and strongly curved sapphire crystal is the black rhodium-plated, diamond cut, sandblasted and completely blank face”.
The ZM-D “..also retains patented push-crown as on the L1 and L2, which, with a simple push, stops the movement from working” [sic – see above].
The best bit ..The Leica ZM-D will be available for purchase from Leica Camera London and selected stores worldwide from 15 May 2023, priced at £15,900.00 (including 20% VAT) for the Leica ZM-D, and £21,300 for the Leica ZM-D Special (which has no movement in it at all).
Now, now, David. This is a serious matter. Spending £13,000 on a Monochrom Watch is definitely not an easy decision. Add in a Leica M11 Monochrom and a Moctilux, and you could spend twice that in one transaction using your American Express World Monochrom card. I report things as they are. I will leave the comments to readers.
I was thinking…they may offer an app where you could check the time, instead of on the watch itself… 🤣
I hope it is not the fotos app