For the past 170 years, Leica has carved a reputation for being a leader in the premium optics segment. Now Leica embarks on a new business evolution with its first pair of premium watches.
Yes, you read right, Leica is now in the watchmaking business with a pair of new Leica watches. And mind you, it’s not just a ‘collaborative’ effort with the name of the brand plastered onto a timepiece. These are ‘proper’ timepieces, which bring together the pillars the brand is renowned for – quality design, functionality, durability and engineering excellence.
Picture Perfect Timepieces
Established in 1849, Leica has developed optical lenses for a wide variety of uses ranging from photography to microscopes. In 1914, Leica made a transition into the world of photography with the first 35-mm compact camera. Immediately, the brand single-handedly revolutionised photography. Now, as it sets its sights on the world of watches, Leica is par for course for doing the same in horology.
Leica first alluded to its foray into watches back in 2018. Now, though, the company has officially unveiled its latest additions to the Leica family in the form of the Leica L1 and Leica L2. The two remarkable timepieces feature a patented push crown and a design inspired by previous engineering masterpieces made in Wetzlar.
The watches’ exterior was conceptualised by Professor Achim Heine, who has designed numerous Leica products in the past – giving him a profound understanding of the company’s aesthetic principles. As a result, both timepieces contain subtle references to signature features from Leica’s rich history.
These include, for example, the delicate design of the watch hands and applied indices, the shape of the intricate stainless-steel case, the special knurling on the crowns, and the domed watch glass that recalls the front element of a camera lens.
A True Representation Of The Brand
Both Leica watches are a perfect combination of design and mechanical engineering. Besides the domed front crystal and the flat transparent back made of scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with double-sided anti-reflective coating, both watch models are distinguished by the patented push crown and its correlating status indicator on the dial.
The push crown’s ability to reset the small second hand to zero is also a unique feature and adds yet another practical purpose to this aesthetically pleasing design element. Both models are powered by a complete newly developed mechanical movement with manual winding. The movement is visible through the transparent back made of resilient sapphire crystal.
Maintaining the ‘Made in Germany’ designation was extremely important to Leica, which is why the company entered into a partnership with Lehmann Präzision GmbH. As a result, the movement and most of the watches’ components were developed and produced in the Lehmann factory in Germany’s Black Forest region, ensuring an exceptional level of vertical range of manufacturing.
The Leica L1 and Leica L2 is available at the Leica Store Singapore Raffles Hotel. The timepieces retail for S$14, 950 and S$21,300 respectively.
(Images: Leica)
