Leica's first watches are just as pricey as its cameras

First unveiled in 2018, Leica's first watches are finally ready and available in retail.

Dubbed the L1 and L2, these watches were designed by Professor Achim Heine, who has worked on numerous Leica products in the past.

Featuring 41mm large stainless steel cases, the two watches have subtle references to Leica's history. The knurling on the crowns, for example, was inspired by the shutter buttons of Leica cameras. Similarly, the domed sapphire crystal is supposed to mimic the look of camera lens.

Both the L1 and L2 feature black dials with a date window at three o'clock, subsidiary seconds at six o'clock, and a discreet power reserve indicator at eight o'clock.

The difference between the two is that the L2 is a dual-time watch. So it has a 24-hour ring that can be adjusted using the second GMT crown. It also has a day-night indicator next to the date window.

The movement within was designed in collaboration with Lehmann Präzision. It's visible through a sapphire display case back and has a handsome architecture with prominent bridges. It's a hand-wound movement with a power reserve of 60 hours, so you'll probably need to wind it every two days or so.

An interesting feature of the movement is its zero reset seconds hand, which is an uncommon feature at this price point. The crown can be pushed down like a shutter button and that instantly resets the seconds hand which makes it easy for owners to sync their watches to a reference time.

Availability and pricing

Unfortunately for Leica fans, these watches are just as pricey as Leica's cameras. The Leica L1 is $14,950 while the L2 is $21,300. Both will be available in limited quantities. To register your interest, head over to the online Leica Store.

This article was first published in Hardware Zone.