In Partnership – Gatherings: Celebrating the Art of Swiss Timekeeping with Leica
The Leica Store in New York’s Meatpacking District is perhaps best known to fans of the brand’s cameras, lenses, sport optics, and laser projectors, but recently, it played host to a select group of watch collectors and enthusiasts eager to experience Leica’s Swiss-made timepieces. In addition to trying on the new ZM 12 collection of Leica watches, some 80 members of the Hodinkee community sipped Bruichladdich cocktails while Hodinkee Editor TanTan Wang and Henrik Ekdahl, Managing Director of Ernst Leitz Werkstätten GmbH (Leica’s watchmaking division), hosted a convivial discussion and Q&A about the new collection.
As the maker of the coveted M-System of rangefinder cameras and creator of the world’s first mass-produced 35mm camera, the Leica I, Leica has been the choice of professional and enthusiast photographers for over a century. As a watchmaker, however, Leica is a relative newcomer, having released its first collection, the ZM 1 and ZM 2, just three years ago. In an industry rooted in centuries of tradition, new watch brands are often greeted with skepticism, but Leica’s timepieces have won over many new fans in short order. This is thanks to a unique design language, the expertise of some of Germany’s and Switzerland’s most skilled movement-makers, and an overall attention to detail on par with its hand built cameras.
Despite the obvious differences between cameras and watches, guests at the event might have been surprised to learn that watchmaking is actually an integral part of the Leica story. Among several interesting bits of Leica lore revealed by Henrik Ekdahl during his chat with TanTan Wang was the fact that Leica’s founder, Ernst Leitz I, began his career in horology, working for a Swiss watchmaker before establishing his own company in 1870. In addition to delving into the fascinating history of the Leica brand, the focus of their conversation was the new Leica ZM 12 collection. Consisting of four models, the ZM 12 Steel Blue Orange, ZM 12 Steel Silver Grey, ZM 12 Steel Olive Black, and ZM 12 Titanium Chocolate Black, the collection embodies the latest step in Leica’s evolution as a watchmaker.
Like the ZM 11 collection revealed in 2023, the new watches feature a distinctive dual-layered dial whose horizontal lines create an ever-changing play of light and shadow that’s contrasted by a smooth sub-seconds dial at six o’clock. At 39mm, its case is notably two millimeters smaller than 2023’s ZM 11, a change that will make it more appealing to those who prefer mid-sized cases.
Similar to the ZM 11, the ZM 12 is powered by the Leica Boutique Calibre LA-3002, a movement created in collaboration with Le Locle-based specialist Chronode. With a timekeeping accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day and a power reserve of 60 hours, the ZM 12’s impressive specs put it on par with movements from some of Switzerland’s best watch brands, not to mention anything else bearing the Leica name. It also features a screw-down crown and a 100m water resistance rating conforming to ISO 2281 standards, making it a versatile and reliable accessory for travel and adventure. Leica fans will likewise be drawn to the ZM 12’s subtler features including a range of straps (easily interchangeable by pressing Leica’s red dot logo on the reverse) and an exhibition case back.
For those members of the Hodinkee community already enamored of Leica’s industry-leading cameras and lenses, the opportunity to discover details like these in the refined environs of the Leica boutique made the ZM 12 even more appealing. For those new to the world of the esteemed German brand, it served as a welcome introduction to Leica’s ever-expanding world of precision engineering, fine art, and — most recently — Swiss timekeeping.
This event was produced in partnership with Leica
Hodinkee