Seemingly bored of making some of the world's best cameras, Leica has now turned its hand to the luxury watch sector, with the news that the Leica L1 and Leica L2 mechanical watches, which were first announced in 2018, are now available to buy.
The watches are being made in Leica's new “Ernst Leitz Werkstätten” – a workshop designed for producing things other than high-performing cameras.
The design of the L1 and L2 was inspired by the creativity and precision of the world-famous brand.
Both models were designed by Professor Achim Heine, who has been overlooking the brand's design output for many years.
You can find countless Leica design elements throughout both watches (without it becoming too obvious), from the elegance of the hands and indexes, to the shape of the finely-detailed stainless-steel case, and the cambered shape of the glass that is reminiscent of a camera lens.
Both models feature a manual winding mechanical movement which can be viewed through the sapphire crystal case back.
Of course, there's also a little red dot on the crown, a subtle nod to Leica's famous logo.
A large proportion of the components come from manufacturers based in Germanys' Black Forest, and are assembled in Wetzlar, helping the watches achieve the “Made in Germany” seal of approval.
The Leica L1 and L2 are being made in small batches and will be available in select Leica Stores, as well as at watch dealers worldwide, from autumn 2018.
The Leica L1 and Leica L2 watches are available at Leica Store Mayfair and select Leica Stores Worldwide. The recommended retail price is £8,600.00 for the Leica L1, and £12,000.00 for the L2.
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