The Leica company’s reputation was built on the camera, where a few carefully considered controls can make taking photographs particularly satisfying. Its watches too, bring that same interest in how something looks, works and handles on the wrist. There are familiar references along the way, from a crown that operates like a shutter release, to a strap attachment inspired by a lens mount. Across the ZM collection, short for the German Zeitmesser, or timepiece, these ideas take several forms.

Then there is a historical link, too: in 1863, a young Ernst Leitz I worked with a watchmaker in Switzerland, developing some mechanical skills that would later serve his career in the optics side. Today’s watches draw on that shared concern for precision, legibility and the operation of a mechanical instrument.

Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2

The ZM 1 and ZM 2 provide the starting point to the Leica catalog. Launched commercially in 2022 and originally named as the L1 and L2, the pair was designed by Professor Achim Heine, whose previous work with Leica informed details such as the knurled crowns and domed sapphire crystals reminiscent of camera lenses.

Leica ZM 1

Leica ZM 2

Both the ZM 1 and ZM 2 are housed 41mm stainless steel cases, sapphire display case backs and hand-wound movements developed with Lehmann Präzision in Germany’s Black Forest region, offering a 60 hours power reserve.

The hand-wound movements developed with Lehmann Präzision

View of the power reserved at the caseback

The most distinctive feature here is the patented push-crown. Pressing it stops the movement and returns the small seconds hand to zero, while a dial indicator signals that the watch is ready for the user to set the time. Another press restarts it. On top of that, a date display and a power-reserve indicator uses two moving blades. The ZM 2 adds a second time zone through a rotating 12-hour inner bezel that can read against the exiting hour hand, plus a day/night indicator.

The patented push-crown

Two moving blades used for the power-reserve indicator

A second time zone through a rotating 12-hour inner bezel for ZM 2

Tech Specs: Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2

Movement Hand-wound calibres LH-01 (ZM 1) and LH-02 (ZM 2); 60-hour power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, small seconds, quick-set date, power-reserve and setting-mode indicators; push-crown with seconds reset; ZM 2 has a second time zone and day/night indicator
Case 41 × 14.5 mm; stainless steel; domed sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback; water-resistant to 50 m
Dial Matte black aluminium; rhodium-plated, diamond-cut hands and indices
Strap Black calfskin or alligator leather with pin buckle; stainless steel Milanese bracelet also available
Price From SGD 14,550 (ZM 1); from SGD 20,100 (ZM 2)

Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2 — Monochrom & Urban Green

The Monochrom editions carry those same functions of the ZM 1 and ZM 2 into a darker treatment inspired by Leica’s M11 Monochrom camera. The 41mm stainless steel cases receive a black PVD coating, while black rhodium-plated hands and indices sit against a sandblasted aluminium dial. Differences in surface finish give the display its definition, with the red dot on the crown providing a small accent of color. It’s completed with a clean black calfskin strap, whose grain matches the leather covering of the M11 Monochrom. Hand stitching and cut edges give it a suitably tactile finish.

Leica ZM 1 Monochrom

Leica ZM 2 Monochrom

Urban Green brings a different mood to the hand-wound collection. Introduced in 2025, both versions have aluminium dials with a vertical satin finish beneath a gradient that moves from green to black towards the edge. Rhodium-plated, diamond-cut hands and indices provide contrast, while the domed sapphire crystal preserves the rounded profile of the originals.

Leica ZM 1 Urban Green

Leica ZM 2 Urban Green

Tech Specs: Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2 Monochrom

Movement Hand-wound calibres LH-01 (ZM 1 Monochrom) and LH-02 (ZM 2 Monochrom); 60-hour power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, small seconds, quick-set date, power-reserve and setting-mode indicators; push-crown with seconds reset. ZM 2 Monochrom has a second time zone and day/night indicator
Case 41 × 14.5 mm; stainless steel with black PVD coating; domed sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback; water-resistant to 50 m
Dial Black aluminium; black rhodium-plated hands and indices; black lacquered small seconds hand
Strap Black calfskin with black PVD-coated pin buckle; black PVD-coated stainless steel Milanese bracelet also available
Price From SGD 16,880 (ZM 1 Monochrom); from SGD 22,580 (ZM 2 Monochrom)

Tech Specs: Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2 Urban Green

Movement Hand-wound calibres LH-01 (ZM 1 Urban Green) and LH-02 (ZM 2 Urban Green); 60-hour power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, small seconds, quick-set date, power-reserve and setting-mode indicators; push-crown with seconds reset. ZM 2 Urban Green has a second time zone and day/night indicator
Case 41 × 14.5 mm; stainless steel; domed sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback; water-resistant to 50 m
Dial Aluminium with vertical satin finish and green-to-black fumé gradient; rhodium-plated, diamond-cut hands and indices
Strap Stainless steel Milanese bracelet with deployant clasp, or calfskin/alligator leather with pin buckle
Price From SGD 15,300 (ZM 1 Urban Green); from SGD 20,850 at launch (ZM 2 Urban Green)

Leica ZM 11

The ZM 11 takes the collection towards a sportier direction, pairing a 41mm steel or titanium case with 100 meters of water resistance and automatic winding. Its LA-3001 caliber was developed with Swiss movement specialist Chronode and delivers 60 hours of reserve. Another camera reference appears in the Easy Change system: pressing the red release button allows the bracelet or strap to be exchanged, much like changing lenses. The titanium Launch Edition pairs black and red and is limited to 250 pieces; Titanium Coffee Black offers a warmer dark dial, while Steel Midnight Blue combines blue and black.

Leica ZM 11

Tech Specs: Leica ZM 11

Movement Automatic calibre LA-3001, developed with Chronode; 60-hour power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, central seconds and quick-set date
Case 41 × 13 mm; stainless steel (Midnight Blue) or grade 5 titanium (Coffee Black and Launch Edition); sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback; water-resistant to 100 m
Dial Dual-layered construction; blue/black (Midnight Blue), warm black (Coffee Black) or black/red (Launch Edition); Super-LumiNova on hands and indices
Strap Rubber or fabric strap with pin buckle, or steel/titanium bracelet with butterfly clasp; Easy Change system
Price From SGD 10,970 (Midnight Blue); from SGD 11,720 (Coffee Black or Launch Edition)

Leica ZM 12

For anyone drawn to ZM 11’s horizontally-latticed dials but looking for a smaller case, the ZM 12 brings the diameter to a 39mm. It also moves the seconds display to a subdial at the six o’clock, where concentric circles sit against the dual-layered dial. Inside is the automatic LA-3002, again developed with Chronode, with a 60-hour power reserve. Water resistance remains 100 meters, and Super-LumiNova fills the hands and indices.

Leica ZM 12

The Easy Change system accommodates a selection of bracelets and straps, including beige technical fabric and orange rubber with an inverted Clous de Paris pattern. There are four versions: Steel Silver Grey, Steel Olive Black, Steel Blue Orange and Titanium Chocolate Black.

The Easy Change system

Tech Specs: Leica ZM 12

Movement Automatic calibre LA-3002, developed with Chronode; 60-hour power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes and small seconds
Case 39 × 13 mm; stainless steel or grade 5 titanium; sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback; water-resistant to 100 m
Dial Dual-layered construction; Silver Grey, Olive Black or Blue Orange (steel), or Chocolate Black (titanium); small seconds at six o’clock; Super-LumiNova on hands and indices
Strap Rubber or fabric strap with pin buckle, or steel/titanium bracelet with butterfly clasp; Easy Change system
Price From SGD 9,740 (steel); from SGD 10,540 (titanium)