Other than rumors, it has
been relatively quiet around Leica lately.
Then suddenly a press release of something entirely new and previously
unheard of from Leica: The Leica Watch.
Here is the press release:
With the inauguration of the third phase of the
Leitz-Park, the “Ernst Leitz Werkstätten” commences operations and establishes
a completely new and exclusive product line in the Leica Camera AG portfolio:
mechanically highly complex and sophisticated watches made in small series. The
Ernst Leitz Werkstätten is housed on the latest phase of Leitz-Park and offers
a fascinating insight into the elaborate production of “Made in Germany”
watches through the manufacture’s viewing windows. Their premises include an
assembly workshop, a consulting studio and a store.
Two models – the LEICA L1 and the LEICA L2 – will
initially be available for the launch of the Leica Watch. Both variants draw
their design inspiration from the creativity and precision, the hallmarks of
the world-famous brand from Wetzlar. Both models were designed by Professor
Achim Heine, who was overlooking the design of many Leica Camera products over
the years and has extensive knowledge of the company’s design principles. The
Leica signature look can be found in the countless design elements and features
of the watches: the elegance of the hands and indexes, the shape of the
finely-detailed stainless-steel case, the special fluting on the crown and the
cambered shape of the glass that is reminiscent of a camera lens.
Both models are operated by a mechanical movement with
manual winding, which has been newly developed and can be viewed through the
glass case back made of robust sapphire crystal. For Leica, the “Made in
Germany” aspect is particularly important, hence the collaboration with Lehmann
Präzision GmbH. The development, design and a large proportion of the
components come from the manufacture situated in Germanys' Black Forest and
help the watches to achieve a very distinct vertical range of manufacture.
Design and technology complement each other perfectly
in Leica watches: both the front glass and the back-case-cover are made of
scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, with the front being anti-reflective on
both sides, and each model has the patented push-piece crown with a
corresponding status display on the dial. The combination with the zero setting
of the second hand is another special feature – the crown is therefore not only
aesthetically appealing, but also adds a useful function to the watches.
The design, which is reduced to the essentials and
coupled with uncompromisingly high quality, make the LEICA L1 and LEICA L2 not
only a functional instrument, but also a real statement piece.
Dr Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board
and majority shareholder of Leica Camera AG, about the Ernst Leitz Werkstätten:
‘I am very happy that this long-term project can now be finally presented. I
believe that together with our partners we have succeeded in developing a “Made
in Germany” watch that is worthy of the name Leica and which represents the
values of our premium brand extremely well!’
Markus Lehmann, Managing Director of Lehmann Präzision
GmbH, on the cooperation with Leica Camera: ‘We built precision machines for
Leica years ago, independently of this project. It has of course been very
interesting to work with Leica in two such different areas, although the watch
project was and is a project very close to my heart. We knew in the run-up to
this project that this cooperation will be fruitful, which helped to intensify
our partnership significantly.’
The LEICA L1 and the LEICA L2 will be available in
selected Leica Stores as well as at watch dealers worldwide from autumn 2018.
The L2 model will also be available in a version with an 18 karat rose gold
case. To mark the occasion of the Ernst Leitz Werkstätten commencing operation,
limited special models of the two stainless steel versions with a red dial will
be released.
For more information go here
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To comment or to read comments please scroll past the ads below.
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