For greater than 150 years, Leica has made a reputation for itself producing binoculars, microscopes, rangefinders, cameras, and different gadgets with high-quality optical lenses, however for the primary time ever, the German-based firm is increasing into high-end timepieces. Unfortunately, the new L1 and L2 watches in some way make Leica’s cameras seem to be an actual discount.

It’s not solely clear why an organization that has historically centered on optics is branching out into this market, notably in a time when smartwatches have grow to be fierce competitors for mechanical timepieces. But Leica has very a lot grow to be a model related to luxurious, and that’s what attracts patrons to high-end timepieces.

The Leica L1 and L2 have been designed by Achim Heine, a famend German designer who was additionally answerable for different Leica merchandise. As a end result, the L1 and L2 characteristic references and design cues borrowed from Leica’s cameras. Those embrace the appearances of the palms and indices marking each hour quantity, the knurled sample on the dials, the domed glass on the entrance of the watch designed to emulate the looks of a digital camera lens, and naturally a crimson dot adorning every timepiece’s crown.

The L1 and L2 additionally characteristic a brand new mechanical motion developed partially with Germany’s Lehmann Präzision GmbH that’s left uncovered on the rear of the timepiece via a clear again additionally fabricated from scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. But the watch doesn’t simply borrow design aesthetics from Leica’s cameras. On most mechanical watches, the crown is pulled out to cease the motion permitting the wearer to regulate the time, however on each the Leica L1 and L2 the crowns are pushed in like a digital camera’s shutter button. This stops the time holding mechanism and strikes the second hand to the zero place, till the crown is pushed once more to launch and begin the motion.

Both Leica timepieces characteristic a 60-hour energy reserve, however whereas the $10,000 L1 features a veal leather-based strap, the $14,000 L2 swaps that for a strap fabricated from alligator leather-based, and in addition provides the flexibility to set and think about an alternate time zone utilizing a second crown.