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Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2: How They Came to Be and What They Are

Introduced in 2022, Leica’s hand-wound ZM 1 and ZM 2 share a distinctive push-crown and core specifications. The ZM 2 adds a second time zone and day/night display.
Estimate5–6 min Catalogued SpecialistWatchRanker Team

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The Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2 are hand-wound German mechanical watches, not camera accessories. Their shared signature is a push-crown that stops the movement and brings the seconds hand back to zero; the ZM 2 adds a second-time-zone display. Leica introduced the pair in 2022 after more than 18 months of development, translating camera-inspired controls and visual cues into wristwatches.

How Leica’s watch project developed

Leica’s modern watches have earlier precedents. The company says it experimented with watches in the 1980s and 1990s, including an ETA 7750 chronograph sold in part alongside selected cameras. Its official history traces the shape of its contemporary watchmaking to the move to Leitz-Park in Wetzlar in 2014, the year Leica marked its centenary with the limited Valbray EL1 chronograph, produced in 100 pieces. Leica says that watch prompted chairman Dr. Andreas Kaufmann to ask what a Leica watch should look like.

The ZM 1 and ZM 2 were introduced in 2022. Leica’s sources differ on the exact timing: its history says spring, while a later company release says February. Leica credits Professor Achim Heine with design and Reinhard Meis with movement development. The company says the design and technical work took more than 18 months. It identifies Lehmann Präzision as producer; a 2024 Leica release also names Markus Lehmann of Lehmann Uhren as a key development and production figure.

“ZM” comes from Zeitmesser, German for “timepiece.” Leica says the dial cut-outs, shutter-like power-reserve display and softly rounded case profile refer to its camera and lens heritage. Those are the company’s stated design intentions: the watches express that connection through their layout and controls rather than functioning as camera equipment.

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What the ZM 1 and ZM 2 share

Leica’s April 2023 technical sheet lists the following core specifications for both watches:

Specification ZM 1 and ZM 2
Case diameter 41 mm
Case material and height 316L stainless steel; 14.5 mm
Total length 48 mm
Movement Hand-wound Leica ZM calibre; 26 jewels; 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Stated power reserve 60 hours
Crystals Sapphire front and rear
Water resistance 50 m / 5 ATM, listed under ISO 2281
Shared indications Hours, minutes, small seconds, date and power reserve

Leica’s naming for the movement is not consistent across its materials: the current overview calls it LH-01, while the technical sheet uses the generic ZM 1 and ZM 2 calibre labels. Monochrome Watches identifies the ZM 1 as LH-10 and the ZM 2 as LH-20. Because those designations conflict, “Leica ZM calibre” is the clearest general description without implying that the labels are interchangeable.

The push-crown is the defining control

Leica designed the push-crown to evoke a camera shutter release. According to the company, pressing it stops the movement and resets the seconds hand to zero; its status indication shows whether the watch is stopped or running. That makes the control part of both the watch’s operation and its visual identity.

Monochrome Watches offers additional mechanical context, describing a locking differential and column wheel in the mechanism. That explanation comes from the independent review, rather than Leica’s technical sheet. Monochrome also describes the status marker as white while running and red while stopped.

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A separate pusher provides quick date adjustment. The power-reserve display uses two blades that progressively close as the reserve runs down, echoing the movement of a camera shutter. The effect turns an ordinary practical indication into one of the pair’s most distinctive design details.

What the ZM 2 adds

The ZM 2 adds a second-time-zone complication while retaining the shared time, date, small-seconds and power-reserve functions. An internal 12-hour GMT ring works with a single hour hand to track another time zone, and a day/night indicator helps distinguish the other location’s time of day.

The ZM 1 does not list this GMT ring or day/night indicator. Its simpler display covers the shared functions. In practical terms, the clearest reason to choose the ZM 2 is a use for the second time zone; the ZM 1 is the more direct choice if local time and date are enough.

How the pair compare

Feature ZM 1 ZM 2
Time display Hours, minutes and small seconds Hours, minutes and small seconds, plus second time zone
Second time zone Not listed Internal 12-hour GMT ring
Day/night indicator Not listed Yes
Date and power reserve Yes Yes
Diameter, case height and reserve 41 mm; 14.5 mm; stated 60 hours 41 mm; 14.5 mm; stated 60 hours
Water resistance 50 m / 5 ATM 50 m / 5 ATM
Urban Green launch RRP €10,800, including VAT €14,600, including VAT

The case dimensions and core specifications are shared, so the GMT display is the principal functional difference. In Leica’s Urban Green announcement, the €3,800 difference between the two recommended retail prices accompanied that added complication. The figures are the launch prices Leica announced for the Urban Green versions in 2025, not guaranteed current prices in every market.

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Availability, finishes and straps

Leica announced global availability for the Urban Green versions through selected Leica stores and its online store beginning 28 May 2025. The company’s launch release listed the ZM 1 at €10,800 and the ZM 2 at €14,600, both including VAT. Availability and pricing can vary by location and over time, so check Leica’s local offering for current information.

Leica’s current overview lists straps and different buckles for the ZM 1 and ZM 2. If choosing an alternate strap or buckle, confirm that it fits the specific watch: the cited specifications do not state lug width. Monochrome Watches has reported different euro prices and estimated production of approximately 20–50 watches per month, but these are independent review figures, not current official prices or a company-confirmed production rate.

Who each watch suits

Choose the ZM 1 if

  • You want the push-crown, shutter-inspired reserve display and shared time-and-date functions without a second time zone.
  • You prefer the less complicated dial of the pair.

Consider the ZM 2 if

  • You have a practical use for tracking another time zone.
  • You value the day/night indication that accompanies the GMT ring.

Neither is objectively better for every wearer. Both are hand-wound watches with the same stated reserve and broadly shared case specifications; the deciding question is whether the ZM 2’s travel-oriented display is useful enough to justify its higher announced Urban Green launch price.

What the specifications do—and do not—establish

Leica’s technical sheet gives measurable details such as frequency, reserve, case dimensions and water resistance, but it does not provide a named accuracy test result for either watch. The company’s descriptions of precision, reliability and craftsmanship should therefore be understood as brand claims, not as a published rate measurement. Monochrome’s review says the watches have no luminous material; Leica’s technical sheet does not list lume.

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Quick Recap

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$8,654.67
Bestseller No. 2
Leica M10-R 40MP Digital Rangefinder Camera (Body Only, Silver Chrome)
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$8,556.07
Bestseller No. 3

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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