Green gradient, manual winding and Leica aesthetics – if time could be measured by looking through the lens, this would be the moment. Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2.
Leica has turned back time and painted it with a rich green that fades into deep black. The new ZM 1 and ZM 2 Urban Green are not just watches – they are optical illusions, a tribute to a century-old heritage and at the same time the coolest wrist accessories for those who love cameras and fine mechanisms.
If Leica makes a watch, it has to be something special. And it is.
One hundred years after Leica showed the world the first 35mm camera, the company is celebrating the anniversary not with a speech, but with a watch that every design and mechanical enthusiast would want. The new ZM 1 and ZM 2 Urban Green are a horological homage to the company that shaped the world's view with cameras - and now puts that view on your wrist.
Green fumé: an effect that even the Hulk envied
Green dials are currently the horological equivalent of the “it” handbag – but Leica didn’t make them because it was a trend. No, it’s fumé green, a transition from rich forest green to elegant black that, under the sapphire crystal, acts like a view through the legendary Leica lens. And yes, the dial is aluminum and hand-brushed – because “good enough” for Leica doesn’t exist.
A technique that would be the envy of even the Swiss watchmaking world
Under the hood is a hand-wound mechanism that was developed exclusively for Leica – in collaboration with German engineer Markus Lehmann and the legendary Andreas Strehler. The crown? You don’t pull it – you push it. Just like the shutter release. And the little seconds hand resets to zero. Because why do things the same way everyone else does?
The ZM 2 also adds a GMT function and a day/night display. So that you can know at 3am in Tokyo that it's still dark in Berlin. Because that's the kind of person you are.
Leica design – not just for cameras
Stainless steel case (41 mm, if you ask), sapphire glass as a lens, and for the first time in the history of the ZM line – a steel Milanese strap. Micro-adjustments on the buckle, leather straps with green stitching reminiscent of old camera bags. Everything is in place. Leica doesn't do fashion – Leica does classics.
Price and availability: Not limited, but definitely for the select few
ZM 1 Urban Green – $10,850. ZM 2 – $14,950. Both models are available now. No, they’re not limited, but let’s be real – how many of them will actually make it to the showroom floor?
Technical specifications: Leica ZM 1 / ZM 2 Urban Green
Models: Leica ZM 1 / ZM 2 Urban Green
Diameter: 41 mm
Thickness: 14.5mm
Material: Stainless steel (316L)
Water resistance: 50 m
Glass: Sapphire (domed front, flat back)
Dial: Aluminum, fumé gradient (green to black), vertically brushed
Mechanism: Manual winding, 60 hours of power reserve
Features: Push-crown, power indicator (ZM1), GMT and day/night (ZM2)
Belts: Milanese steel / black leather with green stitching
Price: ZM 1 – $10,850 / ZM 2 – $14,950
Status: Not a limited edition, available now
Conclusion: Leica doesn't follow trends. Leica always defines them.
Although Leica has only been making watches since 2022, the ZM 1 and ZM 2 Urban Green feel like they've been with us for decades. Because they have. In spirit, in design, in engineering. If ever there was a watch that was a camera in disguise – without a lens, with perfect focus – this is it. Leica has done something no one else has: redefined the watch as an optical, mechanical and emotional experience.
