The first reviews and some additional coverage of the new Leica L1 and L2 watches:
“The most important thing to discuss from a watch enthusiast perspective when it comes to the Leica L2 GMT is its innovative — and exclusive — movement that was built for Leica by Lehmann Präzision GmbH out of Germany’s Black Forest. Leica said that maintaining the “Made in Germany” designation was extremely important so finding a local manufactory was one of the brand’s top priorities when it began work on its watch division. Lehmann is a name that might not be familiar to many American watch enthusiasts, but to any of our Teutonic friends, you might recognize them as the producer of Lehmann Schramberg timepieces. Lehmann Präzision is also a major supplier of precision machinery throughout the Swiss and German watch industry.” (Watchtime)
“The design of the Leica L1 and L2 may not necessarily be for everybody. But we think it is a rather beautiful design, Bauhaus inspired with its attendant clean good looks, high legibility “form meets function” detailing that makes the Leica watches rather good looking. Some say the design is generic looking, with styling cues suggested to be taken from the likes of Nomos and Junghans, but as these manufactures all draw design cues from Bauhaus, it is inevitable that there are similarities. Overall, for us, the design and feel of the watches are satisfying. Is it justified at the € 10,000 price range?Only the final buyer can decide. But keeping in mind the intended market, we think the Leica L1 and L2 will be successful in the market.: (Deployant)
Now we have Leica, a champion of mechanical cameras which is attempting to produce timepieces that compete with established, high-end players – a big shift from its core products. But in this case, they don’t disappoint. These are well designed, well-considered luxury watches that strike a solid balance between simplicity and sophistication. Spend a little time with one and the Leica DNA shines through. The crown’s red ruby, design of the power reserve indicator, shape of the crystal and ground-up German movements show an attention to detail that Leica is famous for. The unique crown action and pusher at 2 o’clock add a uniqueness that makes them horologically intriguing as well. With the Leica L1 and L2, the company has proven that it can branch out and successfully apply its design prowess and mechanical expertise to more than just cameras. Timepieces are a perfect fit for the brand. (Monochrome)
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