Leica Unveil ZM1 and ZM2 Urban Green Series in Fumé Noir

I must profess to having a soft spot for Leica as a brand – though not as you may expect because of their cameras. My parents each own a set of Leica binoculars so I have fond memories of learning what the heck an avocet is and first encountering some of the more extraordinary creatures of the natural world with Leica gear. That’s not a random anecdote either because the natural world is also significant to the German brand’s latest addition to their horological offerings, the Leica ZM1 and ZM2 Urban Green.

As the name Urban Green suggests, the watches feature rich green dials that aim to balance the natural beauty of fertile green lands and the dynamic urban landscape. That concept finds itself expressed through a gorgeous forest green display with a smoky gradient that fades towards black around the edge, which is known in watchmaking terms as a fumé gradient. Leica have added an extra layer of romance by calling their interpretation of the style fumé noir, meaning smoky black. Completing the dials is a vertically brushed finish that pulls the whole thing together nicely with some much-needed texture.

Structurally and mechanically, the ZM1 and ZM2 Urban Green are identical to the original models first introduced in 2022, which were originally launched under the names L1 and L2 before Leica rebranded them under the Zeitmesser concept. That means a 41mm diameter case in stainless steel. The ZM1 features central hours and minutes with a small seconds subdial along with a power reserve indicator and date window. ZM2 features all the same functions with the addition of an internal rotating 12-hour bezel to serve as a second time zone plus a day/night indicator.

Powering both versions is the Leica calibre LH-1001 (sometimes simply referred to as the ZM1 or ZM2 calibre), a manual winding movement with a 60-hour power reserve operating at a 4 Hz frequency. It looks great through the exhibition caseback thanks to a combination of grainy and polished finishes that highlights the bold architecture, which itself places the spotlight on the balance wheel at 4 o’clock.

For pricing, the Leica ZM1 Urban Green starts from £8,720 depending on whether you opt for the calf or alligator leather strap or Milanese bracelet. The ZM2 Urban Green starts from £12,200. On paper that’s quite the substantial difference for what amounts to whether or not the watch has a second 12-hour scale. However, do remember that it’s an internal rotating bezel, which means the entire case has to be redesigned in order to accommodate the additional mechanism as well as an extra crown with which to control it.

More details at Leica.

​Oracle Time 

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