Welcome to our new luxxee magazine weekly wrap-up, where we bring you fresh news about what's going on in the watch world
From Cameras to Watches - Leica Watches L1 & L2
I was confused when I heard the news of a Leica-branded watch. Those who are into photography know Leica and its gorgeous lines of SLR and DSLR cameras (both modern and vintage). The brand has collaborated in the smartphone space with brands such as Google and Huawei, but this is the first time Leica has created a product outside the camera realm.
“Handcrafted foreverness and engineering excellence focused on the essential: Leica L1 and Leica L2. The first Leica watch collection is the perfect combination of more than 150 years of Leica’s brand culture, visionary design and unmatched quality. Clear and distinctive elementary design features, functionality, durability and sophisticated creative details set new standards in the watchmaking segment and ensure the new Leica is both: timeless and precise.” - Leica
Leica's new line of wristwatches pulls aesthetic inspiration from the brand's illustrious history in camera manufacturing. While the Leica L1 and L2 may look like your average watch with some camera-themed callouts, many hidden features and functions aren’t on your typical wristwatch. The L1 and L2 Implement an in-house, manual winding movement created and manufactured by Leica, both watches featuring different complications that are not available through other movement manufacturers or designers.
“There is a distinct difference between seconds and moments: focus. Focus on the essential. Experiencing time consciously, recognizing its value and the ultimate desire to capture fleeting moments forever – to give them shape, character and a heartbeat – led us to the development of the Leica watch. Our mission: turning seconds into moments and making time visible, as well as wearable. Iconic design, precise craftsmanship and Leica’s uncompromising passion are now embodied in two remarkable timepieces: Leica L1 and Leica L2.” - Leica
The scratch-proof domed sapphire crystal is a representation of the lens of a camera. The matte black dial features seconds, minutes, hours, a date complication and a power reserve. The L1 and L2 feature the same movement with slight changes; the L2 has some added features, including a rotating GMT bezel with a GMT crown. The most intriguing part is the crown with the red ceramic pusher. While it may just look like a crown representing a Leica camera shutter button, this is a dual pusher that resets the seconds sub-dial and can be activated a second time to change the date complication. Activating the pusher a third time will trigger the start of the movement. The white dot on the dial will switch to red when the pusher is activated.
The Leica series of watches may be a strange step for the brand, but it makes complete sense. Watch collecting and photography go hand in hand; this is a very logical step for the brand. It has allowed Leica to showcase its technical and mechanical prowess through a different lens, and one that I can’t wait to see up close.
Timex x Todd Snyder MK1 “Black + White”
Yet another Timex x Todd Snyder collaboration knocked it out of the park. For those that don’t know who Todd Snyder is, just think of him as a pioneer in Men's wear and fashion. If you want a summary of his resume, outwear designer for Polo Ralph Lauren, Director of Men's Wear for GAP, and SVP at J.Crew, where he would collaborate with brands such as Red Wing Shoes, Timex and Alden. From there, he would start his brand in 2011, growing rapidly and collaborating with Champion and, again, Timex.
Timex and Todd Snyder have been collaborating for several years with variations of the Timex Marlin, a watch produced by Timex in the 1950s. While the Marlin is a clean, classic and minimalist dress watch, offered in both automatic and mechanical movements, the new Timex x Todd Snyder MK1 “Black + White” is a unique and exclusive design.
For this new watch, Todd took a classic, military-styled watch from the Timex archives and created a beautiful, two-tone dial. While black dials were military standard, the split black and white dial pays homage to the past while adding a dose of modern aesthetics and elegance. The black dial offered by the military with the white dial becoming popular as a dress watch, it’s a call out to times of chaos blending with happier, more lighthearted times, a representation that within chaos, there is also beauty. The MK1 “Black + White” utilizes orange accents for the 24-hour markers centred on the dial and the second hand to create a beautiful pop of colour and contrast against the dial.
The new Timex x Todd Snyder collab is, once again, a gorgeous piece. The creativity and thought put into each design by Todd himself and the backing of a renowned brand like Timex it’s a perfect marriage of passion and product.
Watch Spotting: Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson
I am a massive fan of the show that started the career of Chris Pratt, Parks & Recreation. However, I never watched the show for him or his character, Andy Dwyer. The character I grew to love is the grumpy “man's man,” Ron Swanson, played by Nick Offerman. Ron Swanson is a deadpan and over-the-top masculine personality that strongly dislikes interacting with the public, despite working for the government. He loves meat, woodworking, hunting and whiskey, just to add to the manliness.
While watching the show, I noticed a watch on Ron’s wrist, a panda dial chronograph. I was beyond curious to figure out what it was, and I couldn’t figure it out, which drove me crazy until I hit Season 3, Episode 10, “Soulmates.”
We see Ron sampling vegan bacon, which he throws out in front of the person handing out samples to “prove a point.” The watch on his wrist is in great lighting and focus, and we see the Citizen Eco-Drive Calibre 2100. 46mm stainless steel flyback chronograph with a 3-piece case, hand-assembled movement, power reserve indicator, tachymeter, and date; a watch with every complication you could need. While it wasn’t the panda Daytona I was hoping for, it’s still a unique choice, but a watch that represents the character very well.
Thank you for reading luxxee's weekly wrap-up and don't forget to come back next week to see what’s happening in the watch world!
