Leica’s watchmaking story is still young, but the ZM 12 Small Seconds shows a brand becoming more confident with the format.
Rather than leaning on obvious camera cues, this 39mm sports watch takes the quieter route, using proportion, texture and mechanical tactility to make the connection feel natural.
It’s compact, technically considered and, importantly, more than a smaller version of the ZM 11.
At a glance
- Leica has introduced the ZM 12 Small Seconds as a more compact 39mm take on its modern sports watch design.
- The watch adds a recessed small seconds display, removes the date and keeps the collection’s distinctive dual-layer dial construction.
- Powered by the automatic Leica LA-3002 calibre developed with Chronode, the ZM 12 starts below EUR 7,000.
A 39mm case with Leica restraint
The ZM 12’s most immediate advantage is its size.
At 39mm across, it lands in the sweet spot for an everyday watch, retaining the architectural profile of the ZM 11 without feeling oversized.
The case is offered in 316L stainless steel or Grade 5 titanium, with the steel models using a mix of brushed and polished surfaces while the titanium versions take on a more muted sandblasted finish.
Short integrated lugs help the watch sit neatly on the wrist, and the curved case profile does a lot of work in offsetting the 13mm thickness.
The titanium model is especially compelling from a wearability perspective, weighing just 52 grams without a strap.
A double-domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides gives the watch a softened optical depth, and the association with Leica lens glass is subtle rather than literal.
With a screw-down crown and 100 metres of water resistance, the ZM 12 is built as a practical daily sports watch, not a delicate design exercise.
The small seconds dial feels properly resolved
The dial is where the ZM 12 separates itself most clearly from the ZM 11.
By dropping the date and moving the running seconds to a recessed, snailed subdial at 6 o’clock, Leica has given the watch a calmer and more balanced face.
The dial construction remains one of the collection’s defining traits.
It uses two ultra-thin brass plates, with the upper layer precisely cut to reveal the surface below through openings in the dial.
Hand-lacquered edges add depth and colour shift, creating a layered effect that changes as the light moves across the watch.
Applied indices, a double marker at 12 o’clock and broad baton hands are filled with Grade A Super-LumiNova, while the minute scale is placed on the inner bezel.
The result is minimal, but not empty.
Four variants make up the ZM 12 collection, including Silver Grey, Titanium Chocolate Black, Steel Blue Orange and Olive Black.
The Silver Grey is the most restrained of the group, while the Titanium Chocolate Black pairs the lightweight case with a warmer, richer dial tone.
A Chronode-developed automatic movement
Inside the ZM 12 is the Leica calibre LA-3002, an automatic movement developed with Swiss movement specialist Chronode.
It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and delivers a 60-hour power reserve, which gives the watch useful weekend-proof practicality.
Leica quotes an accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day, measured in five positions.
The movement is not COSC-certified, but that performance range places it in familiar chronometer territory.
Functionally, the calibre keeps things intentionally simple with hours, minutes and small seconds.
The finishing follows the same restrained logic, with matte surfaces and clean decoration rather than showy embellishment.
Viewed through the caseback, the black ring and technical markings around the movement feel like a quiet nod to Leica lenses, but the execution avoids turning the watch into a novelty object.
Straps pricing and everyday usability
The ZM 12 carries over one of Leica’s most satisfying practical details.
A discreet red button integrated into the case activates the Easy Change System, allowing straps and bracelets to be swapped without tools.
The shutter-button reference is unmistakable, but it serves a real purpose rather than existing as decoration.
The watch can be worn on vulcanised rubber, woven textile straps or matching steel and titanium bracelets.
Each option has been designed for the proportions of the ZM 12, and the straps are not interchangeable with the larger ZM 11.
Pricing starts below EUR 7,000, placing the watch in a competitive space where brand credibility, finishing and originality matter as much as raw specifications.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Leica |
|---|---|
| Model | ZM 12 Small Seconds |
| Case size | 39mm |
| Case thickness | 13mm |
| Case material | 316L stainless steel or Grade 5 titanium, depending on variant |
| Crystal | Double-domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides |
| Dial | Dual-layer brass dial with recessed snailed small seconds subdial |
| Lume | Grade A Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | Automatic Leica calibre LA-3002, developed with Chronode |
| Frequency | 28,800 vibrations per hour |
| Power reserve | 60 hours |
| Accuracy | -4/+6 seconds per day, measured in five positions |
| Functions | Hours, minutes and small seconds |
| Water resistance | 100 metres |
| Straps and bracelets | Vulcanised rubber, woven textile, steel bracelet or titanium bracelet depending on version |
| Variants | Silver Grey, Titanium Chocolate Black, Steel Blue Orange and Olive Black |
| Price | Starting below EUR 7,000 |
The ZM 12 works because it doesn’t try too hard to look like a camera for the wrist.
Its Leica character comes through in the pared-back interface, the precision of the details and the confidence to leave out anything that doesn’t serve the design.
