ailing from Stockholm and with nearly two decades of experience in the luxury sector – from Cartier to Rolls-Royce, BMW and IWC Schaffhausen in Scandinavia and Central Europe – Henrik Ekdahl returned to Leica much as one returns to a first love. His very first professional experience after graduating was with Leica in the 1990s. A significant omen.

Henrik Ekdahl, head of Leica’s watchmaking division

Now director of Ernst Leitz Werkstätten GmbH, the organisation that oversees Leica watches, Henrik Ekdahl is leading a long-term project combining heritage, precision and photography-inspired aesthetics. It was in Wetzlar that it all began for Leica – and, in a way, for him too. Here’s what he shared.

Europa Star: Your first job was with Leica... and decades later you returned there. Is it impossible to truly escape from a brand with such an aura?

Henrik Ekdahl: Perhaps! (laughs) My very first professional experience in the 1990s, after university, was indeed at Leica. That’s where I discovered the brand, its key players and its high standards. Then my career took me elsewhere: Cartier, Baume & Mercier, Rolls-Royce, BMW and finally IWC Schaffhausen. For the past 16 years, I have lived in Munich, overseeing the markets for IWC Schaffhausen in nearly 30 countries. Returning to Leica two decades later was very emotional. Of all the extraordinary brands I have worked for, Leica is the one I would describe as my personal “love brand”.

Leica ZM 1 and ZM 2

How did you make your return to the company?

I stayed in touch with Leica throughout my career. At IWC, for example, we bought Leica binoculars or digital compact cameras for our VIPs. Then one day, two years ago, I got a call. "Something new is in the works”, I was told. I had already met Leica’s owner Dr Andreas Kaufmann at major marketing awards ceremonies. Being in the watch industry myself at the time, I had already seen and touched the watches they had produced – the ZM 1 and ZM 2 – albeit without knowing all the details yet. Based on my knowledge of the brand’s history, I was however keenly aware that a Leica watch project was bound to involve a very long-term commitment. The team had kicked off the endeavour in 2015; the ZM 1 and ZM 2 were launched in 2022 – and I personally joined Leica Watches in March 2024.

Leica ZM1 limited edition in rose gold

So where did the idea for Leica watches originate?

Few people know this, but the founder Ernst Leitz began his career with an apprenticeship in Neuchâtel, working for a watchmaker called Hipp. It was only afterwards that he returned to Wetzlar. Watchmaking has therefore been part of the company’s DNA from the very beginning. The cameras were so successful that the company did not seek to diversify. Then the digital age arrived, Leica experienced its “quartz crisis”, reinvented itself – and in 2004 Dr Kaufmann played a decisive role in saving the company and relaunching it. He was a great watch enthusiast who had long had the idea of a “Leica for the wrist”. An initial limited-edition watch was produced to mark the inauguration of the Wetzlar campus, before the 2015 decision to truly usher Leica into the world of watchmaking.

The movement inside the Leica ZM 2

What was your roadmap when you took on this project?

I do not see Leica as a luxury brand, but rather as a premium instrument counterpart. Our cameras are extremely sophisticated instruments. Our watches must reflect that. We had to think long term. Developing a Manufacture movement costs millions. For the ZM 1 and ZM 2, we chose Lehmann, which also manufactures some of the machines used to produce our cameras. The collaboration was a natural fit. Manual winding was important: you have to “feed” your watch, understand it, almost like a mechanical Tamagotchi. Then we added a second, more contemporary line with the ZM 11 and ZM 12, this time with Chronode. The multi-layered dial design is inspired by photography: the colours and textures change with the light.

Leica ZM12

How are Leica watches perceived?

What we find most satisfying is that we have reached customers who have never owned a Leica camera. In Southeast Asia, 50% of buyers are primarily watch enthusiasts. We remain humble: we are masters of optics, but apprentices in watchmaking. Yet the feedback has been extremely positive. Each collection retains something authentically Leica.

You emphasise the notion of community. Why so?

Because it is central to the brand. Leica has always had a very emotional dimension. My team includes watchmakers as well as a photographer. We organise workshops to teach people how to photograph watches. We cultivate close ties with watch enthusiasts such as RedBar and Hodinkee. We have exhibited at WatchTime Düsseldorf, WatchTime New York and will soon be attending more events. We remain realistic and are not aiming for giant booths at such events, as our strength truly lies in our community.

Leica ZM11

Where do you want to take Leica Watch in the coming years?

We are distributed in around 55 retail outlets, all of which are Leica stores except one. At Harrods, we have opened a new Leica store with a dedicated watch section, which is an important first step, but our goal is not to become a giant. We are aiming for a few thousand units a year, no more. Organic, controlled growth, true to Leica’s DNA.

What still inspires you day-to-day at Leica?

The Wetzlar campus is a dream. The archives are fascinating. When you delve into this history, you understand that Leica is more than a brand: it’s a culture, a way of seeing the world. Having the chance to write a new chapter in its history through watchmaking is a privilege – and we’re only just getting started.

Leica ZM1 with Milanese mesh bracelet