Leica x Valbray EL1 "100 Years of Leica Photography" Edition

Following its official announcement earlier this year at BaselWorld, Valbray has unveiled its collaborative EL1 celebrating 100 years of Leica photography. Employing the Swiss watchmaker’s Oculus diaphragm dial system – a composition of sixteen anti-friction-coated, 0.01mm thick blades that slide in and out with a turn the bezel – the EL1 takes its name from Leica founder Earnst Leitz and sees that bladed dial surrounded by a branded ring that recalls the look of the German manufacturer’s acclaimed lenses. Additional details include metallic honeycomb beneath the diaphragm, a trio of registers for the chronograph totalizers and the running seconds, a sapphire crystal caseback, open-worked rotor, automatic chronograph movement, 44-hour power reserve, and a single hour marker at the 4:30 position – a nod to the very first Leica and its fixed aperture of f/4.5. Available in two variations – brushed or blackened 46mm grade 5 titanium – and limited to just 50 individually numbered versions of each, the celebratory EL1 is set to hit Valbray retailers this June for €17,999 EUR (approximately $24,536 USD).