Although Leica had already started offering gold plated as early as in 1930 with the "Leica Camera Deluxe" or LUXUS range of distinguished looking gold plate body in different colored skin. But overall, rangefinder Leica in gold finishing are not too common either. One of the more popularly seen model in Gold finishing was the 1979/1980 Leica M4-2 special Gold edition to commemorate 100th birthday of the late Oskar Barnack. Leica M3-1000001 was presented as a chrome camera to Alfred Eisenstaedt in 1960. In 1989, Leica Camera Company equipped the camera with new gold plated parts, honoring Eisenstaedts lifelong contribution to photojournalism. The chrome parts of the 1960 presentation camera were not destroyed, but set back together as a dummy model and given back to Eisenstaedt together with the gold camera - LARS NETOPIL
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/Leica/Leica-M3/M3-Gold/index.htm
Leica M3 GOLD. Approx. Year: 1956 " ...One of only two** known M3 cameras originally gold plated by Leitz with gold plated collapsible Summicron 2/5cm no.1379604, gold plated cap, gold plated Leica Meter MC no.51310. According to delivery records the camera was shipped to Ernst Leitz New York on July 28th,1956 (copies of the Leitz delivery records are included). The camera is illustrated in colour by James L. Lager vol. 1 p.156 (".M3 Gold S/N 834000 ..it represents one of the most spectacular assemblages encountered by the author in over 25 years of research"). The camera is offered for the first time. It is in working order with clean finder, some small scratches on the top plate and some more signs of use on base plate. (The second gold plated M3 (no.873000) was offered at Christie's Auction last year with an estimate of Euro 110000-150000)..." - Peter Coeln, Leicahop® -
