The New MING 37.05 Series 2

Ming Thein, a famous commercial photographer from Malaysia with a degree in physics, was one of the six founding fathers of the eponymous watch brand that arrived on the scene in 2017 with the 17.0. Despite the somewhat lacklustre names of its collections, MING’s emphasis on top-quality design combined with outsourced Swiss movements and attractive prices has paid off. MING swept up the Horological Revelation prize at the GPGH 2019 with the 17.06 and has secured a prime position on the indie scene. Following the brand’s first moonphase watch in 2021, it now introduces a second-generation model with a far more dynamic interpretation of the night sky, complete with twinkling stars in the new 37.05 Series 2.

The case of the new moon phase model is identical to the first edition and has a diameter of 38mm with a thickness of 11.9mm (8.9mm excluding the crystals), finished with alternating brushed and polished surfaces. Water-resistant to 100 metres, the curvaceous case has domed sapphire crystals over the dial and caseback and features signature pagoda-style lugs. As the press release points out, the watch “wears larger on the wrist thanks to a significantly wider dial opening.”

Starlight

Composed of two layers, the lower dial plate is metal, and the upper part is sapphire with laser-etched details. The lower sunray-rushed anthracite dial has a series of star-shaped holes which house the luminous stars that appear and disappear with the changing phases of the moon. To achieve this on/off effect, the large rotating moon disc is also used to change the starry scenery. In addition to the stars in the holes, the dial is further enlivened with a dozen or so luminous yellow HyCeram stars applied to the upper sapphire dial, floating above the dark grey dial. The blue luminous HyCeram hour indices, represented by laser-etched segments, are also featured on the upper dial and indicated by the luminous hour and minute hands.

Minimalist yet highly intuitive, the moon’s phases are depicted in the circular aperture cut into the lower dial. When the luminous yellow moon is full, it forms a complete ring, while the partial phases are represented as a proportion of the ring. The date aperture is also featured in a cut-out rectangle at 6 o’clock, matching the colour of the dial to be as unobtrusive as possible. The watch really comes to life in low light conditions where the luminous blue features correspond to the time and the yellow are reserved for the moon phases and stars.

Manual-winding calibre

MING has equipped the watch with a heavily reworked manual-winding Sellita SW288-1 movement. The matte anthracite-coated bridges are skeletonised with a contrasting portion of the rhodium main train bridge finished with circular brushing. Running at a frequency of 28,800vph, it provides a relatively limited 40-hour power reserve. The movement also has a quick-set feature for the moon phase and the date.

As in the past, MING partners with Schwarz-Etienne for the watch’s construction, production and assembly, Jean Rousseau Paris for the goat leather strap, and Studio Koji Sato for the handmade leather travel pouches.

Availability & Price

The MING 37.05 Series 2 is an edition of 500 watches with a price tag of CHF 4,950. Available exclusively at ming.watch, orders open at 13:00 GMT on the 11th of July, 2023. Deliveries expected Q4 2023.