Malaysia-based watch company Ming is only a few years old, but has quickly gained appreciation among collectors, combining unique design language with the thoughtful details and qualities it knows the collector community values. The new, cryptically named Ming 18.01 H41 looks like no other diver on the market but promises impressive durability as well as a refined wearing experience.
Produced in two versions machined from lightweight Grade 5 titanium, it offers a bare metal look or an all-black coating on its 40mm-wide case. Ming was further able to offer a full 1,000m of water resistance and yet keep the case diameter manageable and relatively thin at 12. 9mm. Whereas most dive watch bezels offer grippy textures for easy turning, Ming’s steel bezel has a smooth edge — an aesthetic sacrifice perhaps, but one that is counterbalanced by several other utilitarian elements.
MingSaid elements include a focus on legibility, wherein every white element you see on the dial and bezel has been executed in glow-in-the-dark Super-LumiNova. A red ring at the base of the crown acts as a safety indicator to alert the wearer when the crown is unscrewed, and a textured solid case back prevents the watch from slipping around on the wrist. These are small details, but the kind that experienced collectors know make a difference.
The Ming 18.01 H41 is powered by the common ETA 2824-2 automatic movement. Coinciding with the release of its dive watch, Ming also introduced a titanium bracelet that can be bought separately and will fit any of its previous and current watches. While the first batch of the Ming 18.01 H41 sold out quickly, it’ll be restocked again on August 22, 2020, with a price starting at $3,250 for either case finish.