Buoyed no doubt by their maiden Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) win in 2019, Ming Watches have launched a new model, the Ming 27.01, a more accessible daily beater that sits between the 17.01 and 19.01. The watch is a slinky two-hander with a customized hand-cranked movement, and is the first Ming watch designed using 3D CAD software. More on that later.
For the uninitiated, Ming is a collective run by six watch enthusiasts from across the globe helmed by Ming Thein, a photographer and designer. The brand won their first GPHG award in the Challenge category last year for the Ming 17.06 Copper. The 27.01 is an evolution of the indie brand’s design language. It has a 38 mm steel case and a slim profile at 6.9 mm.
In the spirit of minimalism, all excess material was ferreted out of the case, with hollows extending through the lugs. Going through the lugs posed a serious machining challenge given the thickness, or lack thereof, of the monobloc caseband. The case has the characteristic polished bezel and flared lugs that we have seen on previous Ming models.
The dark grey has a sector dial like feel. It has an outer ring with a sandwich construction with cutouts for the hour markers. Like we mentioned before, unlike the earlier models designed in Photoshop and two dimensions, the 27.01 was conceived with the help of 3D CAD software.
A heavily reworked ETA Peseux 7001 movement powers the 27.01. Manufacture Schwarz-Etienne was roped in to rework the bridges and plates according to the brand’s specification. The design aesthetic is similar to the 19-series: solid baseplate with maximal opening of upper bridges to put the moving components on display. Only the barrel, gear train, and escapement remain from the original movement.
The Ming 27.01 is available to order immediately and exclusively from their website. Priced at CHF 3,950, production for 2020 is restricted to 125 watches. Deliveries are expected to begin in September 2020.
