Ming 17.09
The Ming 17.09 signs off the highly successful 17 series with a choice of two colour schemes, familiar trademark design cues and a distinctly refreshing price point. In his latest review, Carl Eady finds much to admire about the 17.09 and its creator, the exciting independent brand, ‘Ming’.
Introduction
Anyone with a social media account and half an interest in watchmaking, will no doubt have been bombarded with adverts and press releases for a seemingly endless procession of new watch start-ups, all keen to become the next big brand in independent watchmaking. Sadly, the multitude of challenges facing new market entrants means that over 90% of these new businesses will inevitably fail. To be part of the 10% club, one of those few brands that breaks through and has a chance of being successful, a horological wannabe needs many strings to its bow. One such marque is Ming, led by Malaysian photographer Ming Thein, the brand’s Chief Designer and one of its six owners.
Image – Ming Thein
Prior to the creation of the Ming brand, and united by a shared love of watch collecting (and fine cigars), the six friends met regularly to discuss ‘all things horology’ and discuss their latest acquisitions. Eventually, around 2014, the meetings culminated in a shared belief that it was their destiny to form their own watch brand. They had a vision of creating timepieces that excited them all, whilst also delivering refinement beyond other firms competing in the segment and, thereby, delivering excellent value for money.
Enthusiasm, passion and self-belief are prerequisites for success along with a significant amount of technical expertise. Therefore, with none of the collective classically trained in watchmaking, they enlisted the support of experts to help with every aspect of their inaugural watch, a fact they readily acknowledged with refreshing honesty. Despite a lack of formal training, the Ming 17.01 was launched in the summer of 2017, and was warmly received by the press and collectors alike. The 17.01 was true to the brand’s values and set them on a path to many more successful releases.
Image – Ming 17.01
Thankfully, in terms of design, Thein has ensured that simplicity and legibility are inherent qualities found in every one of Ming’s creations. Its archives reveal an array of wonderfully executed 2 and 3 hand classically inspired pieces. Ming produces its watches in relatively small numbers and has built a loyal customer base over the years. The brand’s production volumes may be limited, but its capacity for creativity is boundless. Dalliances with dive cases, GMT’s and even a gorgeously executed World Timer, have seen Ming’s reputation grow and grow. To date it has received four nominations for awards in the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, enjoying success in 2019 when it won the Horological Revelation prize for the Ming 17.06 Copper.
This year brings to a close the 17 series with the release of the Ming 17.09. To the untrained eye, the 17.09 appears extremely similar to the 17.01 (released back in 2017), however, close inspection reveals how Ming’s commitment to continuous refinement has seen the brand’s reputation grow exponentially.
Case
The classic shape of the 17.01 is retained with the Ming 17.09, with a circular body and gorgeous flared lugs, but the evolution has seen a switch from Titanium to 316L Stainless Steel. The centre of the case sports fine brushing which extends all the way to the tip of the lugs. On top, the steel bezel has been polished, giving the case an air of sophistication.
At 38mm and 10mm in height, the Ming 17.09 is the perfect watch for daily wear, suiting even the smallest of wrists and firmly ‘on trend’ with its sizing. Indeed, the lug to lug distance is just 43.9mm. At the 3 o’clock position, a fluted crown is engraved with the Ming moniker and is well proportioned, ensuring the watch is easy to wind and set. A solid stainless steel screwdown caseback complements the simplicity of the watch while offering a credible 100-metre water resistance. Finally, an anti-reflective coating has been applied to both sides of the sapphire glass, giving a crystal-clear view of the dial below.
Dial
Ming obviously has great affection for the 17 series, a model that has enabled it to stand out in this ultra-competitive market. As a fitting send-off, the brand has opted to release not one, but two colour variants. Firstly, they have opted for a dark shade of blue that will likely appeal to Ming’s more conservative followers and then, for those of a slightly more flamboyant and adventurous nature, a rich burgundy dial is also available. Both dials are of two-piece construction, with a well-executed guilloché style concentric pattern in the centre which is contrasted with a circular brushed outer. The selected colours are deep and bold enough to ensure the watch’s hands are supremely legible.
Despite being an entry level timepiece for the brand, a standout and highly noteworthy feature on the 17.09 is how Ming has chosen to present the hour markers, incorporating a graphic that was first used in higher value pieces, including the 18.01 H41 and 27.01. The underside of the sapphire crystal is laser etched and then filled with lume (Super-LumiNova X1) to highlight the hour markers as well as the Ming name at 3 o’clock. This creates a stunning 3D effect with the markers seemingly floating above the dial. The hour and minute hands are simple yet skeletonised, continuing the minimalist theme. Again, both have a generous application of lume, rendering the Ming 17.09 a spectacular sight in low light.
Movement
When you do not possess your own movement manufacturing capabilities, the wisest strategy is to enlist the skills of established experts. The movement selected for the Ming 17.09 is the 330.M1 based on the ‘tried and tested’ Sellita SW330-2. However, in order to improve its functionality, Ming also enlisted the talents of top movement manufacturer, Schwarz-Etienne. The movement’s basic task is to power a simple two-handed ‘time only’ function. With some clever modification, Schwarz-Etienne was able to add an independent hour hand adjustment mechanism, thus enabling the hour hand to be advanced independently while the minutes continue normally. This feature will prove perfectly suited to international travel and will no doubt be appreciated by many of Ming’s valued customers.
The 25 jewelled 330.M1 calibre will run autonomously for 42 hours once fully wound, beating at 28,800 Vph (4Hz).
Strap
Ming enlisted its long-term strap partner, Jean Rousseau Paris, to provide the perfect accompaniment for the 17.09. For the blue version, a sumptuous handmade black Alcantara leather strap with blue stitching and blue rubber lining was selected. By way of contrast, the burgundy model features a textured taupe coloured calf leather strap that sports pale stitching and a soft brown Alcantara lining.
Both straps are quick release, enabling owners the freedom of a quick wardrobe change to suit the mood of the day.
Closing thoughts
The thinking that ‘two heads are better than one’ has clearly been scaled up for the Ming brand. Whilst Ming Thein is clearly an accomplished frontman for the brand, having the input of all five additional watch enthusiasts has clearly paid dividends. Indeed, it has enabled the brand to enjoy an extraordinarily successful track record to date, just four years since the firm’s inception. By selling direct to its customers online, thereby bypassing the need to find global retail partners, the team is evidently equipped with astute commercial thinking. The Ming fan base is growing year on year and both 17.09 variants, only launched in April 2021, have already sold out according to the brand’s website. With each new release, Ming, with the help of its esteemed production partners, is delivering increasingly impressive watches while upholding its reputation for comparatively modest pricing.
Image – the Ming team, albeit missing Magnus Bosse
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Ming 17.09
- Case: 316L stainless steel, diameter 38 mm, height 10 mm; water resistance 10ATM (100m) sapphire crystal to front and solid case back
- Functions: Hours and minutes
- Movement: Cal.330.M1 (based on Sellita SW330-2 and modified by Schwarz-Etienne), frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz); 25 jewels, power reserve 42 hours
- Strap: Handmade Jean Rousseau Paris. Burgundy Dial edition features textured calf leather in taupe with brown Alcantara lining. Blue dial edition features black Alcantara leather with blue rubber lining.
- Price: CHF 1950 (RRP as at April 2021)
- Limited Edition: 225 Burgundy dial and 225 Blue dial