Few microbrands have stirred up the watch world quite like Ming watches. Throughout the COVID boom, Ming watches were constantly referenced by the usual tripe of “buy this now to double your money” or “it’s an exclusive club with limited releases” – Why does this matter and is this a sticking point that never came to fruition?
In a space crowded with retro reissues and homage fatigue, Ming came barrelling in with a fresh design language, high-end finishing, and just enough obscurity to earn fresh cult status. You know a brand’s doing something right when their latest drop sells out in minutes, forums crash, and the secondary market goes bananas. This seems a positive, but their practices and die-hard following has attracted negative running commentary which might put off some enthusiasts.
This article uncovers everything you need to know about Ming – from its founders and design ethos to its best-loved models, movement choices, and how (and where) to actually buy a Ming watch.
Whether you’re looking to add a Ming dive watch to your rotation or just want to know why collectors are swooning, we’ve got you covered.
Who founded Ming and when?
Ming Thein – photographer, designer, and all-round horological obsessive – launched the brand in 2014 alongside a group of fellow enthusiasts whilst on the way back from a watch fair. Based out of Malaysia, the brand name is literally a first-name basis nod to Thein himself, though it’s anything but a vanity project.
Rather than chasing Swiss legacy or faux heritage, Ming’s co-founders leaned into their outsider status. The goal? Combine design-forward thinking with genuine horological substance. The result is a small brand with a big voice – and a fiercely loyal following.
Clarity, curves and character
Ming watches have a visual identity that’s instantly recognisable. Think of them as minimalist space-age meets art deco restraint. Each watch is a masterclass in doing more with less. The key to a Ming design is ensuring the watch interacts with the light in a given environment. Arguably Tron-like, the understated design picks up reflections on their smooth bezels. This provides a sense of fluidity with the curved bevelling portraying a vast spread of metallic colouring.
Ming have become renowned for their key design cues, including:
- Radially brushed dials with layered effects and sapphire overlays
- On some models, skeletonised lugs and unique case profiles
- Laser-etched numerals on the underside of the crystal (a trick that never gets old)
- Broad use of lume, often across dial rings or indices rather than hands alone
There’s no mistaking a Ming watch for anything else. It’s a brand with a strong visual code and the guts to stick to it.
Where are Ming watches made?
Despite being a Malaysian-founded brand, Ming watches are manufactured in Switzerland – a decision that was made to reinforce their luxury aspirations by picking-backing onto the shoulders of Swiss might. They work with respected Swiss partners like Schwarz-Etienne, who are a fully integrated manufacturer based in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
What does this actually mean? Final assembly, quality control, and testing are completed in Switzerland, allowing Ming to use the coveted “Swiss Made” label – legitimately.
What movements do Ming watches use?
Ming takes a flexible, quality-first approach to movements. While they don’t produce in-house calibres (yet), they’re very deliberate with their partners. Over the years, they’ve used:
- ETA 2824 (modified, notably in earlier Series 17 watches)
- Sellita SW330 (for GMT functionality)
- Schwarz-Etienne movements (top-grade micro-rotor automatic and manual-wind calibres, used in higher-end Series 20 and 19 models)
- Sellita SW210 (manual wind, used in minimalist models)
Movements are often modified for better decoration, regulation, or bespoke rotor designs. Some even include skeletonisation or custom bridges – not bad for a brand still under a decade old.
Specs & wearability
Ming watches tend to sit in the 38-40mm sweet spot, with short lugs and slim case heights that make them deceptively wearable – even for smaller wrists.
Typical specs include:
- Case sizes: 38.5mm to 40mm
- Lug widths: 20mm (standard across most models)
- Water resistance: Ranges from 50m up to 600m for dive watches
- Sapphire crystals: Double-domed or boxed, often with anti-reflective coating
- Materials: Grade 5 titanium, stainless steel, and now – forged carbon
The real party trick? Comfort. Even the chunkier models like the Ming diver watch (Bluefin) wear lighter than expected thanks to clever material choices and ergonomic shaping.
Where to buy Ming watches?
Here’s the hard bit. Most Ming watches are sold via direct pre-order in limited batches on the brand’s official website. These drops are often announced via email newsletter and go live at set times – if you’re not quick, you’ll miss out.
Your best shot outside of launch days is the secondary market, where prices historically have trended upwards, although more recently the market has softened and some of the pain points dealing with a smaller brand has started to show. Some reputable UK-based resellers occasionally have pieces in stock but prepare for significant markup.
If you’re searching for Ming watches UK (as naturally, us Brits need to avoid anything when it comes to importing or exporting thanks to Trump or Brexit!), platforms like WatchPro, eBay, and Chrono24 list verified examples, but do your homework on the provenance of the seller and location, as additional import taxes often sting!
The Ming model range
Here’s a concise guide to our picks out of the core Ming watch collection, including design ques, price brackets, movements and our thoughts.
Ming Minimalist
BodyCommonly referred to as the minimalist product line the Ming Series 17, 27 and 37 all have a common design thread.
The Ming 17 has multiple colourways, from the famous Ming blue to the Ming Burgundy and even extra-limited examples including the Ming Black and Honey. Basic by design, but famous nonetheless! Sadly, as most of these watches will not be produced again, they will almost certainly be designated as “sold out, orders closed”!
The Ming 27 is an evolution to the Ming 17, bringing advancements of the signature design to reduce the thickness of the watch to just 6.9mm. Removing all excess material by adoption a new development technique of leverage 3D CAF compared to the previous two-dimensional designs retendered via Photoshop.
The Ming 37 is a limited-edition release which sold out in 2021. Sporting a Moonphase and date complication at the 6 o’clock position on the dial. It also has lumed star-cutouts across, giving a midnight sky vibe.
Ming Series 5
The Ming 20.01 Series 5 is an unusual beast, as it’s Ming attempt into the foray of GMT watches. For those who don’t know what a GMT is, we have an article explaining the different complications here!
The Ming Series 5 looks almost like its fallen-off the wing of a jumbo-jet. The turbine like design (specifically referencing the Ming 20.01 Series 5) is a beast. This isn’t any standard Ming, it is in the same echelons as any other haute-horology brand. Hand finished, with a movement provided by AgenGraphe, one of the most significant and bold chronograph movements available on the market.
Priced at near £35,000 – yes, that is right – available to pre-order right now (as of 1st September 25), are you ready to sink a house deposit into the Swiss x Asian watch brand?
Ming Midnight
The Ming Midnight 29.01 also sports the unique bent-lug design of their more standard range, but this time brings world-timer functionality toe the dial. One trend here is that Ming do charge, and charge well for complications. At £22,000, this unique world-timer with its incredibly vibrant and stand-out lume really does the business. Flip the watch over, and you will see a stunning dial that your eyes will get lost in. Limited to only 25 pieces, it would certainly be a conversation starter (or finisher?).
Ming Bluefin
A grand finalist entry at the GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève) awards, the Ming Bluefin has become one of the most sought-after variants they have released in the short history. Technically and visually impressive, the watch includes:
- 600m water resistance, forged carbon case
- Internal rotating bezel, luminous dial
- Sellita SW300-based movement, where the bridges have been skeletonised, and the anthracite rotor being sourced up with added circular brushed.
- Price: £3,800 (launch RRP), now more readily available in the secondary market with prices starting at £5,500.
Ming Starlight
The Ming Starlight is aptly named, because the dial looks like the midnight starry sky when there isn’t a cloud insight. The dial is made of deep-black aventurine glass. Aventurine is a type of quartz which is visually sparkling but also incredibly good at absorbing light, however this is made from aventurine glass – a manmade dark glass that sparkles with copper and gold.
Ming Dubai
To throw a little curve ball in that relates to the Ming’s we have covered – The Ming Dubai Edition is another Ming world-timer which has distinct Arabic numerals denoted in gold accents. It keeps the flowing lines and smooth curves of the standard range, but this watch as specifically designed for the Dubai Watch Week. Money makes money. Clever marketing and partnerships go a long way in this industry.
Ming watch price overview
Prices vary widely depending on the model and release year. Here’s a quick recap and cheat sheet for those of you that have prices at the forefront of the purchasing decision. Ming watch prices range from:
| Model range | Price (Approx. GBP) |
| Entry-level (Series 17, 18) | £1,200 – £2,500 |
| Mid-tier (Series 20, 22) | £3,000 – £4,500 |
| Premium / special editions | £5,000 – £8,000+ |
| Ming Bluefin (Dive) | £3,800 (RRP – higher resale) |
Note: Availability is limited. Ming watch prices tends to appreciate, especially for rarer editions. The days of sub-£1,000 Mings are long gone, but it does mean value retention even now is still good with all things considered.
It’s not all roses
Despite Ming having an extensive range of watches which have won awards and the hearts and minds of long-standing collectors – they do not have the best reputation for customer service and support.
Trawling through multiple Reddit threads, punters have been left disappointed after poorly managed released cycles meant communication of the whereabouts of their newly ordered Ming was non-existent. “the promise that these would be delivered late 2022, or early 2023…Well that didn’t happen. I got a generic response, and finally 6 months later it was delivered”
It is not just the communication that suffers when a small independent ends up punching through and battling the high-street giants. Releases after often hyped-up and require customers to enter a draw or alternatively, be available within an incredibly short (sometimes 10 minute) window – many times that are sold out before we’ve had chance to catch the release.
Accelerated purchasing processes, overhyped social media and influencer followers, and punchy 4 figure pricing for basic movements means the design and product really needs to deliver. The question is, does it?
Final thoughts
Design will always be subjective, and asking the question of desirability and perceived quality is tough without having a Ming in hand to ponder over. If I could have the pick of the bunch, it would be the Ming GMT 22.01, with its Kyoto Green watch wonderfully covered by the 1916 company in this video:
Ming isn’t just another microbrand. It’s proof that thoughtful design, strong storytelling, and Swiss-level execution can create something truly special which sends ripples into our wallets. Ming has been successful in creating the fear of missing out (FOMO) mentality, further causing a sense of exclusivity associated to each of their releases.
Ming have created a unique brand that challenges the industry without shouting. Perhaps most impressively – it’s built a global cult following without leaning on nostalgia, celebrity endorsements or tired clichés. Ming watches are different and genuinely distinguishable from the common trope of like for like watches that continue to crop up.
So whether you’re eyeing a Ming Bluefin, one of the hypnotic lume-rich Ming Midnight models, or a minimalist Ming Monolith, you’re not just buying a watch – you’re buying into one of modern horology’s most exciting stories.
