In the contemporary landscape of independent watchmaking, certain brands carve out a niche not through loud pronouncements but through a consistent and recognizable design ethos.
Ming is one such entity, a manufacturer that has cultivated a dedicated following by focusing on distinctive, reductivist design principles. The brand’s journey has recently pivoted towards establishing a permanent, core collection, ensuring that its unique vision is more accessible to enthusiasts. This new chapter began with the 37.02 Minimalist, a watch that served as a clear statement of intent, embodying the brand's commitment to quality, innovation, and value.
Building upon that foundation, the brand has introduced a piece that caters to a different sensibility. While the Minimalist was an open declaration, some collectors yearn for something more discreet, a piece that operates on a quieter frequency. This desire for an object that is special precisely because it does not shout for attention is the driving force behind the MING 37.02 Monolith. It is designed as a secret handshake in horological form, a watch that rewards those in the know while flying comfortably under the radar of the uninitiated. It is the stealthier, more elusive variant of its popular sibling, created for a specific connoisseur.
Courtesy of MING
The MING 37.02 Monolith is an exercise in controlled aesthetics, a darker interpretation of the brand's core design language. It takes the successful formula of the 37.02 Minimalist and re-dresses it in a subdued yet complex palette of dark tones and mixed textures. This edition is not a mass-market offering; its production is intentionally restricted on an annual basis. This strategy strikes a careful balance, maintaining a degree of accessibility for dedicated followers while preserving the exclusivity that makes such a piece compelling. It is a watch born from the idea that true confidence is quiet.
A fascinating aspect of the Monolith, and indeed MING’s recent creations, is its relationship with traditional industry labels. The watch is meticulously assembled in the brand’s own facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, a hub of high-end watchmaking. Paradoxically, it does not bear the ubiquitous ‘Swiss Made’ inscription on its dial. This is a deliberate and transparent choice, rooted in the fact that the key engineering, development, and design work is spearheaded by the brand’s founder, Ming Thein, from his office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Swiss regulations require the engineering to be based in Switzerland for the label, and MING chooses to credit the true source of its creative and technical DNA.
This hands-on approach from the founder extends to one of the watch's most defining features: its luminosity. The dial markings are filled with a proprietary material known as MING Polar White. This luminous compound is personally prepared by Ming Thein in Kuala Lumpur, using a formula and process developed entirely in-house. Its name is derived from its unique optical properties; it emits light across all wavelengths of the visible spectrum, resulting in a glow that is a true, brilliant white. This is a rare, if not singular, achievement in the world of horological lume, which typically trends towards green or blue hues.
Courtesy of MING
The dial itself is a masterful piece of material science and visual design. It is crafted from a solid piece of sapphire crystal, the same famously scratch-resistant material used for the watch's glass. This creates a remarkable interplay with light that is constantly in flux. Depending on the viewing angle and ambient conditions, the dial can appear to invert its colors, reflect the floating hour markers with crystalline clarity, or absorb light so completely that it resembles a miniature black hole on the wrist. All the markings are created by precisely laser-cutting channels into the sapphire, which are then filled with the liquid MING Polar White lume, resulting in sharp, integrated indicators.
For the sake of functional contrast and legibility, the hands are treated with a different luminous material. They are coated in Super-LumiNova X1 Blue, a high-performance compound known for its bright and lasting glow. This creates a subtle but effective color differentiation in low-light conditions, allowing the wearer to easily distinguish the hands from the hour markers. The hands themselves are executed in a simple, open-worked shape that complements the minimalist aesthetic, ensuring that they indicate the time clearly without cluttering the serene void of the sapphire dial.
The case of the 37.02 Monolith is a study in form and finish. Machined from robust 316L stainless steel, it measures a contemporary 38mm in diameter with a thickness of just 11mm. These balanced proportions are enhanced by a hard-wearing anthracite DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating, which imparts a deep, dark grey character. The case is not a single, uniform surface; it features a sophisticated mix of brushed and matte-blasted finishes. This texturing adds a tactile and visual depth, allowing different facets to play with light in subtle ways and preventing the watch from appearing flat.
Courtesy of MING
Visually, the case design employs clever tricks to manage its presence on the wrist. A very narrow bezel maximizes the dial aperture, giving the watch a significant visual punch and making it appear slightly larger than its 38mm dimension would suggest. Conversely, the slim 11mm profile and a thoughtful lug-to-lug distance of 44.5mm ensure that it wears comfortably and sits close to the wrist. This combination of visual impact and ergonomic comfort makes the Monolith suitable for a wide variety of wrist sizes, achieving a presence that is confident but not overwhelming.
Turning the watch over reveals an exhibition caseback, offering a view into the mechanical heart of the Monolith. The movement is the Sellita for MING SW300.M1, a caliber based on the reliable and slim Swiss-made Sellita SW300. However, this is far from a standard, off-the-shelf movement. MING has extensively customized it to align with the watch's overall design theme. The bridges and plates have been intricately skeletonized, and the entire movement, including the custom-designed rotor, is finished with a dark anthracite coating.
This customization transforms the movement from a mere timekeeping engine into an integral part of the watch's aesthetic identity. The dark, open-worked architecture provides a moody and technical view, a private spectacle for the owner that echoes the stealthy character of the case and dial. The movement provides automatic winding, a practical feature for daily wear, and holds a power reserve of approximately 45 hours when fully wound. It is a testament to the brand's philosophy that even the components hidden from public view are executed with the same level of design consideration as the exterior.
Courtesy of MING
One of the most striking visual elements of the MING 37.02 Monolith is the choice of strap. In a bold move that provides a stark contrast to the dark, serious nature of the watch head, it is paired with a vibrant Mango yellow strap. This decision injects a sense of playfulness and high-energy style into the package, making the Monolith exceptionally well-suited for summer wear or for anyone looking to make a confident statement. The contrast between the brooding anthracite case and the brilliant yellow strap is immediate and compelling.
The strap is crafted from FKM rubber, a high-performance fluoroelastomer known for its exceptional comfort, durability, and resistance to the elements. It is soft and pliable, conforming easily to the wrist, yet it is also highly resilient against UV rays, heat, and chemicals, ensuring it will maintain its color and integrity over time. This choice reflects a commitment to both comfort and practicality, ensuring the watch is as pleasant to wear as it is to look at. MING has cultivated a reputation for its high-quality rubber straps, and this pairing continues that tradition.
Securing the strap is a custom-designed tuck buckle, which is also coated in a matching anthracite DLC finish to maintain visual cohesion with the case. This style of buckle is sleek and low-profile, as the tail of the strap tucks neatly underneath, preventing it from snagging on cuffs. More importantly, the buckle incorporates a clever micro-adjustment system, allowing the wearer to make small, precise changes to the fit without needing to use the main pin holes. This is a thoughtful, user-centric feature that greatly enhances everyday comfort.
Courtesy of MING
Practicality is a key consideration that runs through the entire design. Despite its artistic dial and sophisticated finish, the Monolith is built for daily resilience. The case features a double-gasketed construction for the crown and caseback, which helps it achieve a water resistance rating of 100 meters. This level of protection makes it more than capable of handling splashes, rain, and even swimming, solidifying its position as a versatile watch that does not need to be babied. The sapphire crystals on both the front and back are treated with a double-sided anti-reflective coating to minimize glare and maximize clarity.
The MING 37.02 Monolith is priced at CHF 3,500, exclusive of taxes. It is available for purchase directly through the brand’s official website, as well as through a curated network of authorized retail partners. Underscoring its exclusive nature, production for the current year is strictly limited to just 100 pieces worldwide. For those fortunate enough to acquire one, deliveries are set to begin immediately, offering a rare opportunity to own a distinct and thoughtfully crafted piece from one of modern watchmaking's most interesting independent brands.
Case: 316L stainless steel with a brushed-matte blasted finish and anthracite DLC coating. 38mm diameter, 11mm thickness, 44.5mm lug-to-lug. Domed sapphire crystals with double-sided AR coating, 100m water resistance, 20mm lug width.
Movement: Sellita for MING SW300.M1, automatic winding with ~45h power reserve. Features custom anthracite skeletonised bridges and rotor.
Dial: Sapphire dial with laser cut channels filled with liquid MING Polar White. Hands coated in Super-LumiNova X1 Blue.
Strap: 20x18mm Mango FKM Rubber strap fitted with an anthracite DLC coated tuck buckle that includes a built-in microadjustment system.
Price: CHF 3,500, excluding taxes.
Reference Number: 37.02 Monolith
Notes: Limited to 100 units for the launch year. The watch does not carry a 'Swiss Made' label as engineering is done in Malaysia. The proprietary MING Polar White lume glows in a true white color.