This Minimalist Masterpiece Reinvents a Classic Watch Style

Last month, Malaysian independent brand MING debuted the 57.04 Iris, a destro monopusher chronograph with stepped lugs and a color-changing dial. The wild watch introduced the brand’s radical new 57-series design language, which is quite a bit more complex than its masterfully minimalist 37 series.

I personally am a big fan of the 37 series, which debuted in 2021, and I’m happy to report that MING isn’t bidding adieu to the older design language just yet.

The brand has just launched its third and final moonphase in the 37 series, the 37.05 “Lunatic.” Not only is the new watch quite a bit different from the moonphase watches MING has made previously, but it is also unlike any other moonphase watch that has ever existed from any brand.

MING

Luminous lunacy

Like the original 37.05 Moonphase and its starry-dialed sequel, the new Lunatic uses the customized Sellita for MING Calibre 288.M1 manual-wind movement. But whereas the two previous 37.05 models had a complication that at least somewhat resembled a traditional moonphase, the Lunatic goes in a more abstract direction with the complication.

Arcing across the top half of the dial is a curved bar accented with flourishes on either side that give the illusion of motion. It’s positioned above a static crescent moon icon, indicating that this bar, while it doesn’t look like it, is your moonphase indicator.

MING

The bar and moon icon are both printed on the partially transparent metallized sapphire dial in MING’s proprietary Polar White lume, and you can see through to parts of the movement below. On this lower level, the moonphase disc is executed simply via two thick bars of Super-LumiNova. This lower level of lume then fills up the Polar White-outlined bar on the dial in accordance with the phases of the moon.

For instance, if it’s a new moon, the bar will be empty. During a full moon, it will be fully luminous. And for everything in between, the amount of lume present in the bar will be somewhere in the middle.

The dual-layer dial has more interesting things going on, as well, particularly when it comes to lume. The indices are laser-engraved into the sapphire dial and are filled with Polar White, while the date disc — which is on the same plane as the moonphase and is visible through the dial — is fully lumed with Super-LumiNova to match the moonphase, with the current date fully, brightly exposed in a 6:00 window.

MING

MING’s sci-fi-inspired 37-series hands also feature copious amounts of Super-LumiNova, and they feel especially appropriate here, as MING notes that the Lunatic’s design was inspired by space travel. All MING watches have sci-fi-inspired looks, but the Lunatic especially nails the genre.

The sapphire dial has a metallized treatment that allows it to effectively turn into a mirror at certain angles — a feature present on most MING watches that the brand calls “inversion.”

The case is the same 38mm stainless steel case seen on other 37-series models, and is absurdly comfortable. It features the brand’s signature flared lugs and a thickness of 11.9mm — though 2 of those millimeters are accounted for by the domed sapphire crystals on either side of the watch.

MING

As always, the Sellita movement powering the Lunatic features custom decoration exclusive to MING, with anthracite skeletonized bridges and circular rhodium brushing. MING paired the watch with the brand’s existing FKM rubber strap in white to amplify the futuristic, space-ready vibes. It’s also worth noting that MING’s rubber straps, especially when paired with the brand’s Tuck Buckle, like we have here, are among the most comfortable on the market.

Pricing and availability

The Lunatic is, in my opinion, the best moonphase watch MING has produced yet. Its sci-fi vibes are insanely cool, and the multilayer, multicolored lume treatment is both unique and visually mesmerizing.

But it won’t be easy to get a hold of. While the hype around MING’s watches has cooled in recent years, the 37.05 Lunatic will likely disappear from the market quickly. The brand is only making 100 examples of the watch, and then it will never be produced again. It’s priced at CHF 5,250, which, as of this writing, converts to about $6,600.

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