MING has consistently pushed the boundaries of watch design, creating timepieces that are instantly recognisable and unapologetically avant-garde. Their approach is less about following convention and more about exploring form, texture, and light in unique ways, often with a touch of intellectual playfulness. Following the success of their popular 29.01 Worldtimer, MING is now inviting enthusiasts to “Join the dark side” with a “stealthier, subtler companion” – presented as the Batman to the Worldtimer’s Bruce Wayne – in the form of the 29.01 Midnight Watch.
This is a timepiece for those who appreciate discretion, designed for activities like “covert night missions. Secret assignations. Dead drops. International persons of mystery. Solo pilots on polar routes. Nocturnal hot air balloon pilots. Fighting crime (by night). Persons with discrete and discreet paramours. Lovers of subtle warm accents. Negotiations of the utmost importance. Competitor reconnaissance. Or plain ol’ insomnia.” While the brand humorously notes they “just like the colour combination that first debuted on the 37.09 Uni,” the intention is clear: a more sophisticated, night-ready sibling.
Building off the bold and seamless original worldtimer, the 29.01 Midnight Watch features a complex and fascinating dial display. An adjustable and rotating metal dial carries the 24-hour indication, designed to be read against static cities carried on two distinct levels of a sapphire dial. MING has chosen a “representative selection of our favourite hotspots of intrigue” for the static cities, ranging from New York to Rio, old London town, and even Pago Pago.
The effect is one of subtle layering and texture, brilliantly offset against contrasting indices on the upper sapphire dial and the sapphire hands. Naturally, low-light legibility is crucial for nocturnal rendezvous. There is plenty of luminous material in play, with every marking on the sapphire components and hands featuring ceramic Super-LumiNova X1 for an extended glow. Notably, the orange numbers also glow, but in a distinct orange hue, ensuring visibility in the darkest conditions.
The case construction is equally innovative. A deep sapphire box on the front serves dual duty as both the crystal and bezel, bonded seamlessly to the DLC coated grade 5 titanium case body. This case body carries the upper portion of the openworked flying blade lugs, which also feature an interlocking groove that keys into the caseback, resulting in a seamless appearance from the underside.
The finishing on the lugs features a striking contrast between polished top and bottom surfaces and the matte texture of the case sides, with dynamic sculpting continuously blending the lug surfaces with the case body. Though the 40mm diameter is one of MING’s larger cases, its visual presence and the shorter lugs ensure wearability across a wide variety of wrist sizes.
Powering the 29.01 Midnight is a Schwarz-Etienne microrotor automatic movement that has been given a thorough overhaul by MING and features an all-bespoke bridge design by Ming Thein. This movement is visually distinctive, designed to be even more open, airy, and transparent, with unique features aligned with MING’s latest design language.
The barrel is fully skeletonised and more open than before for easier determination of the state of wind. Plates and bridges are coated in 5N rose gold, adding “a little romance under that otherwise serious exterior.” The rotor guard is a whimsical four-level ‘staircase’ finished with anglage, and the tungsten microrotor itself is larger with a new organic shape “inspired by doughnuts” for higher winding efficiency, complemented by a new mounting and ceramic ball bearings for increased winding efficiency.
The watch is finished off with MING’s “exceedingly comfortable” FKM rubber strap secured by a matching DLC coated buckle. The MING 29.01 Midnight Watch is not just a watch; it is an ultra-exclusive statement piece. With only 25 of them being made, the chances of spotting another one in the field are vanishingly small.
Available at a price of CHF 22,000, it is a highly engineered, avant-garde timepiece that blends unique design, technical innovation, extreme rarity, and a touch of mystery for collectors who appreciate pushing boundaries.
