The New Ming 27.01 Watch (Price, Pictures and Specifications)
What would happen if Ming could evolve their debut watch – the 17.01?
Continuity and advancement
The answer is the MING 27.01: the spiritual successor to the very first watch Ming produced, reflected in configuration – two hand, manual wind – and naming. The 27.01 advances the concept of a versatile, collector-centric and accessible daily wearer by a significant step and is appropriately the first watch to feature Ming second-generation design language.
Design language 2
After two and a half years, fifteen models, a Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genéve win and literally hundreds of design studies – MT finally learned 3D CAD (all watches released to date were designed in two dimensions and Photoshop) and went crazy: the 27.01 is one of the first watches created in 3D, from the start.
Ming core elements were further distilled down to radial symmetry; legibility; the 0 marker; flared lugs and smooth case transitions; mixed finishes; and visual dissonance in layering to make watches seem much deeper or shallower than their physical dimensions might suggest. On top of the additional layering and material transitions, the case now incorporates Ming flying blade lugs, a feature new to design language 2.
Minimalism in all areas
At just 38x6.9mm, the 27.01 is the thinnest watch Ming has made to date but has surprising wrist presence while retaining wearability for all wrist sizes.
The overarching brief of reduction has been carried through to the case and movement: excess material has been removed from the periphery of the case, with hollows extending through the lugs (a serious machining challenge given the thickness, or lack thereof, of the monobloc caseband). Ming elected to leave the case in stainless steel to provide the right tactile feel.
The Ming 27.01 is powered by a movement so heavily reworked that they probably should have started from scratch. Ming begin with an ETA Peseux 7001 and retain only the gear train and escapement. The bridges and plates are remade, courtesy of Manufacture Schwarz Etienne, in a configuration of our design, retaining the same aesthetic as the 19-series: solid baseplate with maximal opening of upper bridges to put the moving components on display. It is a continuation of Ming belief that a display back must have something worth seeing behind it.
Stepping up
Ming has once again partnered with Manufacture Schwarz-Etienne for the production of the 27.01, Jean Rousseau Paris for the straps and Studio Koji Sato for our travel pouches. Ming is proud to apply consistent quality control standards across the range, be it for flagship or entry-level watches. Given the refinement and extensive level of customization in the Ming 27.01, they believe this represents an interesting new offering for the brand, and a next step for collectors of their 17 series.
Ming 27.01
Technical specifications:
Functions: hours and minutes
Case, dial & hands:
· 38mm diameter, 6.9mm thickness, stainless steel 316L
· Mix of polished, brushed and blasted surfaces with ‘flying blade’ lugs
· Sapphire crystal front and rear with double-sided antireflective coating
· Rigid case without spacer rings
· 50m water resistance
· 20mm lug width
Movement:
· Ming 7001.M1: heavily-modified ETA 7001 with new bridges and baseplate
· Black chrome plated bridges and plates
· ~42h power reserve at full wind
· Movement adjusted to five positions
Straps:
· Smooth calf burgundy strap by Jean Rousseau Paris
· 20mm width, curved bars with quick release
· 70/120mm length
· Fitted with 2nd generation 'flying blade' stainless steel buckle
Strap weighs 53g with strap, 37g without
Leather travel pouch handmade in Kuala Lumpur by Studio Koji Sato
2-year warranty against defects
Made in Switzerland
The price for the Ming 27.01 Watch is 3,950 Swiss francs and is limited to 125 pieces for 2020 due to movement supply and production capacity limitations.
