Welcome to the July edition of the MING/Journal. Time flies and it's hard to believe we are already into the second half of 2024. Today we will feature our latest release, the MING 37.08 Starlight, and share some exciting upcoming news with you including our appearance at Geneva Watch Days next month as well as a peek at our third launch for 2024.
Firstly, good news for those of you who have been reaching out to ask when our second generation 20mm universal bracelet will be back in stock. As our 37.08 Starlights start to ship, we will also have these bracelets available for purchase separately. Find out more here.
Today's In Focus segment covers the 37.08 Starlight, our second 37.08 following the Sand, which debuted at Dubai Watch Week last year. The Aventurine dial brings to mind a clear night sky, with subtly sparkling stars over a deep blue-black base. The 37.08 Starlight is also the first 37-series watch to ship on our second generation 20mm universal bracelet, making it suitable for different occasions. We are producing 300 watches in this batch and will start deliveries soon. If you are a fan of the 37-series, you might want to get this one here while you can. Otherwise, stay tuned as we have plenty of surprises in the pipeline.
Speaking of surprises - we’ll be revisiting the AgenGraphe and our love for chronographs with our next release, which will also debut a whole new dial process and an evolution of our work with transparency and layering. More details at the end!
1. In Focus: MING 37.08 Starlight
The 37.08 Starlight was conceptualised as a sibling to the 37.08 Sand, featuring elemental-inspired dials. The Aventurine dial and our 20mm universal bracelet take centre stage in this watch, giving it a refined presence unencumbered by distractions.
The Dial
The dial is the star of 37.08 Starlight. Fully Swiss-made, the delicate dials are flecked with inclusions against a blue-black background, giving the impression of glittering stars against a clear night sky.
The Aventurine dials itself were fragile and very tricky to deal with - especially during polishing and assembly - resulting in very high failure and discard rates.
The 37.08 Starlight also benefits from our new lume process for the glossy black hands, with a new Super-LumiNova X1 formulation and multiple printing passes.
Together, the sparkling Aventurine dial and elegant hands offer a rare and charmingly formal feel to this incarnation of a 37-series dress watch.
The Bracelet
The second generation 20mm Universal Bracelet in stainless steel has appeared on many watches, not necessarily just ours. We still think it's the most comfortable 20mm bracelet out there.
Featuring a polished top and brushed sides, the Universal Bracelet has a harmonious transition between lugs and end-links and echoes the complex and compound curves of our cases.
The Universal Bracelet is made of 316L stainless steel and comes with a Bergeon screwdriver for sizing. The sculpted leaf links flow around your wrist and are easily adjusted and fits wrist sizes ranging from 5.4 in to 8.2 in in 2.5mm increments thanks to the inclusion of ⅔ links. It also features quick release pins for easy interchange with straps and a concealed double butterfly clasp.
The MING 20mm Universal Bracelet can also be purchased separately here.
2. In The News: 37.08 Starlight
Some of our friends in the media were able to spend some time with our Aventurine-dialled watch before the launch. Here is what some of them had to say.
- Hodinkee - Hands-On The Ming 37.08 'Starlight' With Aventurine Dial
- Fratello Watches - Introducing: The Ming 37.08 Starlight With An Arresting Aventurine Dial
- The 1916 Company - Galaxy Class: The New MING 37.08 Starlight
3. MING at Geneva Watch Days
We are happy to announce that MING will be participating in Geneva Watch Days this year together with our friends Fleming and J.N. Shapiro, and we are not coming empty-handed! If you happen to be in town during that time, please drop by and say hi. Nothing beats seeing our watches in the metal - especially special pieces from the archive- and of course our latest releases. Drinking our espresso is optional.
There will also be several major announcements that weekend which we are excited to share with you. Visit our page for more information on MING at Geneva Watch Days. A bientôt!
4. Pre-Launch Info: 20.01S3
Since the debut of our laser-etched sapphire Mosaic dial, MT and team have been working on another ground-breaking idea that took quite a lot of trial and error to materialise. Built around an AgenGraphe with a special configuration for MING, this watch is a visual spectacle you won't want to miss.
The 20.01S3 will open for orders on Tuesday, August 20th at 1PM GMT, or:
- 6AM in San Francisco
- 9AM in New York
- 2PM in London
- 3PM in Geneva
- 5PM in Dubai
- 9PM in Kuala Lumpur
- 10PM in Tokyo
- 11PM in Melbourne
You can also follow the conversation and launch on IG @mingwatches.
5. Friends of MING: Atlanta and Charlotte
Recently our CEO, Praneeth, and our COO, Mauro, made a trip to visit our friends at the Atlanta Watch Society and Carolina Watch Club. It was chance for the collectors community to get to know members of Team MING and also to get up close with our watches. Thank you to Giancarlo and Nate for organising the meet ups!
We hope you enjoyed the highlight on the 37.08 Starlight and as always, thank you for supporting us in our horological journey thus far.
Team MING
Published: 24th July 2024