Ming is back with an updated version of their 37.05, which you might remember was announced in late 2021 as the brand’s first watch with a moonphase complication. Ming has given the 37.05 Series 2 (which they’ve nicknamed the “Ad Astra”) a series of whimsical refinements that play on the inherent romance of a moonphase complication. Those aesthetic tweaks are, of course, uniquely Ming in nature, making use of their expanding proficiency with a variety of materials, and a rather ingenious use of high powered luminescent material.
You’ll immediately notice that the big change to the new 37.05 is with the dial. Ming has gone from a textured blue dial with a subtle moonphase indicator at the 6:00 position to an anthracite dial with prominent brushed finishing. Star shaped holes have been added to the dial, which fill in with lume as the moonphase disc rotates underneath. The 37.05 still uses a sapphire upper dial, which is where you’ll find hour markers, the moon “mask” which is used to define the phase of the moon, as well as plenty of inlaid HyCeram lume to provide a bit of a light show when fully charged. Ming notes that the stars on the sapphire upper dial have HyCeram lume applied to both the upper and lower surfaces for increased visual depth.
The 37.05 Series 2 is powered by the manually wound Sellita SW288-1, which is the same caliber used in the prior moonphase, and has been extensively reworked and decorated in the same fashion. The bridges have been skeletonized and anthracite coated for a moody, dark appearance when paired with the brushed rhodium train bridge.
It wouldn’t be a Ming watch without a highly complex and curvaceous case design, and we see a continuation here of the 37 series aesthetic. The watch is finished to highlight those curves and transitional spots with clean delineations between brushed and polished surfaces, and features the trademark flying lug design that has come to define the look of the brand. The case is sized at 38mm, but with a large dial opening to improve wrist presence while maintaining the comfort of a medium sized watch. Ming’s goal with the 37 series case was to create a design that appears larger than the old 17 series cases, but doesn’t sacrifice wearability and comfort.
The Ming 37.05 Series 2 carries a retail price of CHF 4,950, and is a limited edition of 500 pieces. Orders begin on July 11, with a 50% deposit required to secure a watch. Deliveries are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2023. Ming
