Introducing Ming Releases A Ghostly All-Black Take On Its Worldtimer With The 29.01 ‘Midnight’

Two years after the launch of the first 29-series worldtimer, Ming is turning it over to the dark side with the new 29.01 'Midnight' edition. Those keeping up with the brand's releases are sure to remember the 37.09 'Uni' dive watch from the beginning of this year, a black DLC take on its blue and steel brother. It turns out that the team liked that combination so much that it decided to do the same on the 29.01. What we end up with is not aesthetically groundbreaking, but continues to be unapologetically Ming.

The 40mm grade 5 titanium case features an identical construction to the other 29.01 worldtimers, with Ming's iconic "flying blade" sculpted lugs and smooth rounded case sides, this time coated with a black DLC treatment for that dark, inky look. The case sits 11.8mm tall, including the prominent box sapphire crystal covering the entire top with no bezel. The DLC coating is glossy on the polished top and bottom of the lugs, while the case sides are matte, helping hide the visual transition between glass and metal on the watch quite well in person.

The dial continues to reflect (pun intended) Ming's proclivity towards complex sapphire construction. The base metal dial, finished in a lightly grained texture, also acts as the surface for the printed 24-hour indications. On top sits a static sapphire upper dial, printed with the world cities. As the hours progress, the base dial rotates via a peripheral ball bearing track so that the 24-hour scale can reflect the right time in the various cities worldwide. The hands are also made out of sapphire, and these, along with the markings on the sapphire dial, are all infilled with HyCeram ceramic Super-LumiNova X1 to give that signature Ming glow. Even the printing for the 24-hour scale is orange Super-LumiNova.

A domed exhibition caseback shows off the caliber ASE 222, a movement built exclusively for Ming by the micro-rotor aficionados at Schwarz-Etienne. Ming Thein's aesthetic touch is very much apparent in this caliber, with its bridge designs entirely designed by the man. Taking from the 2023 Dubai edition of the 29.01, Ming coats the plates and bridges of the Midnight's caliber in 5N rose gold. It's a nice juxtaposition between a more classic look and, well, the rest of the watch. Aesthetic flourishes like the skeletonized barrel architecture, a curved donut-inspired tungsten microrotor, and plenty of anglage keep it visually interesting.

The 29.01 Midnight comes on a FKM rubber strap and a matching DLC-coated buckle, and is priced at CHF 22,000.

I'll start with my disclaimer that I'm not typically a fan of coatings on watches. Yes, DLC treatment is usually durable enough. Still, I often find that there are too many fingerprints to deal with on coated watches, as you might glimpse at in some of my photos when I saw this watch during Time To Watches in Geneva last month. That said, I find that Ming's ultra-modern designs go together well with DLC, and I've found myself wanting to own some of them. The 'Midnight' edition of the 29.01 is very much one of those moments. Yes, this is just a new colorway, but I think it improves the design. While the original 29.01 in titanium looked quite conventional until you looked closer, this new jet-black makeover with a rubber strap adds a lot to the mystery. It visually suspends elements of the dial in a dark void. In person, the effect is delivered spectacularly.

At almost $27,000 (as of the time of publishing), the 29.01 falls squarely in the high-end tier of Ming's offerings. Interestingly, the 25-piece Dubai edition, launched in November of 2023, is still available to order on Ming's website. While there's something to be said about the Arabic dial limiting the wider market appeal of the watch, it's a change from the seemingly unending frenzy of years past, where every single watch seemed to be snapped up in hours.

But this change isn't a bad thing for the consumer by any means, and Ming's recent releases of core production models, as well as its departure from a purely direct-to-consumer business with the advent of several authorized retailer partnerships, indicate that the brand is changing; dare I say, maturing. Many of the watches are still very much in high demand, with models like the GPHG-winning 37.09 Bluefin continuing to sell out, but I do appreciate the ability for a prospective buyer to consider many of the models outside of a specific order window. 

Thankfully, Ming's unwavering commitment to boundary-pushing design, which continues to feel unique and interesting after eight years in business, hasn't changed.

Brand: Ming Watch
Model: 29.01 'Midnight'
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 11.8mm
Case Material: Grade 5 titanium with black DLC coating
Dial Color: Black
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 50mm
Strap/Bracelet: Black FKM rubber strap with DLC-coated buckle

Caliber: Schwarz-Etienne for MING Cal. ASE 222
Functions: Hours, minutes, worldtimer
Diameter: 30mm
Thickness: 5.6mm
Power Reserve: 86 hours
Winding: Automatic micro-rotor
Frequency: 4 Hz
Jewels: 31
Chronometer Certified: No

Price: 22,000 CHF
Availability: Now, through Ming and its retail partners
Limited Edition: Yes, 25 pieces.

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