27.02 Editorial GTTP Limited Edition spotlight MING New Releases New Watches New Watches 2021

Meet Mr Mysterious – Presenting the new MING 27.02

The new Ming 27.02 is no different. It is truly loaded with outstanding features and is bound to be a valuable addition to any watch collection. It is a geometric masterpiece that masters the art of pure time-telling.

Meet Mr Mysterious – Presenting the new MING 27.02 

In a Nutshell: The new MING 27.02 is being released in limited numbers of 200-pieces only retailing for 4’950 CHF. It features the manual-winding movement cal. MING 7001.M1 offering ~42h power reserve that is encased inside an ultra-thin 38mm x 6.9mm steel case. This 50m water-resistant case envelopes a mysteriously dark sapphire dial with a stamped blue Clous-de-Paris guilloché ring. Let’s find out more… 

new MING 27.02

The Geometric Wonder

The American physicist Antony Garrett Lisi once said: “I think the universe is pure geometry – basically, a beautiful shape twisting around and dancing over space-time”. 

The new MING 27.02 is an embodiment of this idea; it is a timepiece that is pure geometry, stripped-off all pretension – basically, a beautiful dial on which the minimalistic hands dance to the tune of time. 

new MING 27.02

You Are Witnessing The Making Of An Icon 

This 2021 iteration has all the elements that make MING as iconic as say a Cartier Tank or a Rolex Submariner. Present here are MING’s typical ‘0’ marker and flared lugs, the radial symmetry that’s impressive to the core, and the mix of polished, brushed and blasted surfaces with ‘flying blade’ lugs; all elements we have become endearingly accustomed to.

But what it brings new to your wrists is the gradient sapphire dial with laser etched and white-filled indices underneath which a stamped blue Clous-de-Paris guilloché ring around the periphery of the movement rules all that it surveys.

new MING 27.02

Meet the dial’s best friend; Natural Light 

The new MING 27.02 as a timepiece can only be fully appreciated when looked at in person, but we are told that depending on the environment, the 27.02 can present anything from a reflection to an inky black pool that transitions into a Clous-de-Paris ring. 

Light seems to be 27.02’s best friend, with the various elements of the watch designed to tango with it. The case performs this dance by the use of polished flying blades that are offset against matte-blasted recesses, while the dial joins in as the lighter polished steel bezel transitions to blue Clous-de-Paris and then to an inky black pool on the dial.

new MING 27.02

Winning Formula 

Coming hot on the heels of the one-off 27.02 prototype from last year and the ultra-thin 27.01, this second variation of generation 2.0 like its predecessor from last year is encased inside a minimalistic 38mm diameter and 6.9mm thick 316L stainless steel rigid case without spacer rings that offers an increased 50m — usually watches with ETA Peseux 7001 offer only 30m — water-resistance.

MING 27.01 4
27.01 – generation 2.0 first model

The 27.02 comes on a calf blue-grey leather strap by Jean Rousseau Paris and is fitted with their 2nd generation ‘flying blade’ stainless steel buckle. One of things I admire about MING is the attention to detail and the inclusion of universally adaptable 20mm lug interhorn width for easy strap changes is  highly welcome.

Talking about things I admire about the brand, I also like that they are one of those companies that thankfully listen to their customers; case in point – based on the customer feedback, MING has decided to launch the watches on the 14th but they will only be for sale to the general public from the 15th. This way the potential buyers have a 24-hour gap to better understand the watches and see if they really like the 27.02. And on the other hand the existing customer loyalty is being rewarded as well, with early access (to a batch of watches) to be granted from the 14th to existing customers only. 

MING 27.01 6
27.02 features the exact same case design and ultra-thin aesthetics as its predecessor above

Lots of elements here are nothing disruptively new; but they were amazing with the previous release to begin with. Come to think of it, the 27.02 takes the best of 27.01, mixes it with some of the dial elements of 19.01, and presents a timepiece that is uniquely stemmed from the brand’s foundations yet bears a new fruit.

new MING 27.02
19.01

The combination of all things soaked in MING design DNA combined with the only 6.9mm total height including the sapphire crystals makes the 27.02 a must have for any serious watch collector.

The Souped-up Heart 

Within the dangerously sexy case of the 27.02 ticks the cal. MING 7001.M1, the heavily reworked ETA Peseux 7001 manual-winding movement modified with new bridges and baseplate and offering a ~42h power reserve at full wind.

new MING 27.02

It is a 10 ½‴ or 10 ½ lignes (23.30mm diameter) x 2.50mm thick movement traditionally composing of 17 jewels, featuring the functions of hours, minutes and small seconds and beating at the frequency of 3Hz (21’8600 A/h) offering typical timing tolerance of +/- 12 seconds per day.

MING 27.01 5
27.01 and 27.02 share the same heart

Night-mode Deactivated 

As with the 27.01, I find the lack of lume — on both the slightly recessed peripheral grooves of the minute track and the ‘safety-pin’ hands — to be the one blemish on this otherwise superb release that sets 2021 off to an amazing horological ride. 

MING 19.05 6
I love how lume shines on MING watches – shown here on the 19.05

The Verdict

MING no doubt over the years has evolved into a name to reckon with. Their offerings are truly limited and speak of a haloed design language that’s both attractive and unique. 

The new Ming 27.02 is no different. 

It is truly loaded with outstanding features and is bound to be a valuable addition to any watch collection. It is a geometric masterpiece that masters the art of pure time-telling. 

new MING 27.02

The watch is priced considerably higher compared to 27.01 coming in at 4’950 CHF instead of its predecessor’s 3’950 CHF with the deliveries expected to commence November 2021 inside handmade leather Studio Koji Sato designed travel pouches. The MING 27.02 will be available to order from 1PM GMT on 14 January 2021, exclusively from www.ming.watch , and buyers can look at ordering on 15 January at 1PM GMT. All images unless stated otherwise © HOROLOGER MING 2020.

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