What We Know
Want to see a magic trick? No, not the kind the Joker pulls in “The Dark Knight,” but instead something pretty cool that Ming has cooked up with their new 29.06 “Peep Show.” The watches below look markedly different, but the only thing that’s changed is the direction the hands point. When Ming Thein showed me this watch last fall, I immediately got what was going on as he turned the crown. If you were doing the same, you’d see that the guilloché dial with a multiphase color-shifting coating (like on the 57.04 “Iris”) slowly fades in and out of visibility, turning from a dazzling view to pitch black as the hands move. Any guesses on how it works?
Well, it’s kind of a trick question, because the hands aren’t actually hands. Instead, they’re polarized sapphire discs with a hands made of Super-LumiNova X1 fill. The two pieces of sapphire are linearly polarized, so when they’re aligned (on top of each other or directly opposite each other), the polarizer lets light in, and you can see that metal disc with color-shifting treatment. As the hands rotate, you see less and less of the dial until it turns black when the two discs are at 90º to each other. When you learn the effect, it’s pretty simple, but it’s certainly effective in person.
All this is in a 29-series case, which is a bit more reserved than the 57-series case. It’s made in lightweight Grade 5 titanium, measuring 40mm by 11.8mm, with a 22mm lug width. The case has a 50-meter water resistance.
Inside the case is the second-generation caliber of the Schwarz-Etienne for theMing ASE 200.M1. It’s a microrotor movement, but has more openworked bridges than the bog-standard ASE 200 caliber, with diamond-cut anglage and a more matte finish. The barrel is skeletonized so you can get a rough sense of the power reserve, along with other finishing touches. Power reserve is around 86 hours.
The 29.06 “Peep Show” will be available from the brand’s website and retail partners, limited to 50 pieces, with a retail price of CHF 22,000.
What We Think
This is a pretty clever dial treatment. The fact that I had a polarizing filter on my camera kind of made it easier for me to figure out the “trick,” but it didn’t take away from the watch’s interest. It also benefits from the fact that the “transformation” takes about 15 minutes, so it’s not particularly distracting (as it would be if the seconds were spinning around). It’s just a slow, subtle, but noticeable shift. The name, on the other hand, is not my thing. But I guess I’m just too puritanical to have fun.
As for the price, I give the brand credit for not using a bog-standard Schwarz-Etienne movement. Ming had the company go the extra mile to skeletonize and finish the caliber at a higher level. The only other point of reference I have is the Schwarz-Etienne x Kari Voutilainen watch, which used the same caliber, just not as complex of finishing, and it retailed for CHF 27,000 back in 2020. That makes the new watch feel like a relatively good deal for the price.
The Basics
Brand: Ming
Model: 29.06 “Peep Show”
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 11.8mm
Case Material: Grade 5 Titanium
Dial Color: CNC-machined guilloché dial with multiphasic color-shift coating
Lume: Polarized sapphire hand discs with Super-LumiNova X1 fill
Water Resistance: 50m
Strap/Bracelet: Perlon-textured calfskin strap with Alcantara lining by Jean Rousseau; Curved quick-release spring bars; Flying blade tuck buckle with micro-adjustment
The Movement
Caliber: Schwarz-E>enne for MING Cal. ASE 200.M1
Functions: Hours and minutes
Diameter: 30mm
Thickness: 5.6mm
Power Reserve: 86 hours
Winding: Bidirectional automatic winding via tungsten micro-rotor
Frequency: 3 Hz
Jewels: 29
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Bridges and “staircase” rotor guard decorated with diamond-cut anglage
Pricing & Availability
Price: CHF 22,000
Availability: Directly via Ming and their authorized retail partners
Limited Edition: Yes, 50 pieces
For more, click here.
