What We Know
When Ming, Fleming, and J.N. Shapiro teamed up in 2024 to launch the Alternative Horological Alliance, they did so with a product: a “universal” tantalum bracelet. But I’ve been waiting to see if the AHA (now including Fears and Massena LAB) would team up in other ways. Today, Ming and J.N. Shapiro announce the 37.06 “Lightning,” which blends the dial work Shapiro’s team is known for with Ming’s signature design language into something that’s both new yet familiar.
It’s not a trick of the light. The dial is really that striking (no pun intended, I promise). Each dial is made from grade-2 titanium and hand-guillochéd in Los Angeles through engine-turning on a traditional rose-engine lathe to create a pattern called “Lightning guilloché.” It’s a pattern J.N. Shapiro hasn’t used on a wristwatch before. The dials are then shipped to Kuala Lumpur, where Ming Thein himself hand-colors each dial by heat-staining it with a butane torch.
It’s not as easy as just sticking a torch on a dial. A time too long or too short by even a few seconds, and the color might be uneven. Even if you do it right, the final result might still fail because the guilloché process exposes variations in titanium’s crystalline structure. Only one in three dials works out.
The dial is still very Ming, as is the rest of the watch, with the flared lugs and engraved crystal that’s filled with HyCeram luminous indices. The hands have Super-LumiNova X1. The case is 38mm in diameter, 10.9mm in thickness, and 44.5mm lug-to-lug, and is made of 316L stainless steel with a display caseback and 100m water resistance.
Through that display caseback, you can see the manually-wound Sellita for MING caliber SW210.M1 with skeletonized, rhodium-plated bridges and an anthracite-coated baseplate. The movement runs at 4Hz with about 42 hours of power reserve. It’s a great, standard framework from Ming, so if you know the brand, you know what you’re getting. And it always comes with a little extra flair, in this case, the mesmerizing dial.
The new collaboration isn’t a limited edition, but it is limited in production due to the handmade treatment required. You don’t expect Ming Thein to just sit around all day working with a torch, do you? The retail price is CHF 6,250.
What We Think
When I first saw that, I thought it was a trick of the light, bouncing around on a textured surface and looking far more vibrant than it is in reality. But that’s the real deal. Yes, titanium heat-coloring is a known process that gives something like the De Bethune “Kind of Blue” its iconic color. Getting that consistent blue color across an entire case is incredibly difficult.
But at a much lower price, I can imagine it would also be tough to do that kind of heat treatment on a dial in large quantities. Is it the kind of subtle watch that I’d wear every day? No. But I’m sure there are many more vibrant people out there who will be thunderstruck by the lightning.
The Basics
Brand: MING × J.N. Shapiro
Model: 37.06 Lightning
Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 10.9mm
Lug-to-Lug: 44.5mm
Case Material: 316L stainless steel, brushed and polished finish
Dial Color: Handmade engine-turned guilloché dial in grade-2 titanium by J.N. Shapiro in Los Angeles; heat-colored by Ming Thein in Kuala Lumpur
Indexes: Top crystal engraved and filled with HyCeram luminous indices
Lume: Super-LumiNova X1-coated hands
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap/Bracelet: Blue Barenia calfskin strap with Alcantara lining from Jean Rousseau; Curved quick-release spring bars; Flying-blade tuck buckle with micro-adjustment
The Movement
Caliber: MING Cal. SW210.M1
Functions: Hours, minutes
Diameter: 25.6mm
Thickness: 3.35mm
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Winding: Manual-winding
Frequency: 4Hz
Jewels: 18
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: 2-year limited mechanical warranty
Pricing & Availability
Price: CHF 6,250
Availability: Available via www.ming.watch and MING authorized retail partners
Limited Edition: No, but limited production
For more, click here.
