Hands-On With The New Ming 37.02 Ghost
We met with Ming at Time to Watches in Geneva and left excited about all the releases in the pipeline. In addition to some innovative higher-end upcoming introductions, the brand still knows how to cater to its core audience. The new 37.02 Ghost exemplifies this as an automatic, time-only watch, but it’s still infused with the exciting details we know and love from Ming.
Ming wasn’t going to make a big splash about today’s 37.02 Ghost, but when I saw it in Geneva, I knew I had to cover it. Unexpectedly, CEO Praneeth Rajsingh offered to let me take the watch from Geneva to Florida while on vacation. It came with me to the Florida Keys, and while zero cloud cover may not be the best for pictures, it does allow the dial to shine, quite literally. Enjoy this exclusive hands-on look at the latest Ming.
The Ming 37.02 Ghost
Perhaps the reason that Ming considers the 37.02 Ghost a quiet release is because it uses the same form factor as other 37-series releases. The 37.02 Minimalist and 37.08 Aventurine come to mind. However, this 38mm by 44.5mm watch has a brushed Grade 2 titanium case instead of a stainless steel one. That’s a big difference. Otherwise, the attributes are the same, including the 11mm thickness and sapphire crystals on both case sides.
A titanium dial
The case material is a nice change from Ming, but the real appeal of the 37.02 Ghost (and every other Ming) for me is its dial. Like the Minimalist, this watch has an incredibly simple face, but it’s oh-so nice. Ming chose a case-matching Grade 2 titanium dial with radial and circular brushing. It’s a two-piece dial with a flat central section and an angled section that meets the rehaut. I’m not sure if Praneeth agreed with my analogy, but the design reminds me of wheels on vintage Bonneville Salt Flats racers.
Like many Ming watches, the 37.02 Ghost has liquid Super-LumiNova on the underside of the crystal. The look of floating indexes works perfectly with this dial, and no matter how many times I see it on the brand’s other watches, it never gets old.
All brushed and slightly more tactical
Whereas the other 37-series automatics have polished cases and bezels, the all-brushed titanium case gives the 37.02 Ghost a decidedly different appearance. It reminds me of the recent 21.01 tantalum watch. While I can’t comment on the scratch resistance of the material, I suppose little nicks will add character over time. Overall, it creates a less dressy appearance, and I think that’s welcome.
The automatic Ming SW300.M1
Per the normal direction, the 37.02 Ghost uses a Sellita automatic movement. Here, it’s called the SW300.M1, and it features anthracite skeletonized bridges and a custom rotor. The specs are as expected, with a frequency of 28,800vph and a power reserve of approximately 50 hours when fully wound. A display back shows off the movement and still affords a 100m depth rating.
Lovely on the wrist
It’s no surprise that the 37.02 Ghost wears beautifully. It fits my wrist nicely and should also work for those with larger wrists. The standard strap is made from supple gray goat leather and is paired with a sublime Grade 2 titanium tuck buckle.
This buckle allows the watch to wear cleanly and without an unsightly strap tail sticking out. With this type of water resistance and my environment, I wish I had brought the brand’s new black rubber strap. It would have transformed the 37.02 Ghost into a one-watch partner for the pool, ocean, tiki bars, and restaurants.
Pricing and availability
The good news is that the 37.02 Ghost is ready to ship immediately via the Ming website and retails for CHF 3,500. On the negative front, the watch is limited to 250 pieces. Then again, Ming offers enough references with repeat and regular production runs. The 37.02 Ghost may not be a shockingly wild release, but it shows the versatility and applicability of the brand’s design language in different materials and shades. For me, this is another winner. What do you think?
