Hot Take: The New Ming 37.07 Monolith
Today, we’re talking about the Ming 37.07 Monolith, the newest release from a brand we enjoy here at Fratello. The watch follows a tested formula of offering a DLC-coated variant of a prior release with deliberate design changes that should make it attractive for collectors. As always with Ming, the details are important and worthy of discussion.
As the resident Ming fan here at Fratello, I’m always on the lookout for the brand’s next release. The announcements seem to come at random moments but are never too tightly or loosely spaced. With Ming’s production back on track, it was time for a new watch in the form of the 37.07 Monolith.
The first 37.07
In July 2022, I went hands-on with the Ming 37.07 Mosaic, a watch produced to celebrate the young company’s fifth anniversary. I was so taken with it that I ordered one. The multi-layered dial is truly something to behold, and it displays many different tones and shapes depending on the lighting. The stainless steel case, while certainly moderately sized by Ming’s standards, has the presence of a larger watch due to the slim bezel. For me, it’s a winner, so a variant on the theme is welcome.
The new Ming 37.07 Monolith
At first glance, the 37.07 Monolith looks very similar to the Mosaic from 2022. It’s true, the dial is similar, and the case stainless case now carries a black DLC coating. The effect is quite different because the original watch was completely polished. Ming has chosen to give the case and crown of this version a bead-blasted finish. The brand’s press material states that the intent was to make the crystal “disappear” in the case. This would make the watch appear much larger than its dimensions when worn on its 20mm textured Jean Rousseau calf leather strap. For a watch that already bore a nearly non-existent bezel, I think the illusion pays off.
Keeping on theme with dark gray highlights
The Ming 37.07 Monolith also uses a mosaic-patterned dial. To match the theme of black, the watch uses dark gray Super-LumiNova on the base brass dial. Once again, there is a sapphire dial above it, which contains a printed black gradient motif and luminous indexes. Note the printed triangles in its center, a multi-layered detail best appreciated in person. Ming tops all of this with a domed sapphire crystal.
Familiar dimensions and a hand-wound movement
Despite its greater presence, the Ming 37.07 Monolith retains the familiar 38mm diameter and 44.5mm lug-to-lug. The thickness is also reasonable at 10.9mm with a bit of conscious addition due to the domed crystals on either side. For those who enjoy winding their watches, Ming has turned to the Sellita SW210.M1. It continues to look good with its skeletonized bridges and rhodium plating.
Pricing, availability, and final comments
The Ming 37.07 Monolith will have a run of 250 pieces with a price of CHF 3,500. The watch will be available on the Ming site for pre-order on October 12th at 1:00 PM GMT, and it will require a 50% deposit. Buyers shouldn’t have to wait as long as in the past for their watches as deliveries will commence beginning in November. Opinion-wise, I like the inky, more tactile looks. It certainly isn’t a military watch, yet it’s nowhere near as sporty as the Mosaic. All in all, it’s an attractive release, and judging by the success of prior DLC-coated models, this watch should do well.
