Introducing: The Ming 37.05 Lunatic
Ming is probably best known for its simple, time-only watches. After all, these are the types of pieces responsible for the small brand’s dramatic rise in popularity. However, the eight-year-old brand has offered chronographs, GMTs, worldtimers, and other complications. In 2021, the first Ming watch with a date indicator arrived. It also included a moonphase complication. Then, a follow-up model debuted in 2023. Two years later, the final model in the trio is here. Join me for a brief look at the new 37.05 Lunatic.
Although most people prefer a date function on their watches, the idea has typically seemed foreign to Ming. There’s hardly a brand I can recall that focuses more on the purity of design, and date windows are disruptive. Still, when the 37.05 debuted in 2022, the challenge to add such functionality was accepted. Overall, it was a fine release, but Ming is rarely content with an initial effort. The 37.05 Series 2 brought a star-filled dial and brighter luminous colors. Frankly, it distracted the eyes from the date window, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Today, the final act in the three-part play arrives as the 37.05 Lunatic, and honestly, it’s my favorite.
The new Ming 37.05 Lunatic
The final 37.05 moonphase model from Ming follows a similar form to its predecessors. In fact, it uses the same external design, resulting in a stainless steel case with a 38mm diameter and a 44.7mm lug-to-lug. The 11.9mm thickness, including two domed sapphire crystals, is also identical and reasonable. As we’ve come to expect from a Ming watch, the water resistance rating is a healthy 100 meters. On this model, exploiting that capability is a breeze with the included white FKM rubber strap and comfortable tuck buckle.
A difference-maker of a dial
I’ve liked every successive generation of the 37.05 more than the last, and it follows suit that the Lunatic is my favorite. I’ve boiled this down to several reasons. For starters, this is the first moonphase model to use Polar White luminous fill, the proprietary compound created by Ming. The pure white circular hour indicators work harmoniously with the partially transparent and metalized sapphire dial. In some lights, the dial is black, and in others, it looks silver. Similarly, the date and moonphase wheels are visible at certain angles. Yet, the stark white material is always there in crisp fashion, etched into the underside of the crystal or underneath the dial.
The layout also feels like it’s the most in keeping with the traditional Ming aesthetic. Earlier models had a round oculus below the central pinion and a date window below this. The 37.05 Lunatic takes a different approach. The date window still sits at the bottom of the dial, but the moonphase indicator balances it with a position above the pinion. Importantly, the method of display for the lunar cycle has also changed. Now, it’s more akin to a rev counter, with luminous white material increasing and decreasing across a gauge-like arc. Small dashed arcs are positioned on either side of this window and conceal the underlying moonphase wheel during the day. To aid legibility in the dark, the hands, date, and moonphase indicator use bluish-green-emitting Super-LumiNova.
The Sellita for Ming 288.M1 caliber
Just like prior models, the 37.05 Lunatic uses the 288.M1 from Sellita. The manual-winding movement has a mix of anthracite-coated bridges and contrasting rhodium-plated, circular-brushed components. Also, the bridges have been skeletonized, which creates a movement worth displaying. Regarding performance, the caliber offers approximately 40 hours of power reserve and quick-setting functions for the date and moonphase complications.
Final words on the 37.05 Lunatic
For the third part of the trilogy, I feel that Ming saved the best for last. The 37.05 Lunatic is modern and clean, and best of all, it implements its date wheel seamlessly. So, what’s the catch? Well, the pricing isn’t a surprise at CHF 5,250, making it just CHF 300 more than the 2023 edition. No, the challenge is that buyers will likely have to decide quickly on this model. Ming is producing just 100 of these pieces, and sales start immediately on the Ming website or at authorized retailers. Regardless of the small quantity, it’s a worthy send-off for this series of watches.
