Last year, Ming introduced their first novel dive watch since 2020’s 18.01, it was called the 37.09 ‘Bluefin’ and it would go on to win a GPHG award for best sports watch. The watch brought many of Ming’s modern design tricks to the table in an interesting way, challenging our perception of the dive watch genre in the process. My only lament was around the move away from a titanium case, but there was a lot to love in this design from both a practical and an aesthetic point of view. This week, Ming is returning to the 37.09 diver with a new model dubbed the ‘Uni’, featuring a new dial design and fresh DLC coating to the case.
The 37.09 ‘Uni’ sticks with the sushi naming theme, this time giving a nod to the sea urchin, a sweet, briny echinoderm that is very much an acquired taste. There is a subtle, buttery brilliance to the experience that defies the aggressive spiny appearance. The new 37.09 takes this name and utilizes a similar matte black surface (sans the spines, mercifully) with white and orange accents set within a unique dial design that brings a more organic feeling than the Bluefin featured.
The sapphire crystal hosts a continuous track that floats above the base dial, representing one hour (or five minute) segments. The Super-LumiNova X1 sits within the crystal to achieve this effect, and it’s something the brand has mastered in recent years. The dial itself is a second crystal that appears jet black, with more X1 Super-LumiNova set into segments around the dial, with the first 20 minutes appearing in orange. This plays the role of a bezel, and it can be rotated with the use of the crown at four o’clock. In total, the dial is a captivating experience that is highly dynamic in nature, which is nothing new for Ming, and it takes a welcome step forward from the Bluefin execution.
Another change comes in the 38mm case, which now sports a matte-brushed DLC finish that’s not quite black, but not full on grey, either. The unique shape of the case remains, with a flared lug that wraps around the wrist, and a total thickness of 12.8mm, which is rather impressive considering the whopping 600M depth rating assigned to the watch. Lug to lug distance is 44.5mm and when paired with the KFM molded rubber strap, you’ve got a fantastic all around wearability.
Ming is using a modified Sellita SW300.M1 with anthracite skeletonized bridges which are visible to enjoy through an exhibition caseback. This is generally not a movement anyone needs to see, but I’d make an exception for the manner in which Ming have modified it, which feels right at home in this package.
The Ming 37.09 Uni is available now, with shipping expected to commence within 2-4 weeks. Pricing is set at CHF 5,250. Ming
Leave a Reply