Ming 18.01 H41

Our dive watch has had a very long gestation with development starting in 2016. It has been extremely challenging to produce something distinctive yet functional in a genre that already has such strong icons and expectations. Our design has undergone countless revisions, including the Abyss Concept – a well-received prototype run of ten watches – and we are proud of the dedication of our team and partners in getting the watch right, which is reflected in its naming: generation H, variant 41.

The 18.01 H41 is a robust piece that demonstrates the versatility of our new design language. Despite being the largest MING to date at 40mm diameter and 12.9mm thickness, it is one of the thinner dive watches and has no compromise with a full 1000m water resistance rating, and a further 20% safety margin on top of that. This has been achieved with a case design that uses balanced pressure loading and the tensile and compressive strength properties of grade 5 titanium.

The watch is balanced and comfortable on the wrist, thanks to our new universal fit grade 5 titanium bracelet with curved quick release ends and signature low-profile clasp, and a head weight of just 65g. As a dive watch, functionality and reliability take priority, with the H41 featuring a 60-click unidirectional bezel; multiple sets of gaskets and seals; a red warning indicator for an unscrewed crown; and a high-friction surface on the caseback to better grip the arm or wetsuit. It is also the only production MING to feature a running seconds hand.

The H41’s colour scheme maximizes contrast to prioritise legibility. The timer bezel is differentiated into four 15-minute segments of reducing prominence, but with a distinctively recognizable design. The focus on legibility carries through to the watch’s luminous signature: everything that is white is loaded with Super-LumiNova X1, applied as liquid epoxy to the bezel; a solid block in the hands; and HyCeram (a sapphire-fused ceramic) on the dial’s sapphire ring.

We elected to make the bezel in DLC-coated stainless steel to eliminate the risk of losing an insert due to pressure changes or impact while maximising durability and contrast. Our choice of movement was once again to prioritise robustness: the tried and tested ETA 2824-2 top grade with modifications to remove the calendar and intermediate crown positions.

Once again, we rely on the expertise of our partners to bring our vision to life: La Division du Temps for production, assembly and testing; DM Surfaces SA for HyCeram application; Jean Rousseau for our new watersafe rubber straps and Studio Koji Sato for the leather travel pouches. At a retail price of CHF 3,250 inclusive of titanium bracelet, we believe the H41 presents an excellent balance of function, value, engineering and aesthetics.