A Watchmaking Endeavor: Ming's Project 21

Ming’s Project 21 emerged from a unique challenge presented to founder Ming Thein during a dinner in Singapore in 2023. The question was simple: what would a watch designed entirely for himself, with no commercial constraints, look like? While this posed an intriguing opportunity for creative exploration, it also required a delicate balance between personal vision and practical limitations. Ten collectors committed to the project, knowing only the price cap, delivery date, and that it would feature a special movement. Like an horological "Omakase," a Japanese phrase, used when ordering food in restaurants, that means 'I'll leave it up to you.'

The movement chosen for Project 21 was a vintage Frederic Piguet cal. 21, with a thickness of 1.75 mm of the thinnest and most historically significant calibers ever produced and a favorite of Ming Thein. The project involved significant reworking, with new bridges, including one in titanium, and skeletonizing to reveal the gear train, and jewels set in chatons. Ming partnered with TitAl SA and Mathis Horlogerie for these extensive changes. All other bridges are distinguished by polished angles and fine sablage on the surface. An exciting challenge for everyone involved.

To house this movement, Ming opted for tantalum, a rare and hard to work with material. Naturally, it should reflect the thin make and sophistication of the movement. “I settled on 35mm – at the threshold of modernity, with a clear vintage bias. I wanted it to wear large, which it does thanks to a narrow bezel, and markers and dial elements pushed to the very outer edge. It needed to be thin, to harmonize with the movement. And it would of course have to be built to modern standards – 50m water resistance and good torsional rigidity,” Ming Thein explained. He partnered with Joshua Shapiro, watchmaker and co-founder of the Alternative Horological Alliance based in Los Angeles.

The dial brought to life by FEMTOprint is equally special. Despite being an extra-thin watch, Project 21 actually has two faces: the first features a multi-layered pattern of strakes confined within a fused borosilicate layer. This is suspended over a CVD-coated brass plate that's only 400 microns thick, yet still manages to carry milling that echoes the strake pattern above. The indices are etched into the outer crystal, and the skeletonized hands have polished and angled flanks; due to its thinness and thematic intent, there is no luminous material, making the Project 21 one of the very few watches of Ming that does not emit a glow in the darkness.

Following the delivery of the original ten "omakase" pieces, Ming is now releasing a limited edition of 15 pieces for public sale. This edition features a 5N pink gold coated dial and matching movement with 5N rose gold coated bridges. The edition is priced at CHF 32,500 or approximately $36,500 when converted to USD. It is available on Ming's official website and through authorized retailers.

To learn more, visit Ming, here.