When MING announced the new Ming 17.09 I actually was still in no-new-watch-for-at-least-a-year-mode. But the new offering was so attractive to me in terms of design and price that I reluctantly decided to try the annoying ordering procedure.

But then – this was communicated from the start – I had to wait 12 months!
You can be assured, you could see me shiver with antici … pation …
But now the watch is on my wrist and this did remove the cause … but not the symptom: a stunning watch.

I really love the case and especially the lugs. They are special, without being overdone, and give the Ming 17.09 something I always look for: you instantly recognise the watch, without seeing the logo. (Which is actually very discreetly positioned.) Also the crown has a pleasant and matching design with its kind of chamfered left part (towards the case) and is comfortable to use. I also like that the side of the case is brushed, while the bezel is polished.

And, of course, the dial!
First, there is a Clous-de-Paris pattern, which is responsible for the elegant look of the Ming 17.09 and which changes the look when you move the watch. Second, under the indices the dial is brushed. This not only makes the dial more interesting, but also makes the indices stand out more than if the dial were completely patterned.

The one feature which makes the Ming 17.09 really stand out are the indices. Not printed, not applied, but laser-etched from behind into the glass itself and then filled with lume. This feels a bit as if you would look through 3-D-glasses. Amazing. The fact, that the indices produce a shadow on the dial strengthens this effect.

The hands are comparatively standard in construction, but their cool design do match the indexes and the rest of the watch perfectly. Again, nearly every detail is just right. If it weren’t for that eye in the middle where the hands sit on the axis. There is a silver cap on it, but still I would have preferred with without it being visible. But please note, this is kind of my personal mantra, most watches out there share this perceived “problem”.

For the price I didn’t expect one of the really cool movements you can see in other MING watches. It is based on a SW330-2, the Sellita movement with provision for a GMT hand. The movement is then modified by Swiss Schwarz-Etienne (exclusively to MING), so that (only) the GMT hand is used as the hour hand, which hence can be set in hour increments, without changing the minutes/seconds.

If I would travel across timezones two times a day, I may find that useful; on my Panerai I only use this as a poor man‘s date quick-set, but the MING does not even have a date … I absolutely think it was a good idea to get the movement of the Ming 17.09 modified with something unique, but at the same time know, I will hardly ever use it.

In the web I have seen pictures of the watch and thought that the strap was not as I expected. In real life though the colour really is great and matches the watch perfectly. And the general look and feel of the strap is fantastic! Also the buckle is anything but standard, something I really love. Putting the Ming 17.09 on the wrist is pure fun.

Is there anything I don’t like?
Well, they say anticipation is the best joy … while it was clear from the start – and also it feels easier on the wallet, as you pay in two payments – the long waiting time makes the joy of deciding for a watch and holding the watch in your hand a little “disconnected”. While I would not be able to say which time would be acceptable (I have waited a couple of months for other watches which was ok) I can say, that more than a year is too long for me.

So what is the star of the show? The awesome dial, the case shape, the fantastic floating indexes, the strap …? Well, it’s the elegant and coherent combination of all! It’s just more than the sum of the parts.