I’m used to seeing innovation from MING, the Malaysian independent watch brand that has become one of the industry’s hottest brands among collectors in just over a half-decade of existence. From the brand’s eye-catching signature style to its liberal use of lume to its unique movements developed in concert with Swiss manufacturer Schwarz-Etienne, MING has repeatedly raised the bar for what we should expect from a “microbrand.” But with the latest watch to emerge from its high-end Special Projects Cave, Horologer MING may have just marked its greatest achievement yet.
The Ultralight MING LW.01
The brand is claiming that the MING LW.01 is (probably) the lightest mechanical watch in the world. There are two variations of the watch: one with a hand-wound movement that tips the scales at just 8.8g, and a slightly heavier automatic version that still weighs just 10.8g (weights are for the watch head only). To put that into perspective, a typical piece of office paper weighs 5g, so we’re talking the equivalent of two pieces of paper (or less!) on the wrist. That is wild. Even adding the included Alcantara strap adds just 1.8g total, making the final watches weigh only 10.6g for the manual or 12.6g for the automatic.
So how does that compare to other lightweight watches on the market? Omega’s Seamaster Aqua Terra “Ultra Light,” which boasts not only a titanium case and dial but a titanium movement, is a comparatively beefy 55g on a strap. The Richard Mille RM 27-01 Tourbillon, created in 2013 for tennis superstar Rafa Nadal specifically as the world’s lightest mechanical watch, clocks in at 18.83 grams on its strap. That might as well be an anvil compared to this new MING.