MING unveils Project 21, a time-only watch that features an ultra-thin tantalum case crafted by American independent watchmaker J.N. Shapiro (Los Angeles, California) and powered by the vintage Frederic Piguet Calibre 21.
“In 2023, MING hosted a memorable dinner for our collectors in Singapore where founder, Ming Thein (MT), was handed a challenge: how would a watch designed entirely for himself, within feasible limits, but free of any other constraints look? Could something like that ever be made? And would he make an edition for the collectors at the dinner?”
Image: The souscription blue dial version for ten collectors.
Ten collectors during the dinner trusted MING to a “horological omakase,” which means “I leave the details up to you.” The only details provided were the price limit, estimated delivery date, and a movement new to MING. The rest would be a surprise. MING pushed all horological boundaries and Project 21 was born. The ten collectors received a blue dial version. MING decided to create another 15 pieces with a rose gold colour dial.
Key Features
Image: Rose gold colour dial version limited to 15 pieces.
Functions are hours and minutes.
Two-layer rose gold (5N) colour dial.
“The first features a multilayered pattern of strakes constrained within a fused borosilicate layer by our partner FEMTOprint. This is suspended over a CVD coated brass plate that’s just 400 microns thick yet manages to carry milling that echoes the strake pattern above. The indices are etched into the external crystal, and the skeletonized hands have polished and angled flanks; due to its thinness and the thematic intent there is no luminous material, making the Project 21 one of the very few watches we have made that does not glow.”
Image: Vintage Frederique Piguet Calibre 21 housed in a tantalum case is a rare combo.
Powered by vintage Frederique Piguet Calibre 21, a manual winding movement which drives the hours and minutes. Mathis Horlogerie and TitAl SA have modified and transformed it for MING. Diameter: 20 mm. Thickness: 1.75 mm. Jewels: 18. Power reserve: 38 hours (approximately). Adjusted to 5 positions. Open worked rose gold colour (5N) titanium train bridge. Movement finishing incudes sandblasted surfaces with polished anglage and fine sablage.
“Enter the Frederic Piguet 21, a horologically significant movement with a distinguished history: at just 1.75mm it was for the longest time, one of the thinnest movements ever made and one of the longest produced, from its introduction in 1925 (exactly 100 years ago) up until Piguet was integrated into the Swatch Group. It and its derivatives have been used by nearly the entire industry – with Patek, AP, VC, JLC, IWC, Blancpain, Cartier and others putting their own take on it. And it has long been one of the movements MT has wanted to create a watch around.”
Image: Notice how thin the watch is. Tantalum is an incredibly difficult material to work with.
Monobloc case made from tantalum featuring three finishes (including several finishes on the 3.50 mm crown) by J.N. Shapiro. Diameter 35 mm. Thickness: 6.90 mm. Lug width: 20 mm. Dial and caseback feature flat sapphire crystals with dual side anti-reflective coating. Water resistant up to 50 metres.
“So I designed a case that would be as heavy as possible: solid all the way around the movement and no separate bezel for even higher perceived rigidity. I wanted it machined in dense, exotic tantalum, have three contrasting finishes – mirror polish on the rehaut edge, fine circular brush on the concave bezel that flows into the lug tops, and sandblasted around the flanks that flow continuously into the bottom.” – Ming Thein
“Machining in tantalum always has its challenges, and Ming’s design are always eloquent yet difficult. We were extremely pleased with the result despite the difficulties and feel a tantalum case like this has never been made before.” – Joshua Shapiro of J.N. Shapiro
Image: Tantalum bracelet made by J.N. Shapiro for Alternative Horological Alliance. (Image credit: AHA website.)
The watch comes with a calf leather strap by Jean Rousseau Paris and an additional strap of customer’s choice. Both straps have width of 20 mm and feature curved bars for quick release and are fitted with MING’s ‘flying blade’ tuck buckle made from brushed titanium. A matching Alternative Horological Alliance (AHA) bracelet made from tantalum by J.N. Shapiro is an option. AHA is comprised of MING, Fleming, and J.N. Shapiro.
Our Thoughts
For a young brand (founded in 2017), MING has achieved a design language and a global cult following that is second to none. If it does not say “MING” on the dial, you will still know it is a “MING.” Every watch designed by MING has a story, and every detail has a rationale behind it. MING leaves no stone unturned.
Image: Caseback view of the souscription blue dial version. Notice the open worked titanium train bridge in blue (matches with the blue dial). Such attention to detail makes MING a special watchmaker.
Project 21 might invite criticism such as “Who in their right mind will pay CHF 32,500 for a MING?”
Once you look at the details, Project 21 begins to make sense. It is a result of the MING team letting their hair down and going all out, even beyond their exemplary standards. Selecting J.N. Shapiro to craft its tantalum case displays transparency only smaller independent watch brands are accustomed to. Joshua Shapiro founded his namesake brand in Los Angeles in 2018 while still an educator and a school principal. Watchmaking was his side hustle at night, which he later transformed into a full-fledged globally renowned independent watch brand. What makes his accomplishment more impressive is that he does not benefit from the Swiss watchmaking ecosystem.
Image: Project 21 is an IYKYK kind of watch. It’s beauty lies in understanding it.
My hunch is that the ten plus fifteen customers of Project 21 have experienced watchmaking’s usual suspects – AP, Lange, PP, Rolex, and independents such as F.P. Journe and MB&F, to name a few. As such, Project 21 is not competing with them or with similarly priced watches to itself. These collectors are buying a story from a living artist (Ming Thein), and they want horology for horology’s sake. Irrespective of its secondary market value in the future, Project 21 is incredibly impressive. By reinterpreting a time-only watch in an ultra-thin tantalum case, powered by a reworked historical calibre, and all in the brand’s design language, MING has added another feather to its horological cap.
Additional Details
Name: MING 21.01 ‘Project 21.’ Special Projects Cave.
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF): 32,500.
30% deposit required upon confirmation and balance before delivery (Q3 – 2025).
Limited edition of 15 pieces.
Made in Switzerland.
Warranty: 2-years against defects. 1-year complimentary service during the first five years of ownership.
Please visit the MING website and Instagram page for more information and ordering information.
