One of the most exciting entrants to the independent watchmaking space, Ming has surely grown far beyond their wildest dreams. With just three years of watchmaking under their belt, they have become one of the most sought-after brands out there, with their limited drops often sold out in minutes. A brand owned by a group of enthusiasts, they have their fingers on the pulse of their collecting community and often gives their customers what they want. Case and point is the Ming 18.01 H41 DLC, the second generation diver that follows the 18.01 Abyss Concept Prototype that was released in 2018.
Released in mid-2020, and predictably sold out within minutes, the 18.01 H41 is sized at an assertive 40mm with a 1km depth rating. Despite the larger than usual case size, the flared shorter lugs that hug inwards sits flush, allowing users with smaller wrists to be able to pull this piece off.
There were two variations of the 18.01 released, a two-tone version featuring a titanium case and a black steel bezel, and the example you see here- the DLC coated all-black version. While the former had 250 examples produced, the DLC version is much rarer, with only 50 pieces made.
Fitted with a black two-level sapphire dial with ceramic HyCeram Super-LumiNova XI infused to the sapphire, the 18.01 H41 continues with Ming’s traditionally complex dial design and strong incorporation of lume. Topped off with additional lume on the bezel and hands, and what you get when this watch is fully charged is a stunningly bright and legible dive watch that might just keep you awake at night.
Powered by an automatic ETA 2824-2 movement that has been modified by Ming’s long-time partners, Schwarz Etienne, the 18.01 H41 comes adjusted to five positions across a 250-hour test program. Unapologetically Ming in its design, the 18.01 H41 exists as the brand’s most robust and distinctive watch within their whole arsenal, leaving it to no surprise why this watch is as sought-after as it is.
