The latest from Ming is a collaboration that I think most enthusiasts could never have predicted, but makes quite a bit sense when you take a few steps back and look at the participants from a high level. The new 37.06 Royal Selangor is a new limited edition made in partnership with Royal Selangor, the well known pewter manufacturer, by some accounts the largest in the world. Both brands have roots in Kuala Lumpur, and the collaboration took shape after Ming Thein helped a client collect his camera, reskinned by Royal Selangor in Malaysia. Thein and Royal Selangor CEO Yong Yoon Li shared a meal, and that was enough to generate the seeds of a collaborative watch.
Pewter is not commonly used in watchmaking. Used since antiquity to craft a variety of objects including decorative metal items and tableware of all kinds, it is an alloy that is largely made from tin, which is highly malleable and has a low melting point. That makes it relatively easy to work with compared with some metal alloys, but the process is necessarily undertaken largely by hand, which opens up all kinds of craft opportunities which is what Royal Selangor excels at. Pewter does not generally tarnish or corrode, but it does develop a patina after long periods of use.
The 37.06 Royal Selangor features a pewter dial with a hammered texture, similar to those used in Ming watches in the past. According to Ming, the filing, polishing, and finishing of pewter is all traditionally done by hand, even now at a time when modern machining technologies make pewter production a lot more efficient. The conceit of this watch in particular is that the warmth of the pewter presents a contrast to the cool nature of the titanium 37 series case. In that sense, it feels a bit like the flipside of last year’s 37.02 Ghost, which used the same titanium case and a complementary titanium dial.
That case remains the not-so-secret weapon in Ming’s current catalog. Many of my personal favorite Ming watches are part of that 37 series lineup, simply because the case is so well proportioned and easy to wear. Here, the execution is one in all brushed titanium that weighs just 35.9 grams. It measures 38mm in diameter, 11.05mm thick, and 44.73mm from lug to lug. The case is water resistant to 100 meters and the caseback is engraved with the wordmarks of both Ming and Royal Selangor.
The Ming 37.06 Royal Selangor is a limited edition of 88 pieces and priced at CHF 5,000. The watch is mounted to a blue-grey goat leather strap by Jean Rousseau. The coolest thing about this LE? It will arrive in a pewter presentation box with a hammered finish to match the dial, created of course by Royal Selangor in Kuala Lumpur.
More information can be found on the Ming website here.
Facts Only
* The product is the 37.06 Royal Selangor, a new limited edition.
* It is made in partnership with Royal Selangor, a well-known pewter manufacturer.
* The collaboration began after Ming Thein helped a client collect a camera reskinned by Royal Selangor in Malaysia.
* Pewter is an alloy largely made from tin and is worked largely by hand.
* The watch features a pewter dial with a hammered texture.
* The case is made of brushed titanium, weighing 35.9 grams.
* Case dimensions are 38mm in diameter, 11.05mm thick, and 44.73mm from lug to lug.
* The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters.
* The caseback is engraved with the wordmarks of Ming and Royal Selangor.
* The limited edition contains 88 pieces, priced at CHF 5,000.
* The watch strap is a blue-grey goat leather strap by Jean Rousseau.
* The presentation box is pewter with a hammered finish from Royal Selangor.
Executive Summary
A collaboration was established between Ming and Royal Selangor to create a limited edition watch, the 37.06 Royal Selangor. This watch is a new edition created in partnership with Royal Selangor, known for pewter manufacturing. The collaboration stemmed from an initial interaction where Ming Thein helped a client collect a camera reskinned by Royal Selangor in Malaysia. The development was initiated after discussions between Ming Thein and Royal Selangor CEO Yong Yoon Li.
The watch features a pewter dial with a hammered texture, referencing styles used in past Ming watches. The process of filing, polishing, and finishing the pewter is noted as traditionally done by hand, despite modern machining technology being available. The design intentionally contrasts the warmth of the pewter dial with the cool nature of the titanium 37 series case.
The watch case is a brushed titanium, weighing 35.9 grams, measuring 38mm in diameter and 11.05mm thick. The case is water-resistant to 100 meters, and the caseback bears the wordmarks of both Ming and Royal Selangor. The limited edition comprises 88 pieces and is priced at CHF 5,000. It is mounted on a blue-grey goat leather strap by Jean Rousseau, and it will be presented in a pewter box with a hammered finish from Royal Selangor.
Full Take
The narrative establishes a bridge between artisanal craft and high horology, using material contrast as a core aesthetic driver. The apparent juxtaposition of the hand-worked, warm pewter dial against the cool, modern titanium case suggests an implicit tension regarding tradition versus modernity in luxury goods. This dynamic is reinforced by emphasizing the manual nature of the pewter finishing, positioning it as an authentic counterpoint to contemporary efficiency—a reflection of craft over machine.
The emphasis on the materials and manufacturing process shifts the focus from mere product specifications (weight, size) to the conceptual history embedded within the object. The pattern suggests a deliberate construction of provenance: connecting the historical roots in Kuala Lumpur through the joint venture, positioning the piece as a culmination of shared legacy rather than just a standard limited run. The concept that pewter's patina contrasts with titanium's coolness operates on a psychological level, suggesting an aesthetic philosophy where age and manual labor possess a unique, desired warmth that modern manufacturing lacks.
The implicit question for analysis is whether the stated value resides in the material rarity (limited edition, specific collaboration) or the conceptual tension it embodies (the dialectic between craft and technology). What are the unstated costs associated with branding this intersection of ancient metalwork and contemporary engineering? Does the limited run serve merely as a scarcity mechanism, or does it enforce a slower appreciation for the value of hand-applied finishing within the context of high-tech watchmaking?
Sentinel — Human
The text reads like an engaged enthusiast's analysis, blending factual product details with personal interpretive framing rather than pure objective reporting.