Horologer MING is a Malaysian watch brand, founded by 6 enthusiasts with over 80 years of collecting experience. They release watches on a limited design basis. It seeks to fill the gap between affordable and high-end timepieces.

Brand Snapshot

In a largely provenance led category, Malaysia is not an obvious place for a breakthrough watch brand. MING wastes no time in confronting this. They openly acknowledge having no history or expertise in horological manufacturing. A rare honesty – luxury is too often mysticism disguising absence. Instead, they build the brand around a shared “enthusiasm” gravitating around Ming Thein, a photographer-turned-watchmaker, who brought together the founding collective and brings an artist’s eye to the design. It shows in the details. Without a heritage to draw on, the limited release watches look for inspiration elsewhere. (A photographer’s job , after all, is to see what others don’t and reflect that back through their art.) The result is watches that feel immediately considered and storied, without having to work too hard. That’s the “substance beyond brand” they refer to. But, the brand should not be neglected either, and there’s room for improvement. Their current identity falls a little short: it’s bold and nondescript. The brand almost feels purposefully designed out – to let the watch itself talk first (counter the category norm.) But the observational artistry that makes MING’s approach and timepieces so unique feels sadly lost in that process.