Disclaimer: this video/review was not sponsored by MING or any other entity.
Video
Review
The MING 18.01 H41, along with its Abyss Concept variant, is what initially drew me to the brand and set me on this nearly six-year MING obsession. Over the past five years, I’ve owned both versions of the 18.01 and currently treasure my 18.01 DLC, which has become one of my favorite watches. It ranks highly for me as one of the most unique dive watches ever released. Given that context, I’ve been eagerly awaiting a follow-up from MING, knowing that whatever they released would have big shoes to fill and very high expectations to meet.
In May of last year, MING unveiled the 37.09 Bluefin, a 38mm diver that’s quite different from the 18.01 in its design but still unmistakably MING. The Bluefin builds on the 37 Series, MING’s most prominent design platform at the moment, and adds a distinctive spin on the inner rotating bezel dive watch genre, with impressive technical features and a stunning design aesthetic. Unlike the 18.01, this release wasn’t made in a fixed quantity; 500 pieces were made available for pre-order in May 2024, with another batch of 500 pieces expected this year.
Earlier this year, MING also released a follow-up, the 150 piece (also not limited, but an annual edition) 37.09 Uni, which puts a playful yet stealthy spin on the Bluefin’s design with its sea urchin-inspired look. Priced at 4950 CHF (roughly $5550 USD), the Bluefin has been well-received, and I believe most of the first 500 pieces have already been delivered. And before you ask – no, I did not buy one, but after spending some time with this prototype, I’m pretty sure I will.
Let’s check it out!
Case
The case of the MING 37.09 Bluefin is a well-executed blend of design and functionality. I measured the case at 38mm in diameter, 44.5mm from lug tip to lug tip, and 12.8mm in height. Made entirely of stainless steel, the case showcases a generous mix of brushed and polished finishes throughout. While it belongs to the 37 Series family and shares the typical case design, the 37.09 stands out as it wears and looks noticeably different from other models in the series. The mid-case, top bezel, and bottom case-back layers all appear taller, resulting in a larger overall presence on the wrist. Even though the diameter and lug-to-lug measurements are similar to other 37 Series models, the visual weight added by the two crowns at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock, along with the design, gives the impression of a wider watch.
As expected from MING, the build quality and finishing are top-notch, and the 20mm lug width requires curved spring bars, which is consistent across all MING watches. The 4 o’clock crown, which operates a 60-click inner rotating dial, is not screw-down but is a great addition, providing excellent bezel action thanks to sprung bearings and a uni-directional mechanism. The 2 o’clock screw-down crown feels robust and operates smoothly, offering a more luxurious winding experience compared to the 18.01.
The top sapphire crystal is curved, with etched hour markings on the inner surface filled with HyCeram lume, and the crystal has generous AR coating, maximizing the dial’s visibility through its narrow bezel. Flipping the watch over, the exhibition case-back is secured with four screws, revealing the movement inside. Remarkably, despite having an exhibition case-back and one non-screw-down crown, the Bluefin offers an impressive 600m water resistance, with MING claiming the crush depth is closer to 900m, making it a stunning technical achievement for the brand.
Dial
The dial of the MING 37.09 Bluefin is an impressive feat of design and engineering, especially when compared to typical super compressor-style watches with inner rotating bezels. Unlike those, it is the entire dial that rotates on the Bluefin, which I find quite remarkable, even if my understanding of such mechanisms is admittedly basic.
Typically, a metal dial layer is fixed in place using welded locator pins, which keeps it aligned and prevents it from moving. However, on the 37.09 Bluefin, the dial appears to rotate thanks to a uni-directional ball bearing mechanism that moves the entire dial layer. Given that the topmost layer is sapphire, I suspect there is a metal layer beneath it that interacts with the bearings, which means there’s far more complexity to this design than might meet the eye.
The dial itself features a new metallization process that gives the sapphire a dynamic, shifting character, transitioning from a deep metallic blue to complete black, with shades of blue and black in between – truly mesmerizing stuff! Surrounding the dial is a diving scale that’s engraved into the sapphire and filled with light blue luminous pigment, making the timing scale incredibly easy to read, with clear increments every 20 minutes.
The hands are metallic and reminiscent of earlier 37 Series models, but the real standout is the seconds hand, which is fully lumed in a light blue color to match the diving scale. For those that love to complain about MING’s lack of seconds hands, I hope you’re happy. Overall, the dial finishing is exceptional, and it looks even better in person. As with most MING watches, the dial is dynamic, but I’d go as far as to say this is one of their most dynamic dials yet. It easily transitions between various personalities, particularly when it flips into its “inverted state”, and offers a more exciting and engaging experience compared to the relatively simpler 18.01.
Lume
The lume on the Bluefin delivers excellent performance, especially when compared to other watches in the 17, 22, and 37 Series families. While the 18.01 h41 remains a tough act to follow, with its unmatched brightness and longevity still ranking among my best lumed watches nearly five years later, the Bluefin holds its own quite well. The lume on the 37.09 is noticeably brighter and lasts longer than many of its contemporaries, though I suspect the 18.01 would still edge it out in a head-to-head comparison.
The hour ring on the crystal, made from HyCeram, is especially potent, and the inner rotating bezel’s lume application is traditional yet effective, using filled sapphire cavities on the dial. The hands show a clear improvement over previous MING models, with a denser and more homogeneous lume, a result of an upgraded printing process. The seconds hand is fully lumed too, but the colored lume pigment does cause it to fade a bit faster than the rest of the watch. A thoughtful touch is the lumed bezel crown, adding to the overall luminescence.
When stacked up against other MING models like the 17.09 WCS, 20.11 Mosaic, and 20.01 Series 3 Rose Gold the 37.09 fares well, performing better than the 17 Series and holding its own against the 20 Series, though it’s not quite as strong due to the larger lume application in the latter two. In comparisons with other divers like the Christopher Ward Lumiere and Sinn U50, the Bluefin proves to be on par with these highly capable competitors, further underscoring its impressive lume performance.
Movement
The MING 37.09 Bluefin is powered by the reliable Sellita SW300 automatic movement, which is visible through its open caseback. In my opinion, the SW300 – and its ETA equivalent – represents one of the best off-the-shelf automatic movements you can find for under $5-6k. I’ve discussed these movements in detail in previous reviews (like in my review of the 37.02 Minimalist), so I’ll keep it brief here: they feel excellent to wind, keep very accurate time, and are known for their durability.
MING has skeletonized the movement and given it a sleek anthracite finish, which complements their modern design aesthetic. That said, while I appreciate the effort, I wouldn’t fault them if they opted for a closed case-back instead. The Sellita SW300, while functional and reliable, isn’t going to win any beauty contests with its design or finishing, but it does exactly what it needs to do, and it does it well.
On The Wrist
The wear-ability of the 37.09 is something I initially had mixed feelings about, especially when considering the 37 Series family as a whole on my 6.75″ wrist. Some pieces, like the 37.02 Minimalist, tend to wear a little small for my taste, while others, like the 37.08 Starlight, feel perfect. I initially had some reservations about the 37.09, particularly because the crystal has more going on compared to something like the Starlight, and I worried it might look too compact on my wrist.
However, after spending some time with it, I found that the beefier case, coupled with the visually denser dial and crystal, makes the watch appear larger than you’d expect from a 38mm dive watch. In comparison, my previous dive watch of similar size, the Seiko SJE093 62mas re-issue, felt drastically smaller and I ended up selling that watch relatively quickly because of the size. While the 12.8mm thickness makes the 37.09 the thickest in the 37 Series, the curved front and back crystals contribute to these measurements and the perceived thickness is notably less.
MING ships the 37.09 Bluefin on their new FKM rubber straps, which is very comfortable and reminds me of the Rolex OysterFlex, complete with the unique ‘flying blade’ buckle. I also tested it on the Universal Bracelet v2.0, and I must say, the combination works beautifully – the 37 Series is perhaps the best fit for this bracelet, looking and feeling fantastic on the wrist.
Wrapping Up
To quickly wrap this up, I’ll say that I’m sold on the MING 37.09 Bluefin. When it was first released, I had some concerns about the size. I decided to hold off until I could see one in person before making any decisions. Size was my biggest worry – I just wasn’t keen on the idea of a “small” watch anymore, unless it was vintage or clearly dressy. But after spending a day with the Bluefin, I’m not concerned about the size at all. It wears much larger than its 38mm diameter suggests, thanks to some clever design elements that make it feel closer to a 40mm watch. The same design magic that allows 44mm Seiko divers to wear like 42mm watches is at play here.
My other concern was lume, as my 18.01 h41 and 20.11 Mosaic set a very high standard for lume brightness and longevity. Some of the 37 Series and 22 Series models fell short in that department, but MING has clearly upped their game recently, and the 37.09 Bluefin delivers an excellent lume experience, both in design and performance. All in all, I’ll almost certainly be adding a 37.09 diver to my collection. The only questions now are “When?” and “Which one?”, especially after seeing the 37.09 Uni, which looked absolutely amazing.
Thanks for reading!
