Ming
Ming 17 Series 40 mm Mother-of-pearl 18k
Photography on request
Front view
Dial, hands and bezel as delivered.
Case-back view
Case-back engraving and, where fitted, the sapphire display.
Movement
Calibre with its finishing and decoration.
On the wrist
Worn shot for proportion and strap drape.
Ming · 17 Series
Ming 17 Series 40 mm Mother-of-pearl 18k
Reference 97526OR.80
Reference at a glance
- Brand
- Ming
- Collection
- 17 Series
- Model
- Ming 17 Series 40 mm Mother-of-pearl 18k
- Reference number
- 97526OR.80
- Year / era
- 2017 · 2010s — modern production
- Complication
- Chronograph
- Movement
- Satellite-hour automatic
- Case material
- 18k white gold
- Dial type
- Mother-of-pearl
- Strap / bracelet
- Jubilee bracelet
- Water resistance
- 300 m
- Limited-edition status
- Regular production, not a limited edition
Case, dial & bracelet
- Case dimensions
- 40 mm
- Case thickness
- 9.4 mm
- Case material
- 18k white gold
- Bezel
- Unidirectional ceramic 60-minute
- Crystal
- Anti-reflective sapphire, double-domed
- Dial
- Mother-of-pearl
- Hands
- Mercedes hour hand with Chromalight display
- Indexes
- Applied Arabic numerals with luminous coating
- Bracelet / strap
- Jubilee bracelet
- Clasp / buckle
- Titanium deployant clasp
- Water resistance
- 300 m
Movement
- Movement / calibre
- Calibre 12A — Satellite-hour automatic
- Movement type
- High-frequency automatic
- Frequency
- 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz)
- Power reserve
- 45 hours
- Number of jewels
- 37 jewels
- Complications
- Chronograph
- Functions
- Perpetual calendar, leap year
- Watchmaker
- The calibre is built in-house and adjusted in five positions before delivery.
Production & market
- Production period
- 2017 – 2030
- Limited-edition quantity
- Not applicable
- Current market information
- Values have stabilised after the 2022 correction; condition and box-and-papers drive the premium.
Designer
Gérald Genta
Gérald Genta (1931–2011) trained as a goldsmith in Geneva and became the most influential watch designer of the 20th century. Working freelance, he sketched the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak overnight in 1970, followed by the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the IWC Ingenieur SL and the Bulgari Bulgari — defining the integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch as a category.
Historical significance
Ming 17 Series 40 mm Mother-of-pearl 18k sits within Ming's 17 Series line, introduced in 2017. It carries the house codes established since 2017 — 18k white gold case, mother-of-pearl dial and satellite-hour automatic — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.
Interesting facts
- The bracelet tapers across its length, which is why the profile looks thinner on the wrist than the specification suggests.
- The case is finished by hand, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces in a single pass so the edges stay razor sharp.
- The reference was originally planned as a one-year run and stayed in the catalogue for well over a decade.
The House
Ming
Brand facts
- Founding year
- 2017
- Founder
- Ming Thein
- Headquarters
- Malaysia
- Tier
- Swiss & Independent
- Major collections
- 17 Series, 27 Series, 37 Series, 20 Series
- Signature technologies
- Anti-magnetic silicon escapement · Proprietary case-hardening and polishing
- Famous movements
- In-house automatic · Satellite-hour automatic · Manual-winding, hand-finished · Micro-rotor automatic
- Notable watches
- Ming 17 Series 43 mm Green Platinum · Ming 17 Series 37 mm Mother-of-pearl Ceramic · Ming 17 Series 41 mm Green 18k · Ming 17 Series 42 mm Slate Grade
Brand history
Ming has spent more than 9 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's 17 Series, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.
Ming Thein established Ming in 2017, working from Malaysia at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Ming calibre produced today.
Historical milestones
2017
Ming Thein founds Ming in Malaysia.
2024
Ming continues to produce 17 Series, 27 Series, 37 Series and other icons in limited numbers.