The MING 57.04 Iris brings technicolour to the wrist in a tasteful way

Russell Sheldrake

As a brand, MING has always stood out for its design and fearless attitude to try new things, and the 57.04 Iris continues this brave trend. The brand’s first destro, its fifth generation of design language and eighth birthday are all wrapped up in this fantastical timepiece that brings a bit of sci-fi to the wrist without overstepping the mark. There are plenty of details in this watch to get obsessed over, and that is nothing new for MING. Whether they are creating mesmerising dials or bringing the concept of omakase to the watch world, MING has always cared about the tiniest of details. Now we have the next chapter of MING with its latest generation of design language, setting the stage for what we can expect over the next few years.

The case

The defining feature of this new fifth generation of design language from MING can be found in this stainless steel case, and more precisely, the lugs. These stepped lugs have three layers to them, and according to the brand, draw inspiration from Art Deco, which you can see in just how ornamental they are. To create this stunning effect, the lugs are constructed out of nine separate pieces, allowing each surface to receive a different finishing treatment. With polished tops and satin brushed sides, these are not your everyday lugs; they are here to make a statement. When a brand goes above and beyond in its lug design, it can elevate a watch massively. It is one of those areas, like the clasp, that can often be overlooked, but when it is given due care and attention, it can make all the difference, as it has done here.

The stepped lugs continue a stepped theme here as the concave bezel steps down the case and flows into these lugs in a rather satisfying manner. Concave bezels are also fantastic at playing with the light, so you end up with a bit of an optical illusion dancing around the edge of your watch, which in a watch like this only amplifies everything else. While many watch brands are going smaller, MING has been under pressure from its collectors to go back to what many see as the prototypical size for a watch, so the new 57.04 Iris measures 40mm across. While those fancy lugs give us a lug-to-lug measurement of 47.8mm, that should mean it fits nicely on most wrists, particularly given that these lugs don’t protrude past the bottom of the case.

Speaking of the caseback, we have a large sapphire crystal that only leaves space for a small concave ring to hold it in place. The final notable feature of this case is the large crown and its odd position. This is a destro watch – indeed, it’s the brand’s first left-hand-drive model – and that crown is so large because it holds the monopusher for the watch’s chronograph. A fun and infrequently seen combination, this is just another feature that throws you off a little bit about this watch and makes you look at it a little more deeply.

The dial

Something I have struggled to do with this watch is define what colour the dial is, and this is because every time you move it, the dial shifts, all thanks to this multiphasic coating that covers it. This kaleidoscopic coating is emphasised by the shape of this dial, with its deep-dish sides giving you extra angles for light to bounce off and complementing that concave bezel perfectly. The only disruption this dial faces is a matte black chronograph minute counter disc at 6, which acts as a visual anchor to the dial, contrasting its shiny, shifting nature. No other furniture or markings are applied to the dial; rather, in typical MING fashion, the floating indices have been carved into the underside of the crystal and filled with lume.

In order to read the time, we have fairly minimal minute and hour hands with a long black minute hand that has white lume around its perimeter and a shorter hour hand that is completely filled with lume. The chronograph seconds hand is centrally mounted as well, and while I do enjoy the beauty and minimalism of a monopusher chronograph, here MING has really taken that concept to the next level by removing any track to accurately read the time off. This makes this complication more conceptual than functional, but it’s very pretty nonetheless.

The movement

Seen through that previously mentioned large display caseback, we have a bespoke movement that MING has collaborated with Sellita to produce. The MING Cal. SW562.M1 is a manually-winding monopusher that Sellita has specifically modified to MING’s exact specifications so that it would allow them to produce this highly sought-after complication for an accessible price, a dream of founder Ming Thein for years now. The idea of making this a destro was to allow for a bigger and more easily manipulated crown without the risk of it digging into the back of the wearer’s hand. MING also specified that this movement would need a 4N-coated three-quarter plate sat atop the movement, which really stands out when you turn this watch over. On a full wind, this movement should last about 60 hours, although no power reserve figure is given for when the chronograph is running.

The straps

At Geneva Watch Days last year, MING, alongside its AHA stablemates, revealed a wonderful tantalum bracelet that could be fitted to any of their watches. The bracelet option we have here is made to the same design as that bracelet, but just made in steel. With its fluid, five-link design, this is the kind of bracelet that melts over your wrist when you put it on, and adds a real touch of class to a watch like this, reminding me of the bracelets F.P. Journe supplies with some of their models.

This watch also comes with an anthracite goat leather strap, which is super supple to the touch and comes with a tuck buckle that allows you to hide the tail of the strap under itself. Of course, both of these are easily swapped out by the use of quick-release spring bars, but for me, this watch is meant to be worn on the bracelet.

The verdict

This is not a watch you see (or will see) every day, especially as they are only making 100 of them. But the way MING has been able to combine so many different design elements into something that feels incredibly cohesive and disruptive at the same time is wonderful. The dial is magical and draws you in like nothing else, and thanks to its tricky, colour-shifting nature, it gives you a different look every time you glance down at your wrist. I can’t wait to see how MING will use this dial treatment moving forward, as well as these fancy lugs, which I’m sure you can tell I’m a big fan of. Is this a watch everyone can live with? Probably not. But it is a watch that everyone can admire and appreciate, especially for this price.

MING 57.04 Iris pricing and availability

The new MING 57.04 Iris is limited to just 100 pieces and is available now through the brand’s website and its retail partners. Price: CHF 6,250

Brand	MING
Model	57.04 Iris
Case Dimensions	40mm (D) x 11.85mm (T) x 47.8mm (LTL)
Case Material	Stainless steel
Water Resistance	100 meters
Crystal(s)	Sapphire front and back
Dial	Multiphasic colour-shifting coating
Lug Width	20mm
Strap	Five-link stainless steel bracelet Anthracite goat leather, tuck buckle
Movement	MING Cal. SW562.M1, co-developed with Sellita, manual-winding
Power Reserve	60 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes, monopusher chronograph
Availability	Limited to 100 pieces
Price	CHF 6,250