Independent watchmaking often looks to Switzerland for inspiration. The new MING 37.06 Royal Selangor looks much closer to home.
Created in partnership with Royal Selangor, the 88-piece limited edition is more than another collaboration. It brings together two of Malaysia’s most internationally recognised names—one celebrated for contemporary independent watchmaking, the other for more than 140 years of pewter craftsmanship—to create a timepiece that is unmistakably Malaysian in both material and execution.
While MING has never shied away from experimenting with dial construction, the 37.06 Royal Selangor marks the first time the brand has turned to pewter, a material more commonly associated with decorative objects than fine watchmaking.
A Dial Crafted In Kuala Lumpur
At the heart of the watch is a hand-hammered pewter dial produced by Royal Selangor in Kuala Lumpur. Its subtly textured surface captures and diffuses light in constantly changing ways, ensuring no two dials are exactly alike.
The decision to use pewter is significant. Rarely seen in contemporary watchmaking, the material introduces a tactile warmth that contrasts with the brushed Grade 2 titanium case, creating a watch that is understated rather than overtly decorative.
Measuring 38mm in diameter, the familiar 37-series case retains MING’s clean architectural proportions, while engraved sapphire crystal and Super-LumiNova details preserve the distinctive visual language collectors have come to expect from the independent brand.
A Collaboration Rooted In Malaysia
Beyond the dial itself, the project represents another milestone for Malaysia’s growing role in high-end watchmaking. While powered by the Swiss-made Sellita for MING SW300.M1 automatic calibre, the entire limited run will undergo final assembly in Kuala Lumpur through infrastructure developed specifically for the collaboration.
That local element gives the project particular resonance. Rather than simply combining a Swiss movement with Malaysian design cues, the watch reflects a genuine partnership between two homegrown brands whose reputations have been built on craftsmanship, precision and an uncompromising attention to detail.
The collaboration itself began with an unlikely meeting between MING founder Ming Thein and Royal Selangor Managing Director Dato Yong Yoon Li. What started as a conversation over lunch evolved into a shared exploration of how pewter—a material so closely associated with Malaysian heritage—could be reinterpreted through the lens of contemporary horology.
Limited to 88 pieces and presented in a matching hammered pewter presentation box, the MING 37.06 Royal Selangor is more than a collector’s watch. It is a reminder that some of the most compelling stories in modern watchmaking are no longer defined solely by Swiss geography, but by meaningful collaborations that celebrate local craft on a global stage.
