MING and J.N. Shapiro Reveal the Heat-Colored 37.06 Lightning Watch
Each dial is individually hand-torched using a butane flame to give it a unique mix of deep blue and purple hues.
Summary
- MING and J.N. Shapiro unveil the limited-production 37.06 Lightning timepiece
- Housed in a 38mm stainless steel case, the watch features a handmade titanium guilloche dial heat‑colored by Ming Thein, complete with luminous sapphire indices
Independent watch brand, MING, has partnered with J.N. Shapiro to present the 37.06 Lightning timepiece — born from the long-standing friendship between independent watchmakers Ming Thein and Josh Shapiro, both founding members of the Alternative Horological Alliance (AHA).
Housed in MING’s familiar 37‑series stainless steel case, a domed sapphire crystal engraved with luminous HyCeram indices frames the dial, while Super‑LumiNova X1 coats the hands for long‑lasting glow. The sculpted lugs and narrow bezel maximize dial presence, and the absence of a seconds hand keeps the display clean and focused.
The creation process begins in Shapiro’s Los Angeles workshop, where each grade-2 titanium dial is meticulously engine-turned by hand on a traditional rose-engine lathe to form a dynamic, new “Lightning” guilloché pattern. From California, the dials travel to Kuala Lumpur, where Ming Thein heat-colors each one individually using a handheld butane torch. This unforgiving technique relies entirely on precise timing and temperature control to draw out a vibrant spectrum of deep blues, rich purples, and striking orange-yellows, ensuring that every resulting dial is entirely unique.
Powered by a customized manual-winding Sellita SW210.M1 caliber, the timepiece boasts a 42-hour power reserve and is elegantly finished with skeletonized rhodium-plated bridges over an anthracite baseplate. Priced at 6,250 CHF (approx. $6,900 USD), the 37.06 Lightning is available to order through MING in limited batches.
