It’s truly remarkable what Ming has achieved in the nearly 10 years since its founding back in 2017. It’s transitioned from a Kuala Lumpur-based upstart with a distinct aesthetic, into a global operation with multiple GPHG awards under its belt, and a role as co-founder of the Alternative Horological Alliance. One consistent thread throughout Ming’s accomplishments year-in and year-out isn’t just a sleek, modern case profile, but also a commitment to genuine innovation — the sort of innovation that brought us the world’s lightest production watch — the LW.01, and the pleasingly supple polymesh bracelet. Today, we get another twist on a familiar theme, the Ming 29.06 Peep Show.

Before we discuss the watch, a quick round of applause for Ming’s naming conventions — we can only assume that the team at Ming are big fans of Mark Corrigan and Jez Usbourne. In all seriousness, the Ming 29.06 Peep Show takes a concept that the brand debuted on the 57.04, namely the color-shifting multiphasic dial, and takes it to the next level, a dial that changes over time.

While the effect of the dial shifting from matte black through blue all the way to bright magenta guilloché might seem magical, the science behind it is old and not too complex. Ming has cribbed something that photographers will recognize immediately — polarization. Hands have been replaced by polarized sapphire disks, which, when the hands are aligned, are perfectly transparent, revealing the bright, CNC-machined guilloché dial beneath. The dial has been given the multiphasic treatment seen on the 57.04 Iris, showcasing a visible spectrum of colors, not unlike the carapaces of some beetles. Its visibility is lessened as the disks move in their arc, and when the hands are at 90 degrees, the dial appears totally black. What this means in effect is that the dial is slowly changing its visible hue continually, making for a truly chameleonic watch.

Of course, there’s more to the 29.06 Peep Show than just the dial; it’s got a familiar case profile — 40mm across by 11.8mm tall, in titanium, with those aggressively shaped lugs that are such a hallmark of the brand. Inside is the micro-rotor-powered ASE 200.M1, made by Schwarz-Etienne for Ming. As always with Ming, it’s a complete package, which is exactly what you want from a watch called Peep Show.

Tech Specs: Ming 29.06 Peep Show

Movement Schwarz-Etienne for Ming self-winding Caliber ASE 200.M1; 86-hour power reserve
Functions Hours and minutes
Case 40mm × 11.8mm; Grade 5 titanium; water resistant to 50m
Dial CNC-machined guilloché with multiphasic color-shifting coating; polarized sapphire hand disks with Super-LumiNova X1
Strap Textured calfskin; flying tuck buckle with micro-adjustment
Price CHF 22,000
Availability Limited edition of 50 pieces