HODINKEE Lands In Japan & Ming Thein Of Ming Watches

Podcast: HODINKEE Podcasts
Host(s): Stephen Pulvirent (A), Jack Forster (F), Ben Clymer (D), Enri (C), Dave O’Harrell (E)
Guests: Ming Thein (B), Praneeth Raj Singh (Ming Watches)
Date: November 25, 2019

Episode Overview

This episode is split into two distinct segments:

1. The Launch of HODINKEE Japan — The HODINKEE team gathers in Tokyo after launching their first international edition, HODINKEE Japan, reflecting on what it means for the brand and the global watch community.
2. Interview with Ming Thein of Ming Watches — A detailed conversation with Ming Thein (founder of the independent brand MING) and Praneeth Raj Singh, exploring the journey from watch enthusiast to brand founder, design philosophy, challenges, and the importance of collaboration in modern watchmaking.

Segment 1: HODINKEE Lands In Japan

Theme:
Celebrating the official launch of HODINKEE Japan, the team discusses its significance, the Japanese watch market, the intersection of cultures, and their collective passion for horology.

Key Discussion Points

Setting the Scene in Tokyo

• The team records at the Trunk Hotel in Shibuya, between launch events welcoming both industry insiders and local enthusiasts.
• Stephen details the surreal excitement:

  "It's been pretty surreal... what it means emotionally to see HODINKEE in Japanese in another market with a new global team for the first time. It's a pretty special thing." — Stephen (01:01)

Introducing the Team

• Enri (COO): Described as crucial to day-to-day operations (03:49).
• Dave O’Harrell (Video Producer): Key player in shaping HODINKEE's visual style (04:08), surprised by the “curated and high level of taste” in Japan (04:31).

The Experience of Going International

• Ben Clymer reflects on expansion:

  "To see this brand that I started 11 years ago for fun to be handled with such kind of deft touch here in Japan is pretty wild." — Ben (06:24) "It just felt like the right time, the right market with the right partner." — Ben (06:57)

Collaboration and Cultural Integration

• The Japanese team's initiative and creativity stand out (08:55).
• The blending of HODINKEE's ethos with Japanese precision and style is seen as a natural fit:

  "No detail is overlooked... how curated and... how much thought is put into everything the Japanese do." — Dave (12:42)

The Unique Japanese Watch Scene

• The group notes the nuances in Japan’s collector community:

  "There is an entire watch culture here in Japan that is much deeper than what we've been able to study from the U.S." — Enri (13:42)

• Tokyo is recognized as a vintage watch hub; influential brands have historical ties with Japan’s market (15:16).

Notable Segment: Wrist Check

Each HODINKEE team member and their Japanese colleagues share their "watch of the day" for the launch:

• Ben: Philippe Dufour Simplicity (17:33)

  "Everyone respects the Simplicity, and it just felt right tonight." — Ben

• Enri: Grand Seiko SBGW 252 (18:30)
• Dave: Cartier Tank (20:00)
• Stephen: Vintage 1965 Grand Seiko (20:17)
• Editor-in-chief (Sekiguchi-san): Cartier Santos (21:18)
• Web Producer (Wadasan): Breguet Marine (21:38)

Quote Highlight:

"I'm wearing a Cartier Tank because, you know, ultimate dress watch. I'm wearing a suit as well, and I don't normally wear a suit, so I figure let's just keep it classic today." — Dave (20:00)

Important Timestamps:

• [05:23] — Reflections on launching HODINKEE Japan
• [12:42] — The Japanese approach to detail
• [13:42] — Japanese collector culture
• [17:33] — Wrist check roundtable

Segment 2: Ming Thein of Ming Watches

Theme:
A deep dive into the philosophy, development, and unique approach that has propelled Ming Watches from enthusiast sketches to prize-winning recognition.

Key Discussion Points

From Enthusiast to Brand Founder (00:01, 22:44)

• Ming shares starting as a watch enthusiast and collector, constrained by what he could afford or find, he began designing on paper.
• His early sketches taught him to challenge every design element, asking:

  "Do you still like it two or three years later?" — Ming (00:52, 29:58)

The Long Road to Distinctive Design (26:31, 34:09)

• Ming and Jack outline a two-decade collaboration that forged an instantly recognizable "MING" design language.
• Design evolution is principle-driven:

  “We design according to a set of principles... It’s been described before as Art Deco meets Tron.” — Ming (34:42, 35:04)

• Watches are composed like photographic images: hierarchy of details, subtractive composition; complexity only if it serves a purpose.

The Influence of Photography (37:16–38:18)

• Ming’s photography career sharpened his compositional and aesthetic eye; technical skills are always in service of the overarching concept.

  “The hardware, the techniques, the processes, they always must be subservient to the end concept.” — Ming (38:18)

• Design is an act of inclusion, but Ming’s approach is reductionist, seeking “a lot of integrity from a design point of view.”

Experimentation and Business Reality (44:36, 51:34)

• The journey from custom commissions with Oxen Junior to launching a brand:

  “After we, several of us founders, went through that process... we said, 'Okay, maybe there's something in here.'” — Ming (50:38)

• The first batch of watches was almost a personal project—prepared to use them as “Christmas gifts for the next 25 years” if they didn’t sell.
• Rejecting up to 70% of components in pursuit of quality:

  “We rejected 60, 70% of all the components.” — Ming (51:24)

Designing for Sustainability and Modularity (52:46, 58:24)

• Early products were engineered for scale, repeatability, and service, not just creative expression.
• The selection of suppliers was painstaking, evolving with each series to improve engineering and finishing.

Transparency, Collaboration, and Counter-Trend Thinking (64:02)

• Ming is candid about his model:

  "We don't make watches ourselves. We're not watchmakers. The reality is, without all the partners that we have to execute them, the watch doesn't exist… And I think that's maybe a different approach to watchmaking." — Ming (63:07)

• Core suppliers and collaborators are openly credited; eschewing the modern trend of everything “in-house” for an open, partnership-driven approach.
• Transparency is a virtue extended to customers—a philosophy rooted in being a “watch guy” first.

Recognition and Continuous Improvement (68:19)

• MING won the Horological Revelation prize at 2019’s GPHG—a major industry accolade.
• In two years, the brand produced 12 models, constantly pushing for the next evolution:

  "It's almost gone to the point where I'm not trying to sell you a watch anymore. I'm selling you an idea of what a watch can be." — Ming (70:49)

Rapid Fire: The HODINKEE Questionnaire

• Watch that caught his eye: GP Cosmos for its design and domed sapphire (71:35)
• Best travel spot: Hoshinoya ryokan, Tokyo

  “I’m a huge Japanophile... it's like a little oasis.” — Ming (72:32)

• Best advice received: "Be patient" — advice from many throughout his life (72:52)
• Guilty pleasure: "Company humidor"—smoking cigars at design meetings (73:49)
• Cultural recommendation: Paintings by René Magritte and Edward Hopper for their “calm aesthetic” and “underlying tension” (74:20)

  “They are very simple in a way, but the idea is very strong... if you look closely, you get rewarded.” — Ming (74:20)

• Jack Forster’s rec: Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Perry (75:40)
• Stephen’s rec: Mindhunter (Netflix) for lovers of psychological drama (77:00)

Selected Notable Quotes

• On design evolution:

  “It's actually been described before as Art Deco meets Tron... it's a little bit more clean, a little bit more modern, not so modern that it becomes stark.” — Ming (35:04)

• On reductionism:

  “Design tends to be a process of inclusion. So I see a lot of design work not just for watches, for cars... there's stuff thrown in for the sake of looking complex. They don't serve any real function. When you start taking away all that stuff, I think you're left with something that certainly has a lot more integrity.” — Ming (40:13)

• On honesty in manufacturing:

  “We give credit to our suppliers, because without them, we can't exist... That’s transparency.” — Ming (66:10)

• On recognition:

  "I think if I'd said to the original founding group, look, in two years we're going to have 12 different watches and we're going to be in GPHG twice in the finals... I think they would have said, yeah, right. I don't believe you. We're not doing this." — Ming (69:10)

• On the meaning of the work:

  "We’re really doing something that we believe in. We’re doing something other people believe in. And it’s not, it's almost gone to the point where I'm not trying to sell you a watch anymore. I'm selling you an idea of what a watch can be." — Ming (70:49)

Important Guest Segment Timestamps

• [22:44] — Ming on designing as an enthusiast
• [34:09–37:16] — Development of the MING brand design
• [38:18–41:10] — Philosophy emphasizes concept over technique
• [46:54–56:24] — The journey from custom commissions to launching MING Watches
• [58:15] — On using Schwartz Etienne as a movement partner
• [63:07] — The collaborative, transparent approach at MING
• [68:19] — Reflections on industry accolades and what’s next

Tone & Language

The episode is conversational, reflective, and revealing, characterized by humility, admiration for Japanese culture, and a genuine curiosity about the future of watchmaking both at HODINKEE and at MING. Ming’s segments are philosophical and granular, matching his background in both art and science.

Summary Takeaways

This episode captures the essence of two forward-thinking moments in contemporary watch culture:

• HODINKEE Japan’s launch is not just a business expansion, but an embrace of cultural exchange with a sophisticated collector community.
• MING Watches’ philosophy shows that success in independent watchmaking today means a transparent, collaborative, and reductionist approach—one that values aesthetic intent, functional integrity, and openness over industry dogma.

Listeners gain insights into both the emotional and technical sides of making a global mark in horology—from the buzz of a Tokyo launch party to the painstaking refinement behind each new watch.

For those seeking both a window into a milestone industry event and a masterclass in modern independent watchmaking, this episode is not to be missed.