Hands-on with the MING 37.11 Odyssey & Polymesh Bracelet
MING Magic in the 37.11 Odyssey
by Blake Buettner
Over the past decade, few brands have been as prolific at developing and evolving a novel design and engineering language as MING. Launched in 2017, at the cusp of an era largely defined by looking to the past for inspiration, MING has stood in stark contrast by looking forward in an effort to define the future as they see it. That future represents a growing delta between general industry trends and MING’s direction of travel. It is also an extension of the brand’s co-founder and namesake, Ming Thein’s modus operandi as a photographer and designer extraordinaire.
Today, the MING stable consists of five distinctive generations of design evolution, and while they boast a range of complications and techniques, they all adhere to a rather rigid foundation. This doesn’t just apply to details like the flared lug design, but to broader goals around creating a dynamic, layered character within each of the watches that reveals itself in interesting and sometimes unexpected ways. There is nothing about these watches that takes a status quo approach, resulting in genre-bending creations that carve out their own spaces.
In 2025, MING introduced the 37.11 Odyssey, a titanium dive-adjacent watch that boasts a 24-hour hand and the option of MING's physics-defying titanium mesh bracelet. I say adjacent because it eschews many of the usual tropes we expect in a dive/sport watch, such as chunky bezels, matte dials, and oversized hour markers and hands. Instead, the Odyssey takes a somewhat ethereal approach to presenting the user with information, even if some of the end goals remain untouched.
The Odyssey fits into a growing segment of MING's catalog that explores sport watches by deconstructing their purpose. That is, they don’t fit neatly into any genre context at a glance, but offer a similar or greater level of functionality. Because of this, the watch ends up striking a very different tone than you’d expect in something like a Tudor or Sinn, for better or worse, even if it’s just as capable. This creates a novel experience without compromise to the core premise of the genre, and the Odyssey exemplifies this distinction.
37.11 Odyssey
The 37.11 Odyssey utilizes MING's third-generation design language, offering a borderline utilitarian take on the overall platform that places a greater level of focus on the base structure. The Odyssey builds on what began in the award-winning 37.09 Bluefin diver, and retains a healthy 300-meter depth rating (half of the Bluefin’s 600-meter rating), but swaps the internal bezel for a rotating 24-hour index ring. The 38mm case shifts to titanium, and saves a touch on overall thickness which is now 12.6mm, with a 44.5mm lug-to-lug distance. The head of the watch by itself weighs a mere 42.5 grams.
As with all MING watches, the structure of the case is interesting in its own way, and while it doesn’t really compete with what’s going on within the dial region, it does draw the eye for a closer look. Much of this is thanks to the trademark curved lug ends, which flare outward at their tips. The lug design blends in with the design as a whole, as well as on the wrist much better than you might expect if you’ve only seen them in pictures. It’s a surprisingly cohesive watch on the wrist both practically and visually, but more on that later.
The Odyssey uses a customized automatic movement from Sellita called the MING SW330.M2. This offers a 24-hour hand that is slaved to the hour hand, meaning it is a ‘caller’ style GMT, and the hour hand itself is not independently adjustable. To use this hand, there is an internal disc that rotates via the crown at four o’clock, allowing you to set the 24-hour hand to any timezone you’d like relatively easily on the fly. It’s handy, but this complication is not the focal point of the watch, if you ask me. The 24-hour hand itself is almost completely hidden from view save for the stylized tip, which is rendered in white lume. In fact, you have to hunt for it a bit even when you are trying to use it.
This brings up a recurring theme I’m beginning to notice with this watch, and that is the fine line it walks between practical function and stylistic choices. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that not all tool watches need a slavish dedication to functionality, usability, and legibility. They aren’t a necessity, and even tool watches should be allowed creative leeway for creative expression. That said, those functional considerations should be usable in the wild, and that starts with the dial.
The Dial
MING watches are known for their dynamic dials. There are layers at work, and depending on your surroundings and viewing angle, these dials can take on very different personalities. This is very much by design. With the Odyssey, the dial itself is a smoked sapphire that can either appear mirror black, or translucent in character (or some inky mix of the two). This goes hand in hand with the top sapphire, into which the hour track is milled, and filled with lume. When the base portion is in a reflective position to the viewer, that hour track will cast itself upon it, with the hands living between them. It’s a trippy sight to be sure, but doesn’t negatively impact the overall legibility of the hour and minute hand.
These hands do require a short adjustment period to get used to, though. That’s because of their unconventional shape, as well as the fact that they fade to black at their base. This leads them to appear as floating over the dial. The hour hand gets a wide base with an opening differentiating it from the minute hand. Conversely, the seconds hand is more straightforward, and is rendered entirely in white lume. This hand feels a little out of place on this watch, and not just because of how far it stretches into the 24-hour realm at the perimeter of the dial.
Another key feature of MING watches is their hour track, which is quite conceptual. It’s a great design, and provides a deeply unique look to the watch which has become a signature of the brand. However, it’s a bit light on details the likes of which a seconds hand typically requires. The shapes are broken into five-minute segments, which mark the hour at each break point. There are no minute markings, and certainly nothing more granular for a seconds hand to track against. The movement does hack, so you can use it to set the watch precisely, though you’ll want to wait for the nearest five-minute segment to do so, otherwise you’ll have nothing to align the minute hand with.
If the seconds hand is intended as a proof-of-life kind of feature, I’d argue there are more interesting ways to go about it. In fact, I’d love to see MING's take on the proof-of-life complication through an aperture or sub-dial, or something completely unexpected.
This is the kind of balance between design considerations and ergonomics that will be polarizing to some enthusiasts. To be clear, I think this is a good place to be. MING has a clear identity, and isn’t afraid of expressing it even if it’s at the expense of details we’d normally consider practical in this genre. This is the kind of watch that forces you to confront what you personally value in a watch, and perhaps reconsider exactly what it is that you need in a sport or tool watch. This is a theme that doesn’t end with the dial.
Titanium Polymesh Bracelet
Over the past 15 years, the number of truly speechless reactions I’ve had to a bracelet amounts to exactly one. That was my first encounter with this titanium mesh bracelet. This is a metal bracelet that moves like a piece of silk, bending and folding on itself with ease, and soft to the touch. It defies any preconceived notions about what this material (or any metal, for that matter) is capable of. It feels great in the hand, and it can be worn throughout the day with ease. It’s lightweight (obviously), and looks pretty good to boot.
This is exactly the kind of innovation that sets MING apart from other brands, as does the wherewithal and persistence to actually produce it. This bracelet should be a shot across the bow of every serious legacy brand out there pitching themselves as innovative thinkers. It’s an impressive accomplishment, but one not without fault. The bigger picture is the fact that it exists at all, and how it will be developed moving forward, which is yet unknown.
As cool as the bracelet is, there are once again some practical drawbacks that present themselves. This really comes down to the clasp and the remaining length of the bracelet once you’ve put it on the wrist. The watch must be put on a bit loose, providing space for any excess length to be tucked between the wrist and underside of the bracelet. This is a very awkward maneuver in and of itself, and if not done correctly, will have that excess length falling out and dangling if not secured to the nub on the underside of the clasp, leaving the watch at risk of falling off entirely. The whole buckle procedure feels a little clunky, and while not insurmountable, I think a better approach will be needed if they plan to continue developing this concept (which they absolutely should).
Using a butterfly or deployant style clasp with the ability to expand and contract would likely be a more palatable option, even if it does require more pieces and trick engineering. That said, I do think the bracelet is worth it, with the positives outweighing the negatives, which can be overcome within a few weeks of use.
The Movement
MING doesn’t take a conventional approach to anything with these watches, and the movement is no exception. Working with Sellita, MING is using what they call the SW330.M2, which is obviously based on the SW300 base with a GMT complication. There are aesthetic considerations that push this movement well beyond your average Sellita unit, including a black oscillating weight and black bridges. The look feels directly on point with the rest of the watch, and very intentional.
In use, the movement is easy to navigate, and since the GMT moves with the time, there’s nothing finicky about setting. It’s really just the bezel that’s required to utilize the second timezone. Sure, a traveler-style GMT would be welcome, but taken in the context of the watch as a whole, the 24-hour hand feels secondary in nature. Additionally, simply rotating the bezel to account for any time zone shift while traveling means you can use the 24-hour hand to track local time if you’re so inclined (and have good enough eyesight).
On the Wrist
All of this adds up to a comfortable, featherweight experience on the wrist, provided you can navigate getting the watch secured. Yes, that bit is a little more frustrating than I’d like, but once you get the hang of it, these are quirks that fade into the background. It’s a watch that forces you to enjoy it on its own terms, which may not sit well with everyone, but you’ll never be able to accuse it of being boring.
The ultra lightweight and perfect dimensions of the Odyssey (as well as the drape of that bracelet) all make this a pretty special watch in daily use. It kind of disappears when not needed, and when you do venture a look to get the time, you’re likely to get a view of the dial you’ve never seen before. Okay, so it’s not the most legible watch out there, and it’s a little unforgiving, but it manages to rise above those qualms thanks to the nature of its design.
Conclusions
MING watches continue to push boundaries, and at times, do so at the expense of practicality. There is a relentless pursuit of a larger goal, and you can feel that in every detail of the watch. If you ask me, the worst thing a watch can be is boring. The Odyssey has a point of view, and it never feels boring. The result is something that will be polarizing, but unrelenting in nature. The faults almost disappear in this light, but they will be deal breakers for some buyers. What makes this watch so compelling is that it forces you to confront exactly what it is that you need and value in a tool watch.
The 37.11 Odyssey is one piece of a much larger picture, but taken on its own, offers a rewarding and unique experience in use. What it lacks in practical considerations it more than makes up for with an expressive character. That MING character is exactly the name of the game here, and paired with the titanium mesh bracelet, is worth the price of admission.