IntroducingMing Releases The World's First 3D Printed Titanium Bracelet-Strap Hybrid With 'The Polymesh'

Ming is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of manufacturing. At this point, the brand feels very much like a lab, where the consumer products are the experiments. Just this year, we've seen multiple manufacturing experiments in dials, with the Iris and the 20.01 Series 5. And in recent years, Ming has come out with their own white-emitting lume, mind-blowing ultralight models, and lots of experimentation into the use of sapphire.

Today, Ming introduces something truly crazy — and it's not a watch. It's actually (what seems to be) a world's first, a 3D-printed, titanium bracelet-strap hybrid. It is an absolutely mind-boggling piece of metal, comprising 1,693 individual links and components, all hooked together without any pins or screws. The tang buckle, also 3D-printed in titanium, is articulated without any required assembly, save for the quick-release spring bars in the bracelet.

The brand is very transparent about its collaboration with its suppliers for this effort, citing Sisma S.p.A in Italy and ProMotion SA in Switzerland for this fascinating effort. I mean, grade 5 titanium is already hard enough to machine, I can only imagine that 3D-printing from powdered grade-5 titanium is even more difficult. Ming concurs, noting that powdered titanium in 3D printing is highly explosive unless manufactured in an inert gas environment.

The process, as Ming says, involves several hundred layers of sintering, with finishing required after to remove the layer lines and any surface imperfections so that it can all articulate smoothly. The end product sees the distance between individual parts as tight as 70 microns, with all of it needing to flow perfectly to achieve that perfect metal fabric-like drape.

The Ming Polymesh in grade 5 titanium is priced at CHF 1,500 and will be available through Ming and its authorized retailers. While currently available in a 20mm size, Ming is working on a 22mm option as well.

I feel like 3D printing is very much starting to hit a new wave of maturity with consumer-level watch manufacturing (all of this year's titanium Apple Watch cases are 3D printed with zero visual cues that would give it away), and this is very much an example of additive manufacturing being used in a very different approach within the industry, as opposed to making funky case shapes and skeletonized lugs.

I asked my colleague Andy, who saw the bracelet prototype in person back during Geneva Watch Days, and he said that the bracelet was absolutely freaky in person, with a fabric-like drape in titanium and a truly ultra-light feel on the wrist. In that sense, mission accomplished for Ming. 

Visually, it may not be the most refined look, as the grainy appearance might come across as a bit unfinished and a dead giveaway for 3D printing, but I'm awfully curious about what the upcoming stainless steel version might look like. This is a seriously cool and genuinely new development, and I'm really excited to see more.

Price: CHF 1,500
Availability: Now
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