Creating the lightest or thinnest watch in history stands as a significant accomplishment sought after by numerous horologists, with industry heavyweights typically holding these titles. For instance, the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari currently claims the title of the world’s thinnest timepiece, while the record for the lightest watch has recently been secured by the independent watchmaker Horologer Ming, with its LW.01 Ultralight.

Founded in 2017 by Malaysian watch enthusiast Ming Thien and five others, Horologer Ming has introduced the latest LW.01 Ultralight watch, available in manual and automatic versions, weighing a mere 8.8 grams and 10.8 grams, respectively. To achieve this feat, the watch forgoes a conventional dial in favour of a 38 mm outer ring/movement holder crafted from AZ31 magnesium alloy, which is even lighter than carbon fibre while maintaining a metallic aesthetic.

In the manual version, the ETA 2000.M1 movement has been specially modified by Schwarz-Etienne for this project and offers a 36-hour power reserve when fully wound. The crystal is crafted from Corning Gorilla Glass 6, a material significantly lighter than sapphire yet boasting high-impact resistance. Additionally, the watch’s index markings are directly printed on the crystal to reduce weight. The watch is water-resistant up to 25 meters.

A limited edition of only 100 pieces each for the LW.01 Manual and LW.01 Automatic is available, both priced at CHF 19,500. You can pre-order these exclusive timepieces here.