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Hamilton Murph 38 - An Explorer for the rest of us?*

12325 Views 77 Replies 53 Participants Last post by  Zany4
*Despite the click bait-y title, this post is not comparing the Murph to the Explorer.

A few impressions after wearing the Murph every day for 2 weeks. The watch wears very well. Its dimensions (38 x 44.7 x 11.1) should appeal to a wide variety of wrist sizes. It has often been compared to the Seiko Alpinist line, but the shorter lug-to-lug (44.7 vs. 46.5) and especially the thinner profile (11.1 vs. 13.2) make the watch extremely wearable. My wrist is only 6.25" and it fits perfectly with no lug overhang, and it slides under long sleeves without a problem.

The dial and hands are beautiful. This is subjective, but I love the slightly Art Deco numerals and cathedral hands. I wouldn't call the numeral color fauxtina, it is closer to bronze or khaki. Against the black face it presents a refined look. I've had no problems reading the watch. Some people have bemoaned the lack of Morse code on the seconds hand, but I think it improves the watch and allows it to stand on its own.

I read in other reviews that the stock strap was not good, and unfortunately that turned out to be true. I immediately replaced it with a brown leather strap from ColaReb (it's their Firenze line). I think it matches the vibe of the watch. I'm not convinced that it will look good on a bracelet, so I am considering a variety of options for summer including cork, silicone, and single-pass NATO.

The movement (H-10 caliber) is keeping incredible time. It's only gained about 2 seconds the entire time I have owned it. I've only had one other watch keep better time. It has an 80-hour power reserve so I could leave it for the weekend without having to reset it.

Yes, this is the watch from Interstellar but made smaller. I've never seen the movie, so that's neither here nor there for me. I just see a very classy looking field-style watch.

While definitely not a Rolex Explorer, there are similarities - black dial, time only, field-ish watch that is appropriate in a wide variety of situations. It has the same vibe: elegant but rugged. Like the Explorer, it could be your one watch. And you will save yourself roughly $9K.
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Nicely written - as I haven’t been able to find one yet in person, can anyone w/ one in-hand elaborate on the color of the numerals/ hands? I’m generally not a huge fan of the faux-tina lume, as it sometimes looks almost lightly gilded/ heavily yellowed against a black dial, but some brands do it better than others. Love everything else about it on paper though, and looks great w/ that strap!
Appreciate the thoughtful review. I encourage you to see Intersteller—a fun movie (with outstanding music) that you’d enjoy all the more with this awesome watch on your wrist!
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There are a few variations of Seiko Alpinists for those unaware - SPB11x (dual crown cathedral), SPB15x (single crown cathedral), and SPB24x (single crown modern). And also the SJE Alpinist which is in a completely different price bracket.


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Pictures above of the SPB24x series.

The Murph is a nice watch and rightfully so costs more. Its extremely short lug to lug combined with the thinner case also cannot be ignored for smaller wrists. With that said it’s not quite a competitor to the more toolish Alpinist watches which come with AR coated crystals and screw down crowns.
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The Murph seems like a great watch and one I have interest in. The question I have is which size should I get I have 7.5in wrists.
Nice Review! Seeing pictures from websites and posts make me lust for this watch but when I saw it in person, I got gun shy at the AD. Not sure if it was due to the harsh lighting at the showroom or just being underwhelmed by the leather strap but I might have to go back to the AD to take another look haha.
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I absolutely love the dial and hands on this watch. I liked the original Murph but it was too big for a field watch. I will likely pick up the 38mm version at some point but I really hope they release a bracelet version. The price is a little steep given that it is about double the market price of a 38mm khaki field automatic which is almost the same watch but for some aesthetic differences.
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May I ask what the AR is like (indeed if it has any) - that was what stopped me springing for the big Murph.

Many thanks, and, of course, great watch.
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May I ask what the AR is like (indeed if it has any) - that was what stopped me springing for the big Murph.

Many thanks, and, of course, great watch.
It does have AR and it works well. No problems reading the watch.
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One of the few Swatches that I would consider purchasing.
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There are a few variations of Seiko Alpinists for those unaware - SPB11x (dual crown cathedral), SPB15x (single crown cathedral), and SPB24x (single crown modern). And also the SJE Alpinist which is in a completely different price bracket.


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Pictures above of the SPB24x series.

The Murph is a nice watch and rightfully so costs more. Its extremely short lug to lug combined with the thinner case also cannot be ignored for smaller wrists. With that said it’s not quite a competitor to the more toolish Alpinist watches which come with AR coated crystals and screw down crowns.
I just wish those Alpinist 1959s came with all brushed finish on the case and bracelet.
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Update: Went to the AD and just bought it. I blame your review @Stelwick 😂

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Great buy ! Maybe a dark blue comes in the future.
This is a tempting watch ... I thought it might be a great graduation gift for my son when he graduates college. He currently wears a quartz Citizen diver daily. This would be a nice step up to a real auto with a bit of a neat tie to a movie we both love.

If you have not seen the movie, it's great, I recommend it.

As for the new 38mm size: I have owned the 38mm Alpinist, a 39mm Ranger, and a 39mm Explorer. The size is absolutely the perfect size for me with a 7-inch wrist.

Disappointed in three aspects of this watch that make me hesitate to buy it: 1) non-screw down crown? Unfortunate. I think that is a "must" in an explorer type watch. Alpinist and Ranger have it of course. 2) Lots of owner complaints on the strap ... at this price point you should get a decently comfortable leather strap. 3) I think not having the morse code on the second hand is a miss as well, that diminishes the tie to the movie.

Really the non-screw down is the only deal breaker for me.
Cool watch. The new frogman is super cool and will probably end up in my collection.
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Like the OP I am a huge fan of the Murph. I wish it had a little better AR and I wish the lume was a bit lighter (but not white). It is a bit shinier than I anticipated due to the polished bezel but I have gotten used to it. I don't care about a screw down crown - the watch has 100m of WR and that works for me, more than I really need. Someone mentioned a 3 position crown in an earlier post but the Murph has a 2 position crown. It looks good on just about any strap you throw at it. The 38mm size is a great fit on my 7.25" wrist and it slides under a cuff effortlessly.

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Really the non-screw down is the only deal breaker for me.
why would it need a screw down crown? It’s not a dive watch, so accidentally pulling out the crown is not a problem. And they don’t do anything for actual water resistance - that’s what gaskets do.

The WUS obsession with screwdown crowns is downright silly. They’re mostly a placebo feature.

I see the non-screw down crown as a real avantage here. Nothing to get in the way of quick operation.
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Update: Went to the AD and just bought it. I blame your review @Stelwick 😂

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Looks great - enjoy!
I like it... but not enough to replace my original Khaki Field Auto...

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why would it need a screw down crown? It’s not a dive watch, so accidentally pulling out the crown is not a problem. And they don’t do anything for actual water resistance - that’s what gaskets do.

The WUS obsession with screwdown crowns is downright silly. They’re mostly a placebo feature.

I see the non-screw down crown as a real avantage here. Nothing to get in the way of quick operation.
So the screw down crown on an Explorer or Ranger is just unnecessary? Sorry, I think not. Such watches are supposed to be safe to swim/dive with and a screw down crown is the added measure of protection I want.
So the screw down crown on an Explorer or Ranger is just unnecessary?
Kinda, yeah.

I mean, nothing wrong with having it. It's just an added layer of security. But it's not a real necessity, unless you're in the water a lot and are clumsy.

I take my Khaki Field swimming and it does just fine.

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