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!
Hamilton Murph 38 - An Explorer for the rest of us?*
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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.
![Watch Analog watch Clock Watch accessory Everyday carry]()
![Watch Brown Analog watch Clock Watch accessory]()
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.
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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62 Posts
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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3,015 Posts
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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1,160 Posts
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.
Many thanks, and, of course, great watch.
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1,903 Posts
It does have AR and it works well. No problems reading the watch.
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53 Posts
I just wish those Alpinist 1959s came with all brushed finish on the case and bracelet.
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62 Posts
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514 Posts
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.
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.
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5,690 Posts
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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![Watch Analog watch Clock Everyday carry Watch accessory]()
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2,972 Posts
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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1,903 Posts
Looks great - enjoy!
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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.
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7,713 Posts
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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