In Review: Hamilton Murph 38mm Automatic Watch with Stainless Steel Bracelet

Hamilton Murph 38 w/ Steel Bracelet – $1045

• model: H70405130
• size: 38mm width, 11.1mm thick, 20mm lug width
• movement: Automatic (Switzerland)
• water resistance: 100m
• crystal: Sapphire
• etc: Quick release spring bars for easy strap changes. Automatic movement has an 80 hour power reserve. Exhibition caseback. Super Luminova hands and numerals. No date. No on-the-fly micro adjustment, but it does have three micro adjustment/sizing holes in the clasp

The Swiss Army Knife of Swiss Watches.
Gets all the jobs done in almost all scenarios.

As the world has gotten louder and brasher, many watch brands have tried to tone down size and overall design. This has led to a resurgence of “GADA” watches (Go Anywhere, Do Anything) which can be worn with everything from a t-shirt and jeans, to a suit and tie.

Hamilton’s 38mm Murph may be the “perfect porridge” of the GADA world. It’s sized down but not teeny, it’s simple but interesting, and while an investment at over a grand, it also brings the specs and build quality you’d expect from a respected Swiss Made brand, all while staying well below the ultra-luxury/ridiculous pricing level.

Swiss made. Automatic movement has an 80 hour power reserve.
Water resistance is 100m. (No screw down crown.)

The Murph isn’t a new design by any stretch. It first appeared in the movie Interstellar well over a decade ago. But what is newer, is this option with a shaved down size (38mm from the original 42mm,) which can be purchased on a classically versatile, three-link style stainless steel bracelet. (The OG 42 used to only come on a black leather strap.)

It’s sporty but it’s also serious. There’s no dive bezel and no date, making it a true “wrist clock” which has one job. The Cathedral style hands are gorgeous, and they keep the thing from looking like an expensive Timex Easy Reader.

38mm width, 11.1mm thick.
Shown on a 7.5″ wrist. Slides easily under a shirtcuff.

The three link bracelet is comfortable, articulates well, and doesn’t have any sharp or jabby pieces. And the bracelet has just the slightest bit of shine to it, thanks to only the very edges of the center links getting a bit of polishing. It plays brilliantly with the brushed case/polished bezel on the head of the watch. It all combines for a watch which is rugged (mostly brushed) but also can be dressed up thanks to the restrained use of polishing.

“Cathedral” style hands. Arabic numerals.
No date. Simple but interesting.

The crown pops in and out with a satisfying level of certainty, and winding this watch is what all watches should feel like when being wound. It’s smooth with distinct feedback, and the textured crown is easy to grip without tearing up your fingers. On the inside (which you can see thanks to an exhibition caseback) you get a Swiss Made automatic movement with an 80 hour power reserve. That’s plenty in case you want to set it down and wear another watch for a day or two. Not that you’d need another watch in your collection. Because they also thought to use quick-release spring bars on the bracelet. So if you want to wear a dress watch with a black or brown strap? No need to grab an entirely different timepiece. Just pinch, release the endlinks and bracelet from the lugs, put on a different strap, and you’re on your way. Same watch, different look.

Bracelet has quick release spring bars.
Versatile GADA looks + ease of strap changes = Versatility²

The only thing missing would be an on-the-fly bracelet adjustment mechanism in the clasp. There are three micro-sizing holes to set a more precise fit with a tool, but if you’re the type who likes to push a button and extend or contract the length of your watch bracelet while on the go, that’s not an option here. Or at least, it’s not an option… yet? Maybe Hamilton has that in the works.

They claim the crystal is anti-reflective, but… it does seem to bounce light.

A thousand dollars is a ton of money. Maybe not when compared to the cost of an Explorer or Aqua Terra, but if that’s what winds your crown, then you may be on the wrong blog.

Hamilton’s Murph 38mm hits all the right points including price. Yes it’s a serious investment. But it’s a watch that can do the visual work of many, with a quality level ready for many, many years (or decades) of wear.

 

And now some less expensive alternatives to the Murph 38…

• VAER S5 40mm Quartz – $289
  • More casual, but still versatile.
• Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz 38mm – $495
  • The quartz version with more of a “field” style
• Caravelle Sea Hunter Automatic 39mm – $281.25 ($375)
  • Has a dive bezel, but it’s not overbearing.