Hamilton Murph 38 Review: This Decade's Seminal Field Watch?

Before getting into the Hamilton Murph, you know I have to put it into the context of the film it’s so tightly connected to. It is hard to believe more than a decade has passed since Interstellar hit theaters in late Fall, 2014. The movie was the first post-Batman Trilogy film from then-loved but not-yet-immortally-loved Christopher Nolan. Having not been a Nolan devotée up to that point, and also having been a staunch defender of John Williams in the wake of what I then felt was a premature coronation of Hans Zimmer (I’m sorry, but the Batman scores were more tonal exercises than music), I went into Interstellar excited, but I tempered it as best I could.

The Hamilton Murph And Interstellar

We also cannot forget that, one year prior to the film’s release, Nolan released one of the better teasers of the 21st century, complete with an original score that we would soon learn Zimmer had completed prior to the cameras rolling. I immediately noticed that this was a different Nolan and a different Zimmer. So when I sat down in the cinema, the subtle whisper of Zimmer’s theme, “Dreaming of the Crash,” slowly built over the Paramount Pictures logo and into the film’s opening, I knew I was in for capital-C cinema.

For the next two-plus hours, I let the film envelop me. A sentimentalist, I fell hard and easily for the generational family story that was being told and the way the melody of the score manipulated my emotions. Sure, there were bits of Kubrick cribbing, but I am a professional suspender of disbelief and so I bought into all three acts of the film – Damon, Tesseract, and all. The 2014 version of me was a watch enthusiast, but not yet a fanatic.

My ties to watches stemmed from the pieces that existed within the confines of my family. I long obsessed (and still obsess) over my father’s Rolex Submariner 5513. It was the watch that really made me a steel sports watch guy. Sure I had my share of Fossil, Timex, and my beloved Shark Freestyle, but I was really beginning the serious phase of the expansion of my horological exploits. Interstellar arrived at precisely the right time.

I was immediately struck by the large piece of steel on Matthew McConaughey’s wrist in his turn as Cooper. It reminded me of my infatuation with the Robert Redford Red Submariner in All The President’s Men (1976). The watch was ever-present throughout the film on the protagonist’s wrist and, if you loved watches, you could not help but keep your eyes glued to it. You could say I had a predisposition for watch spotting.

As the 35mm print of the film reached its end-point, and the watch-rich plot played out with Cooper delivering a coded message through the second hand of the then-bespoke Hamilton Murph to his daughter… Murph, I emerged into the lobby of the Arclight in a cinematic fog. I would eventually see the movie three more times in its initial theatrical run. While the watch publications circa 2014 spent most of their time writing about the backstory of the Hamilton Murph, I spent my time locating a Hamilton retailer in Washington D.C. so I could pick up the Khaki Pilot Day-Date which I eventually learned was the watch McConaughey wore on screen.

I was immediately struck by the large piece of steel on Matthew McConaughey’s wrist in his turn as Cooper. It reminded me of my infatuation with the Robert Redford Red Submariner in All The President’s Men (1976). The watch was ever-present throughout the film on the protagonist’s wrist and, if you loved watches, you could not help but keep your eyes glued to it. You could say I had a predisposition for watch spotting.

It’s a watch I continue to wear to this day. When I became a card-carrying watch writer, one of the first things I did was to reach out to Ritchie Kremer, the property master on Interstellar. I learned of the collaborative effort between he and Nolan, which brought two watches to the screen in a meaningful way, and how the Murph was a watch effectively designed from scratch, and how it required some serious man-made practical effects to deliver its morse-coded action.

Hamilton Murph 38 Collection

As of the time of writing, there are three iterations of the Hamilton Murph 38 in production. In addition to the initial model with a black dial and leather strap, two more joined in 2024. The first is the white-dial edition which was kind of a big deal because it represents the first real departure from the true Murph form and means that the “Murph” is no longer just a watch tied to Interstellar but a sub-collection within the broader Khaki Field line from Hamilton. Now the question becomes: Is a white-dial Murph even a Murph? (Yeah, it is.)

All three Hamilton Murph 38 watches and the 42mm Murph (right)

In addition to the white-dial model, there is also a black-dial Murph 38 on a stainless steel bracelet. This was a watch with stylized numerals, cathedral hands, and overall toolish charm that already had people buying it as a sub-$1,000 alternative to a Rolex Explorer. With the addition of the bracelet, this prospect becomes even more compelling. The bracelet only comes on the black dial, which remains unchanged from the one on the original 38mm Murph. The clasp on this bracelet features a twin-trigger deployant system.

Hamilton Murph 38 Case & Wearability

When the movie was released, the Murph was relegated purely as a movie watch. It would remain a non-commercial product until 2019 when it was released in the film-faithful size of 42mm with a special addition by way of morse code etched into the seconds hand. Let’s just say, the cinematically-inclined horological world went mad over this one. There was even a special Tesseract-shaped box for the initial run. However, once the novelty wore off, the watch world was left feeling like 42mm was a little bit too big for the Murph.

This is nothing new. We are constantly complaining about watch size. For the most part, our complaints and wishes go unanswered by the watch gods. In the case of the Murph, Hamilton was listening – and in 2022 it unleashed an absolute surprise onto the world: A 38mm Murph (that comes in at 11.1mm thick with a 44.7mm lug-to-lug height). That’s right, the almost universally accepted sweet-spot size. Needless to say, I was unreasonably excited to get my hands on one, which of course I did, and have had one in my personal collection now for almost two years.

I have been wearing the Hamilton Murph 38 for over two years now so consider this my personal journey with this cinematically inspired icon – just without any space travel, stakes, or really any true adventure whatsoever. One of my first memories with the watch was taking it on a trip with my wife to Poland. We rented a flat in Krakow and spent the holiday months there at the tail end of 2022. This is an odd detail, but I had a Carhartt-esque work shirt in the same color and style as that by both Cooper and Murph in the movie. When I paired that shirt with the watch during that trip, it really elevated the feeling of the watch, full stop.

Even though I own and wear the 42mm “Coop” Hamilton, 42mm for a Murph on a leather strap was a bit out of my comfort zone, which is why I never picked one up despite being tempted. I most often wear watches between 36mm and 38mm, so this one was almost a no-brainer. The first thing I noticed putting it on, was that I would really need to break in the strap. It’s very stiff at the outset, but considering its effectively a 1:1 recreation of the film-worn strap, it makes you want to break it in, like a new baseball glove (no I did not sleep with it under my mattress).

The next thing I noticed was just how pitch-perfect the 38mm sizing was. You immediately recognize that much of the proportional excellence of this piece is found via the short lugs (a mere 44.7mm lug-to-lug). It wears similar to a Seiko in this regard. I made a point in those early days to really maximize my time with the watch. Call it a honeymoon period, but in reality, it was an active exercise in seeing whether the watch was a novelty or a keeper. Nearly two years in, I can say it’s no novelty. The strap is another thing because, I just cannot imagine wearing this watch without it. So if it ever gets worn to the point of breaking, I hope Hamilton continues to produce it in perpetuity.

Hamilton Murph 38 Dial

My favorite aesthetic features of the watch are the matte, brown/black dial and tan numerals stylized in a way that evokes a classical era of watch design. They work beautifully against the cathedral-style hands. The stainless steel case with its pronounced crown gives this watch a field-style look but that is really belied by the near-dressy presentation of the dial. There’s a duality to this that elevates the watch considerably. On one hand, everything is printed, matte, and brushed even if the styling tries to make you think it’s more fanciful. Legibility and excellent and while the lume isn’t “out of this world” (sorry) it’s certainly good enough.

Turning back to the white dial, what we have is more than just a color change. The numerals take on more of a dark khaki color and the dial – which is a smooth matte on the black edition – takes on a very specific texture that reminds me of a certain Murph-esque Patek Philippe Calatrava.

The H-10 Movement

Now, one thing I maybe love less about the Murph 38 is the exhibition caseback. Sure the H-10 caliber is nice to see, but this feels like the sort of case that needs a closed back. That being said, at under $1,000, this movement is so solid in every way, that it still gives a great sense of security in the longevity of this watch and the rare need for servicing. As for performance, the H-10 operates at 3 Hz with a hefty 80-hour power reserve, which is just about as much as one could ask or hope for here.

Final Thoughts

When I strap it to my wrist, I get all the feelings I love about wearing my vintage Rolex Explorer but without the worries that come with owning a vintage watch. As a cinema lover, this watch just hits every beat for me. It has its own kind of heritage, it is wonderfully proportioned, and the aesthetics really are timeless even if over the line when it comes to vintage evocation (different from the more rugged style of the Khaki Field Mechanical)

I will always remember those first days with this watch in Krakow. But it wasn’t the only memorable experience I subjected this watch to. It was on my wrist last year year when I went to the U.S. premiere of Dune Part 2. That means it was on my wrist when I accidentally rode an elevator with Hans Zimmer to the theater at Lincoln Center in New York. It was his score that pulled me fully into Interstellar’s orbit and took me on a journey that would eventually have me wearing the 38mm Murph. To have the watch on my wrist in his presence almost boggles the mind.

This is the sort of watch I won’t quit, much the same way I have continued to wear my Pilot Day-Date for almost a decade now. It represents two things I have a deep passion for. The Hamilton Murph 38 in black dial or white dial on a strap is priced at $945, while the black dial on bracelet is priced at $995. You can learn more about the Murph at hamiltonwatch.com.