Nearly Two Years With The Hamilton Murph 38: Owner's Review

We are nearly at the decade mark 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 devotee 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.

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.

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, 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.

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’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.

Considering that 2024 is the 10th anniversary of Interstellar, it feels like the right time to wax poetic about the Murph 38, and my experiences over a nearly two-year span. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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 earlier this 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. Now, with the strap worn and softened, it’s more perfect today than it was two years ago. Interstellar officially turns 10 later this year. I know there are plans for an anniversary theatrical run. You better believe I’ll be in the cinema when it arrives, with the Murph 38 on my wrist.