Rolex Explorer Vs Hamilton Khaki Field - $500 Vs $5000 Wristwatch Review 

I've had my Rolex Explorer II for 24 years and frankly never take it off, including sleeping and showering! I paid under $3k at the time and it's still worth double that now so proved to be a great investment. I love the weight, the look the durability and get frequently compliments. The down side? Periodically each cleaning is over $500! At the time, I wanted to reward myself and feel important. As much as this watch is an heirloom now and part of my identity, I would never spend so much on a watch now that I'm older and much less ego centric. All that being noted, I plan on buying either this Hamilton 38mm or the Murph 42mm which is 2mm larger than the Explorer II and to my eye has the look of a Panerai, which is also insanely priced for a watch with hardly any water resistance! I applaud your tight rope walk about quality and refinement. But I'll say flat out, most cheap quartz watches keep the same or superior time and what justifies anyone paying over $500 for any watch other than ego or trying to impress strangers. I see some Rolex and other brands costing 25 to 50,000 dollars and say, congratulations that you're so financially fluid. Precision and craftsmanship are appreciated by many of us. But folks, it just tells the time. Even the Hamilton's are perhaps overpriced for what they are but still much more justify-able. Value is relative as are our incomes. But thanks for being honest and walking the fine line of relative value if we are all perfectly honest with ourselves. Will the Hamilton last 24 years of daily wear and be worth double? It likely will still be functional then. But even if it isn't, it can be replaced for less than the cost of one Rolex cleaning.

I have a family. $4500 is a major family holiday which we can all enjoy. Its a no brainer for me.

Very good vid. I own two identical Khaki Kings (silver dial) because I like the model so much & am too lazy to change out straps. Hamilton’s bang for buck is just insane. At the same time, the Explorer 1 is among my favorite Rolex models - love the simplicity of it. Interesting comparison.

Best review on this topic on youtube, the reason being your honesty and you fantastic taste. Happy to be a subscriber.

Nice comparison. I’ve just ordered a Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic 38mm on brown leather. I found a good deal on it online. I will probably put it on a NATO and keep the strap for if I ever decide to sell it. I am looking forward to getting it although also apprehensive as I can’t really justify the cost. 😂

After way too many videos the passed few days I decided on the Hamilton khaki field auto with a brown leather strap. This is my first watch not bought at a PX or gas station. Thanks for the info I am ver y pleased with history of Hamilton and the quality to price ratio.

Having just bought a Hamilton Kkaki Field I LOVE this review! I also own a Seiko SNZ field watch and I'm happy with that as well. I guess I need to get a Rolex next.

I’ll just start by saying Both watches are excellent , and you won’t make a bad choice buying either one. I personally own Omega, have owned Rolex, and currently own this Hamilton and a brietling colt. Some of the higher end brands are over hyped, and offer little value over a Watch like the khaki field. That’s is what I stopped buying luxury watches and I’m only sticking with the ones I already own. The Hamilton Khaki field is a great timeless piece that doesn’t break the bank, but gives you tremendous bank for your buck.

Have the Rolex, after seeing this will get the Hamilton too. Lovely watch, and actually prefer the 38mm to 39mm.

I just found your channel and I really enjoy your watch reviews. Please keep it up!

Also, my Hamilton Field mechanical is consistently 1 second fast per day and my X Wind automatic is 1-2 seconds fast per day. I think that is pretty good.

I have both of these watches along with 10 others in all price ranges. The explorer is my favorite watch I’ve ever worn and the Hamilton is tied for third in my collection. These are both great and you can’t go wrong with either. And ironically, my bracelet opinion is the opposite to yours, the oyster is the only metal bracelet I’ll wear. Although at this point none of my watches are on bracelets due to really needing to wear rubber bands at work.

I also baby my watches for two reasons. #1, a scratch-free watch is much more satisfying to wear for me personally than one that is banged up. #2, if you ever decide to sell them you'll get a quicker sale and a much better selling price if they are LNIB. Great vid.

Thanks for the great review. I do love the Hamilton khakis as true field watches. Have just got one of the 2018 mechanicals and am very impressed with its accuracy. It’s all down to opinions, of course - but I feel that field watches should be designed with the expectation that they’re going to get bashed about. I’m not going to care if my Hamilton gets some scratches, it’s not a super valuable object and they won’t hurt the “look” of the watch. But I’d hate to bash up a 5K watch - which would make me very unwilling to use a Rolex as a field watch. The explorer is a lovely design, much more elegant than most Rolexes imo - but still wouldn’t be my first choice if I were ever to spend that much money on a truly special statement watch.

An often overlooked feature, the Rolex also comes with the billboard ads I see along the highway.

I think the explorer is one of the most versatile watch out there....can wear on the beach, bushes, desert, mountain, office, evening out or with a suit. It have the size and style for it.

Great job on this comparison, really. I own 3 Hamilton watches and I love them for the rich historical connection to the American military, which is the genesis of wrist watches. They were created to be a military tool. I personally don't see the point of luxury watches. Seems to be a contradiction to me.

I received my Hamilton today and it is - from the first impression - very good. Nonetheless, they should have put more money on the bracelet. It's good, yeah, but it is not even Seiko Sarb 033/035 standard. I would have prefered to pay more to receive this great watch with a heavier, better polished bracelet.

The rolex does look smoother-running and I love my 28,800 ETA-movement equipped Croton. But the 21,600 of the Hamilton is probably part of why it's power reserve is so high. :)

Thank you for being honest. You do much service to "ordinary" watch buyers like us,. More power!

I tried on a khaki field automatic today. I can’t stop thinking about it

AD's tout 911 steel as harder, more scratch resistant if my memory is correct. The outer markers on the Hamilton along with the 15 30 45 60 markers can go. It's a bit busy. Never lusted after an Explorer. Always end up looking at the Hamilton offerings.

Purely as a product, the Hamilton is 80% of the watch the Rolex is for 10% of the price, Hamilton Khaki range is top quality value!

I wish the Hamilton had more micro adjustments on the clasp though. I just can’t get a good fit either too big or too small but I like the bracelet even though I don’t wear it on the bracelet much because of the awkward fit.

The comparison will be even better between this super nice Hamilton and the Longines Spirit! ! Hope to see that match in your channel

how do you keep your clasp so clean ? any tips ? I try to be more mindful but still get annoying desk diving marks

Great video, but in my mind I compair the Explorer better to the Longines Conquest ref. L36764586, both 39mm. Great Bang per buck in my opinion.

I am thinking about buying my son this watch for his fist watch, he graduates from H.S. next year.. The Hamilton that is lol.. but the 42mm version. If he decides to join the service, then I will definitely get him this watch once he completes boot camp.

The oyster bracelet on the Rolex has fused links, the hamilton has separated links...more points of flex, like a jubilee (in a sense). The reason it is more comfortable.

The Hamilton accuracy is not an anomaly from my experience. The Powermatic movements are laser regulated and mine is minus half a second a day.

Nice review. I like the date complication on Hamilton which adds to the functionality. I guess they could improve this model with better water resistance. Can you make a review of Tudor North Flag?

I agree that a Seiko will tell time and that they're decent watches, I have several. The Hamilton is a cut above, the Rolex is a cut above the Hamilton. It's not really about telling time, I have a smart phone and G-shocks that do that quite well. It's about the appreciation of the skill and craftmanship of the higher end watches. I don't own a Rolex, but I wouldn't rule out buying one if I had the money. Right now I have a few Omega's and I'm satisfied with that price point/quality.

I own both..... Quite honestly I get more enjoyment from the Hamilton...

obviously the $5,000 Rolex isn't 10 times better than the $500 Hamilton. Just as a $5,000 guitar isn't 10 times better than a $500 guitar, or a $5,000 stereo isn't 10 times better than a stereo. That's because the marginal value is decreasing with dollars spent. That's an immutable law of value. The next unit of value becomes more costly to obtain.

Very nice comparison video. Both watches are nice in their own respect. When it comes to the difference in price with watches like these it boils down to a few main things, the movement, the materials, craftsmanship and the brand. The Rolex obviously wins all of those categories. The Rolex will always have a much better resale value, it has a much nicer and more reliable movement (even if less accurate, over decades it will hold up much better than the Hamilton), and the craftsmanship is much nicer. Plus, it says Rolex on the dial. It really just comes down to what you want in a watch. Neither watch is a bad choice for a watch , but either could the wrong choice based off what you want in a watch.

Some differences are indeed visible i.e. ss, anti-reflective coating on sc and movement of the seconds etc. but Hammy can't be 10x lower than the Rolex on quality side.. a huge part of the price tag comes with the brand!!!

You are right in saying it is not 10 x better but they never are. There are to many factors to take into consideration when choosing luxury watches. We all end up buying what we love in the end. I have a Hamilton and now I want this Rolex. Thanks for a great video

The bracelet on the Hamilton is very comfortable because of more articulation, whereas the Explorer seems to not have any between the center and side links. Anyway, the sizes seem very similar between the 2. Is the Explorer really 39 mm or is the Hamilton really 38? Have you tried measuring using calipers?

Totally agree. If money didn’t matter the Rolex is definitely a better made watch. However, for most people money does matter and the Rolex is not anywhere close to 10 times better than the Hamilton. Maybe 2-3 times. I bought a Seiko SARX055 and later the Grand Seiko snowflake that I really love and will probably never sell. But for value the SARX055 is a way better deal - by far. The finish and bracelet are only slightly lower quality than the snowflake. But the dial and smooth sweeping seconds hand are really beautiful to watch and look at. So, I paid an extra $4000 based on emotion, a better movement and dial. Crazy!

Hi, You should absolutly vissit Your AD and get the Explorer regulated. I got the same watch and I get constant +1,5 sec/day wearing it on the wrist all time. The fact that You got a constant +3 indicates that You could get it regulated for a cnstant +1 -+2 witch is the sweetspot in my opinion.

As I understand it, the Explorer was a type of tool/field watch that was classy enough to be worn anywhere. To me, a field or tool watch should be able to take some abuse. The Explorer, as you mention, cannot do that without drawing a lot of scratches. Maybe a brushed finish to the case would help hide the scratches?

Like for other luxury goods you pay a lot for the brand and prestige. It should be seen as such...I think it just makes no sense in that case to look for things like materials, craftmanship etc. which could justifie a 5k or even 14k (2017 sky dweller) price tag on a comparatively simple watch like these. No one would try to argue that the quality, craftmanship, materialy of a 350 $ t - shirt of some fancy brand is the reason for that price tag.

Rolex has the trait of instant recognition from a distance on top of the quality and classic timeless style. When I look at other lesser brands the first word that pops into mind is "cheap", though that may not be the case. Rolex has a look that's like a brand that has professionalism, luxury, strength, and perfection behind it.

These are my 2 fav watches lol,if i could only have 2 it would be the hamilton and the Explorer

The things that annoy me with brands like Hamilton is the small design changes that wouldn’t take much effort except having designers to notice. The seamless integration between the case and the bracelet for example on the Explorer makes it look perfect, the Hamilton could have done that. The bracelet taper doesn’t need to be extreme but Hamilton could have gone from 20 to 17 or 16.5.

I agree with you that the Explorer scratches very easily. No idea how they get there....

Nice,. Always thought black is a forever color.

Good job mate

Good review but the perfect Rolex Explorer comparison/homage is the Longines Conquest Classic.

The best field watch on the market is the iwc spitfire in my humble opinion, but very expensive

The only thing holding me back with the explorer is the fact that it doesn't have the adjustable glide lock like the submariner. My Hamilton is consistently -5 seconds everyday

Very nice comparison. I don't think I've seen anything this thorough. I still REALLY want the Explorer.

I think the Rolex is the more versatile watch of the two. If you put a croc leather strap on it, it can pass for a dress watch the the Hamilton can't and it can do also casual with a nato or calf leather strap. The Hamilton can only do casual but it has the field watch aesthetics on point. I love both of these. Which one is better, well that's for the user to decide. If I could afford it I would get both.

I have a Hamilton with the H30 movement. Its incredibly accurate. I might lose about a second in 24 hours. My buddy has 3 Rolexes. He said I just got lucky.

I've always liked the Rolex Explorer and you can see it's my Google + cover photo. In 1996 it was £1,300 in UK. I read that Timezone Walt Odetts story on what would've been one of those he took apart. I think Rolex is now one of the best value-for-money Swiss watches now. Got a GMT-Master II 116718 LN in April with money I inherited at the old pre-increase Nov 2016 UK RRP. I have the Rolex 5-year International warranty and give it the Rolex 25 turns each day partial wind and it was totally accurate over a 2 week period until I reset it to check the date change? It's half the retail price of a comparable Audemars Piguet or Patek Philippe and has a certain value being 18 ct but nowhere near the current scrap value. The dials are made of gold and lacquered as your Explorer is. The Chromalight won't work unless you've charged it by wearing it all day exposed to Ultra Violet. If I had the cash I'd get another, because they are half the retail of an AP.

the crown size is the main reason why i like hamilton watches at 40-42mm range. they are far too big for 38-39mm sizes. in my opinion at least.

I agree man the Rolex awesome! But you can't beat the khaki's good looks with swiss actresses & hamilton true millatary filed back ground besides i just bought one ".

I have both of these watches, albeit with a black leather strap on the Hamilton. I am enjoying the Hamilton, and will certainly wear it more than the Rolex, partly because the Rolex shows scratches so much!

I have this Hamilton on leather and will be soon purchasing a second one with the bracelet. I wanted an Explorer until I owned the Hamilton.

My Hamilton khaki is an exceptional timekeeper and by far the best mechanical watch I've ever owned since I bought my first quality timepiece - a Cyma navystar - in 1967.

Honestly I think the reviewer is stretching things a little. I dont see the Rolex being much better than the Hamilton. Of course if I spent 5000 bux on the Rolex I would invent reasons to justify my purchase as well. The Hamilton is obviously the correct buy.

Should have included the Longines Conquest Auto in this comparison as it has a screw down crown unlike the Hamilton.

I daily wear a 38mm khaki auto & the only “wear” I’ve noticed were very fine scratches on the polished bezel & bracelet. That is normal use & to be expected. If you buy a watch and are so worried about getting a scratch on it then perhaps you made a purchase beyond your financial means just sayin’ 😊

2 other options -Tudor Heritage Ranger - about $2000 or a Smith's Everest, about $350

Hamilton is the betrer watch, Hamilton is for people that love watches, Rolex are for people that want to show their watches.

I am a large fan of the Hamilton field watches and I think having all the numbers for hours, minutes, military time makes telling time so much easier on a glance. You dont realize the insignificant brain power used to calculate indices into numbers until you use a watch that has both hours and minutes displayed in writing.

Don't forget with rolex you are helping pay for celeb endorsements, luxury minded people past times & get togethers. Plus execs & AD's. This has to come out of watch price.

3:33 - 5:12 - - The Explorer was categorically designed by Rolex with specifications/tolerances for adventure/expeditions (in all altitudes/temperatures on land, as well as, underwater to 100M) - - and - - The Explorer summited Mount Everest (strapped to the wrist of Sir Edmund Hillary) ... Regardless, of whether The Explorer has a 'full array of indices' or not, there is no debate ... The Explorer is a FIELD WATCH ... The only debate is whether to pay $500 or $5,000 for a field watch, and that can only be answered by each person considering the purchase of a field watch.

Your Hamilton is awesome in many ways, dial, bracelet, etc!!! 👍👍👍

The 36mm Explorer is the perfect watch for me. Looks lovely, superb bracelet, great build quality and I find the bracelet is very comfortable. The 39mm Explorer looks too big and loses the style and balance of the 36mm. WTF is a Field Watch and how many people want or need one??? The Explorer is a lovely watch that you can wear anytime, with smart or casual clothes, and is one of the best designed watches ever. I have vintage and modern Omega and Rolex and my 36mm Explorer is by a long way my favourite of them all. Love it. The truth is...The Rolex is a Rolex. The Hamilton is a watch.

I've had my eye on the Rolex Explorer for a while now. But the more videos I see, the happier I am with my one-watch collection: my Swatch SISTEM51. :-) Thanks for the video.

Also, the Explorer...doesn't need a category, it is it's own category. Just like the Rolex Sub, completely defines a diver.

And here i got me a sarb017, snk809 and the snzg15k1 field watches.

i can relate to what you said about easy scratching on rolex steel. It is especially apparant on the high polished areas. When it finally comes time to polish they can make it look brand spanking new by barely taking any metal while polishing, this i heard from my watchmaker. I would have to give longevity to Rolex steel.

Got the Hamilton because of the price and the fact it is Automatic. Only at £430 with a Date and Day option.

both watches are incredible value per buck in its proce range.

ÓTIMOS RELÓGIOS, O ROLEX É MAIS ESTÁTUS PELO NOME, BRASIL OK.

Disagree on the black dial being a field watch requirement. Also I would say hands down the explorer 1 is the pinnacle field watch.

Hamilton is right now 427$ = 346EUR = 299£ at ebay with shipping. I never liked the geriatric feel of Rolexes, this one being maybe their least geriatric model, but still.

You nailed it!! My Hamilton is more accurate than bothe my Rolex and Omega... for the price range, someone is better off with a Hamilton... have it serviced every 5 year, The Hamilton will last the rest of your life. Look at all the 100 year old Hamiltons out there... still running like a gem...

would have liked a lume comparison :(

I have to agree that the Rolex is not 10 times better than the Hamilton. I have a Sub and I just bought the Hamilton khaki field and I gotta say they are both excellent watches 👍😃✨😋

I think your judgement is very balanced and justified. But look at the dial of the Explorer. Its got that Rolex typical deep shine of value and quality. Even people without any knowledge of watches would guess that the Rolex is a top quality time piece.

The explorer could just be called a sports watch. The fact that it's more polished wouldn't fit as well with a traditional field watch.

What are your thoughts on the Seiko 6r21 movement?

whats crazy is my hamilton khaki king is plus almost less than a second a day

No disrespect meant, just wondering. The replicas are really good these days. If not real what is it, a Noob?

Cant afford either but cool

Im going do disagree with your thought on accuracy... seems to me the Rolex at +3spd without any variance is the clear winner ... a watch that swings +10 one day to - 7 another.... is neither accurate or precise. I dont own a Rolex... but thats why they go through the COSC certification.

very crowded dial sadly

The Hamilton is a much better design to me.

For one Rolex I can have eleven or twelve Hamiltons at today's prices. I can wear a new Hamilton every three years and it would take me 36 years to go thru all 12 Hamiltons.

Rolex have it own style.Explorer style.

Hamilton should just slap in a double AR coated crystal and the watch would look so much nicer.

Paying for the feeling lol...spot on.

Maybe the Hamilton is actually better. Maybe it is THAT accurate.

Hamilton just look’s better to me.

Hamilton is the cooler looking piece but both are nice.

No doubt its Rolex winning most. Its just the pricelevel, which not many dare to afford. My 1st Rolex was purchased 1973, beating 21.600 n compared to Hamiltons of today, they're at the level of 1973 Rolex and btr... 1973 my Rolex Submariner cost Deutschmark 2.200 or 4 13K in 2019. The true winner is Hamilton!

I own the Hamilton it is a good watch but Rolex quality is excellent.