Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I review the new Revival II timepiece from local watch microbrand Kent Hall & Co.
I previously reviewed the Revival back in 2021, and felt it was a value-packed proposition, though a tad rough around the edges. 3 years on, the brand has improved upon the design and introduced the Revival II. Let’s see if it’s any good.
Kent Hall & Co Revival II – Video Review
For those interested in seeing some hands-on footage of the watch, do check out my YouTube review of the Revival II below:
Kent Hall & Co Revival II – Build Quality
Like its predecessor, the Revival II continues to pack great specifications for its price.
Firstly, the Kent Hall & Co Revival II uses sapphire crystal to protect against unwanted scratches and reflections. As mentioned numerous times in my previous reviews, I always look for sapphire crystal in my modern watches as it greatly adds to the watch’s durability. The watch also has a water resistance rating of 50M, allowing it to survive pouring rain or spilt coffee without any issues.
While the previous Revival was powered by the Seagull movement, the new Revival II features the more respectable Miyota 8N24 movement. It beats at 21,600 bph, hand-winds, and has about 42 hours of power reserve, but does not hack. The usage of the Japanese movement should sway those who were doubtful of the reliability of the previous Seagull movement, and should definitely be viewed as an upgrade.
In my previous review of the original Revival, I reviewed it on the bracelet option – so this time around, I was happy to take a look at the strap variant. I would say that the faux crocodile strap is decent, and was comfortable enough on the wrist. It’s no full-grain leather (perhaps an unrealistic expectation given the low price point), but it gets the job done and gives the watch a more formal look.
Despite the Revival II’s low price point, it’s evident that the Kent Hall & Co team paid attention to details. For example, the deployant clasp is coated black to match the strap and the case – a nice touch.
Another upgrade is the lume – the Revival II now uses Swiss Superluminova C3, which shines much brighter in the dark compared to the “Asian lume” of the original Revival.
All in all, the new Revival II features several prominent upgrades over its predecessor, such as a more reliable movement, strap and lume, while retaining the affordable price point of the original.
Kent Hall & Co Revival II – Design
Aside from the build quality, the design of the Revival II has been refined as well.
The Revival II retains the brand’s signature skeletonised dial, making it eminently striking on the wrist. I’m glad the brand has done away with the garish red painted hand of the original Revival (one of my main criticisms in the previous review), replacing it instead with a monochromatic black second hand. The dial also features more layers, resulting in increased depth as compared to the original.
However, the Revival II does retain the octagonal bezel of its predecessor, which is clearly a reference to the iconic eight-sided bezel of the Royal Oak. The brand smartly elected not to have screws on the bezel, thus veering the Revival away from the dreaded homage territory. The bezel also features contrasting finishing, being brushed on the front with polished bevelled edges.
This particular variant of the Revival II is called the Raven, and it sports a stealthy all-black aesthetic that pairs well with its skeletonised look. However, there are also the standard steel variants if blacked out isn’t your cup of tea.
With a case diameter of 41mm, the Kent Hall & Co Revival II wears well on my 6.75-inch wrist. And with a thickness of 13mm, the watch is slim enough to slide underneath a shirt cuff, making it appropriate for work.
Overall, the Kent Hall & Co Revival II is another striking skeletonised watch from the homegrown label – you’ll be hard-pressed to find another openworked watch at this price point that features the same level of attention to detail.
Shootout: Kent Hall & Co Revival II vs Revival
Let’s dive into a comparison between the Revival II and its predecessor.
In terms of specifications, the Revival II definitely trumps the original Revival. While both watches use sapphire crystals, the Revival II is powered by the more pedigreed Miyota movement, as compared to the Seagull movement of the Revival. The Revival II also features a better bracelet, as well as stronger lume.
From an aesthetic standpoint, I find the design of the Revival II to be more grown-up and thoughtful. There’s more depth to the Revival II, and more attention to detail as well – for example, the indices are framed in black to match the all-black aesthetic. The monochrome aesthetic works much better on the Revival II than the original Revival, and I have to commend Kent Hall & Co. for innovating and iterating its design.
At $206 USD/~S$277, the Revival II is about 10% more expensive than its predecessor. However, given the bevvy of upgrades involved, the premium is surprisingly low, making it the obvious choice between the two.
Conclusion – so Kent Hall & Co Revival II “shiok” or not?
The Revival II is the best skeletonised watch you can find under S$300. It boasts impressive specifications that punch above its price tag (sapphire crystal, Miyota skeletonised movement, Swiss Superluminova, a decent strap/bracelet), and a design that represents a marked improvement over its predecessor. It’s a mature openworked watch that won’t bust the budget, and is terrific value for money. And if you’re into blacked-out watches, then this is a no-brainer.
Those interested in purchasing the Revival II can use the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” to enjoy 10% off Kent Hall & Co’s offerings storewide. After the discount, the Revival II can be purchased for $206 USD/~S$277, making it one of the most affordable automatic skeletonised watches in the microbrand market.
View the Kent Hall & Co Revival II here.
View the full range of Kent Hall & Co’s offerings here.
Specifications:
Movement: Japanese Automatic Miyota 8N24 Movement
Power reserve: Approximately 42 hours
Glass material: Sapphire
Case material: 316L Stainless Steel
Case diameter: 41mm
Case thickness: 13mm
Water resistance: 5 ATM/50m
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