Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll be reviewing the Liberty from local watch brand Kent Hall & Co.
Known for offering wallet-friendly skeletonised watches, the Liberty is actually the brand’s most affordable offering to date. Let’s see if it’s any good.
Kent Hall & Co Liberty – Video Review
For those interested in seeing some hands-on footage of the watch, do check out my Youtube review of the Liberty below:
Kent Hall & Co – the Brand
I previously reviewed the Kent Hall & Co Revival series and covered the brand story here. I also reviewed the Kent Hall & Co Nova Skeleton Watch here.
Kent Hall & Co Liberty – Build Quality
Like the rest of Kent Hall & Co’s watches, the Liberty offers fantastic specifications for the price.
Firstly, the Liberty uses a flat sapphire crystal. As mentioned numerous times in my previous reviews, I’m a huge advocate of sapphire crystal due to its inherent scratch-resisting properties. I always look for sapphire crystal in my modern watches as it adds greatly to the watch’s durability. The watch also has a water resistance rating of 50M, rendering it robust enough for most everyday activities.
Like the Revival, the Liberty is powered by the Seagull TY2809 automatic movement. It beats at 21,600 bph, has approximately 36 hours of power reserve, and is actually hacking. It’s a bare-bones movement without any decoration, but at this price point that’s par for the course.
The Liberty comes in a variety of strap options – metal bracelet, leather, as well as rubber strap. I opted for the rubber option, and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the FKM rubber strap. Known for its durability and comfort, FKM rubber straps are also dust and water-resistant, making it a great choice for everyday wear.
All in all, the specifications of the Kent Hall & Co Liberty punch above its price point with sapphire crystal, automatic movement, and a decent FKM rubber strap.
Kent Hall & Co Liberty – Design
Like its predecessors, the Liberty retains Kent Hall & Co’s trademark skeletonised aesthetic.
The design of the Liberty is the Goldilocks of the Nova Skeleton and the Revival. As compared to the Nova Skeleton, the Liberty has more skeletonised work done, but is not as open as the Revival. I actually like the design of the Liberty the best – it highlights the movement (balance wheel, mainspring, etc) well. Due to the skeletonisation and the applied indices, the dial has depth in spades. I also like the blue second hand, which matches the blue FKM rubber strap. However, it’s merely painted blue, and not heat-blued as one would see on pricier watches.
A fixed, utilitarian brushed bezel complements the dial – it’s reminiscent of those bezels on the old Tag Heuer Aquaracers. Given the lack of numerals on the dial, the numbered bezel allows the wearer to tell time more easily.
Unlike the bezel, the sides are polished, giving the Liberty some contrast in textures. The finishing is relatively simple – nothing to knock the watch about, but also nothing to shout about. However, there is a signed crown, which isn’t always the case at this price point.
With a case diameter of 41mm, the Kent Hall & Co Liberty wears nicely on my 6.75-inch wrist. It is on the slightly larger side, which reinforces its sportier nature. The Liberty is also relatively svelte at 12mm thin, allowing it to slide underneath shirt cuffs with ease.
Overall, I enjoy the skeletonised look of the Kent Hall & Co Liberty. The dial highlights the mechanical movement well – like a good skeletonisation should – while the case features a nice juxtaposition of brushed and polished surfaces.
Shootout – Kent Hall & Co Liberty vs Revival
If you’re looking for an affordable skeletonised watch on a rubber strap, then the best alternative would actually be the brand’s own Revival model.
In terms of specifications, both watches are nearly identical. Both the Revival and the Liberty use sapphire crystal, the Seagull TY2809 automatic movement, and have 50M water-resistance rating. The only difference is that the Revival uses a silicone strap, while the Liberty features an FKM rubber strap, which I have a slight preference for.
From an aesthetic standpoint, both watches are again very similar, though with a few key differences. The Revival has the more “open” skeletonisation, while the Liberty is slightly more discreet. Then there’s also the bezel – the Revival features an octagonal bezel (which can be seen as a “homage”), while the Liberty has a more conventional, but also arguably less derived brushed bezel with minute markings. Which aesthetic is more appealing is a subjective matter – those who prefer a sportier nature will lean towards the Royal Oak-esque Revival, while those who appreciate a more original approach will find the Liberty their cup of tea.
Conclusion – so the Kent Hall & Co Liberty “shiok” or not?
Like its predecessors, the Kent Hall & Co Liberty offers remarkable value for its asking price. For less than S$250, the Liberty features sapphire crystal, sufficient water-resistant rating, a Seagull automatic skeletonised movement, and a better-than-expected FKM rubber strap. It’s also quite a looker, and personally reminds me of watches such as the Zelos Avant A-4, or even the Girard Perregaux Laureato Skeleton. It’s certainly a striking statement on the wrist, without breaking the bank.
Those interested in purchasing the Liberty can do so at The Shiok Shop, where it’s listed for just S$234. Aside from the rubber model, the Liberty is also available in a leather strap, as well as on a metal bracelet. And if you’re interested in any of Kent Hall & Co’s other watches (that aren’t listed on The Shiok Shop), you still can use the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” to enjoy 10% off storewide, making most – if not all – of the watches a steal.
Buy the Kent Hall & Co Liberty here.
View the rest of Kent Hall & Co’s watches here.
Specifications:
Movement: Seagull skeletonised automatic movement TY2809
Power reserve: Approximately 36 hours
Glass material: Sapphire
Case material: 316L Stainless Steel
Case diameter: 41mm
Case thickness: 12mm
Case colour: Brushed Silver with Polished Edges
Dial colour: Dark Grey
Hands: Silver with Lume
Strap type: FKM Rubber Strap with Pin Buckle
Water resistance: 5 ATM/50m
P.S: Check out The Shiok Store here – it serves as a curation of my favourite products from my favourite brands.
P.P.S: Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wah so Shiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
P.P.P.S: If you haven’t already, do follow my social media channels on Facebook here, on Instagram here, and on Youtube here.
P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
