Xetum is certainly a brand that needs no introduction to readers of this site. We’ve covered some of their other models (links), and brought you word when their latest model, the Kendrick, was released (link). Today, we’ll be bringing you our hands-on review of that very model.
As we noted in our earlier overview, the Kendrick takes the familiar case that’s present across the line, and mixes things up a bit with some automotive-inspired dials. This makes for a slightly more casual feel to the watch, as do the strap choices (rubber, as we reviewed, or nylon). Even with that lighter feel to the watch, it shares the same impressive specs that the Tyndall and Stinson have, including:
- 40mm diameter stainless steel case
- ETA 2824-2 automatic movement
- Sapphire crystal in front (AR-coated); mineral crystal display back.
- Screw-down crown
- 100m water resistance rating
Being as they’re labeled as Swiss Watches Designed in California, design is the name of the game. In the steel, the case is a pleasant one to wear. Though, if you’re on the fence as to whether or not you like your strap to flare to the lugs, you’ll want to think about this one, with it’s “lugless” design. While it does make for a very clean style (with the strap mounting occurring on the rear of the case), it’s a distinctive styling point that you want to make sure you’re on board with.
The dial continues the concept of clean and simple design. Our sample was the black and teal combination, which worked well to maintain readability and get some color mixed in. The layout is fairly spartan, with numerals appearing just at the cardinal points of the dial; additional text on the dial is limited and is centered across the midline of the dial. In short, very easy to read in sunlight or dark, thanks to the SuperLuminova used.
I do find myself wishing that a sandwich dial had been attempted (mostly due to the font of the numerals, I suppose), but that would be tricky to keep things within the existing depth of the case. Perhaps that’s something that could be explored in another iteration. Regardless of if that occurs, I think the Kendrick as it stands now is a nice complement to the existing line. Coming in at a price of $995, it’s in-line with the Tyndall ($1395) and Stinson ($995); it’s also available in a black dial (with white numerals), or a white dial (with black numerals).
Now that we’ve covered and reviewed the three main Xetum lines, let us know what your favorite model in the lineup is – I’m curious to see how your impressions match up (or not) with ours.
