Australian Members

[Alexander Scriabin]

American Tailors in Melbourne are having a sale at the moment. They're clearing out a bunch of Crockett and Jones Handgrades. I snapped up a pair for $495. Not many sizes left though.

 

[elvish]

Originally Posted by Journeyman

In watches, as in most things, we pay a ridiculous premium in Australia. Sigh...

Watch companies rely on the "prestige pricing" policy where ignorance pays for status. EG quite a few years ago Tag increased its average price 4x and resulted in sales of 7 fold.

Absolute con really, so you should never buy a watch unless you are getting a minimum 30% off as retailers will happily give you a discount to undercut competition. Unless of course you are buying hermes or mont blanc where it's not possible to buy the watch elsewhere.

On another note, ANS Fashions is coming to Brisbane soon and I am going to be getting a few things, hopefully at a discount if anyone is interested?

 

[Journeyman]

Originally Posted by elvish

Watch companies rely on the "prestige pricing" policy where ignorance pays for status. EG quite a few years ago Tag increased its average price 4x and resulted in sales of 7 fold.

Absolute con really, so you should never buy a watch unless you are getting a minimum 30% off as retailers will happily give you a discount to undercut competition. Unless of course you are buying hermes or mont blanc where it's not possible to buy the watch elsewhere.

On another note, ANS Fashions is coming to Brisbane soon and I am going to be getting a few things, hopefully at a discount if anyone is interested?


In all fairness to TAG Heuer, they also upgraded their models considerably in an attempt to move into a more "premium" pricing bracket. No more entry-level, plastic-and-aluminium sports watches such as they made in the early 1990s, for example.


I mentioned quite a while ago - perhaps even earlier in this thread - that I had a pair of trousers made by ANS Fashions a few years ago.

They are both good and bad.
I was able to get a nice, checked fabric of the sort that you would never, ever see in stores here, I was able to ask for the features that I wanted, and get the measurements that I wanted. In all those respects, the trousers were spot-on.

In terms of construction, however, they are poorly made. Thankfully, however, that's all internal and hidden from sight. Uneven stitching, cheap lining, and a lack of the usual features that we tend to desire in high-end trousers. However, as I've said, that's all hidden from sight and the exterior looks very nice and I quite often have people tell me that they like the trousers, although I'm sure that is more due to the checked fabric than to the actual trousers themselves.

 

[Mr Herbert]

Originally Posted by elvish

Absolute con really, so you should never buy a watch unless you are getting a minimum 30% off as retailers will happily give you a discount to undercut competition. Unless of course you are buying hermes or mont blanc where it's not possible to buy the watch elsewhere.

does this apply to Rolex?

 

[elvish]

Originally Posted by Mr Herbert

does this apply to Rolex?

I would have no idea tbh...

I would have one of the most limited knowledge of watches on the forum but seeing as I was offered a discount on IWC I imagine you may get one? I own 2 watches: a mont blanc for my 21st last year and a 40 yr old Longines from my grand father. I know very little about both except for the movements inside and research I have done - hence the info on TAG.

@Journeyman thanks for the heads up, I am still learning how to spot craftsmanship soI take your comments on board and will only order what I cannot find here... a couple of club collar shirts.

 

[Doctor]

Originally Posted by bhall41

How are you enjoying your blue suede shoes, sorry. boots?

Really much better than I expected, actually! They're very, very nice. Seemed to run a smidge larger than some other Loake styles though (which is actually a good thing - the Bayswaters gave me pins and needles for a fortnight).

 

[__PG__]

Originally Posted by Alexander Scriabin

American Tailors in Melbourne are having a sale at the moment. They're clearing out a bunch of Crockett and Jones Handgrades. I snapped up a pair for $495. Not many sizes left though.
I was quoted $425 for the Handgrade Rosemoor in black, size 11. Is this a wholecut or not? Anyway... I'm lucky they didn't have it in brown otherwise my credit card would be in trouble. Do they have anything else on sale? (Suits/jackets/shirts/ties?)

 

[Prince of Paisley]

The Rosemoor isn't a wholecut, but is designed to look like one.

PS - it's a good price and a nice shoe.

 

[__PG__]

Considering Pediwear sell it for 362.50 pounds ex-VAT I'd say its an amazing price.

 

[Prince of Paisley]

Originally Posted by elvish

Absolute con really, so you should never buy a watch unless you are getting a minimum 30% off as retailers will happily give you a discount to undercut competition. Unless of course you are buying hermes or mont blanc where it's not possible to buy the watch elsewhere.

Originally Posted by Mr Herbert

does this apply to Rolex?

A watch collector friend once told me that anything less than a 50% discount on a new watch still ensured a huge profit to the retailer. I thought he was having a go but he's probably right -

Without fail I've been offered 30% off the list price pretty much as soon as I show any interest in a watch, without mentioning competitors' pricing.... and not just in Australia.

Popular brands like TAG, Omega and Longines seem to initiate spontaneous discounting here, and Rolex would as well I imagine, though I've never had an interest in purchasing the latter so I can't say first hand.

I can't discuss Hermes watches at this time.

 

[Prince of Paisley]

Originally Posted by __PG__

Considering Pediwear sell it for 362.50 pounds ex-VAT I'd say its an amazing price.
Yes, and they never go on discount in the UK - except perhaps at the Jan sales... FWIW I picked up a pair of black rosemoors last time I was in London and I paid something like $530 Aussie when all was said and converted.

If I were you, and the shoes fit, I'd jump on them (or in them).

 

[meister]

Originally Posted by fxh

I think I mentioned here the story of my mate who (along with others) late last year was given a $1,000 voucher for a brand name watch by his company. I forget the brand.

He went to the Melbourne official approved store and had a look around.

He explained to the guy that the one he liked was $1500. Could he add some $ on to the voucher. Guy said "I'll see manager"

5 minutes later - without any haggling or even a polite request to lower price - guy comes back and says " If you give us $100 plus voucher its yours"

So they knocked $400 or so off $1500 without even being asked.

Says something about the outrageous markups on watches.

I pay about aud$4-$5 for mine at Taiwan night markets. They tell the time well.

The best story re Bangkok "copy watch" was when my mother-in-law went into Cartier years ago to get a new band for her "copy watch" and the sales rep said "that's nice...we haven't got that model in yet"!

 

[__PG__]

I've already got a nice pair of black shoes (Loake Aldwych), I don't desparetely need another. Especially as I'm about to buy a new dinner suit for a black-tie wedding in June.

I do need a good pair of brown shoes...currently I'm wearing some square-toed Windsor smiths that are on their second heel.

Speaking of black-tie shopping, I tried on the Anthony Squires suits in Myer. I tried the 104 (their 42 equivalent) and it was OK. What was bizarre was that the salesman then up-sized me to the 108 because he thought it looked better on me. I now know what a 'sack suit' feels like.

I'm tossing up between 2nd Canali tuxedos on Ebay, or a brand new Mabro tuxedo. The Mabro flat-front trousers are very nice but the jacket is a Drop 6 and while its a 'nice' fit...it doesn't really get me excited. Yes I could tailor the waist slightly (the fit across the chest and shoulders is fine) but with a Canali jacket I know its fits me very well off-the-rack.

Plus the Canali dinner suits are gong for about $200 at the moment...the Mabro tuxedo I can get for $600.

 

[Prince of Paisley]

Originally Posted by __PG__

I do need a good pair of brown shoes...currently I'm wearing some square-toed Windsor smiths that are on their second heel.

In that case you are in desperate need!

 

[Contango]

Rhodes & Beckett sale at Macquarie Place today and tomorrow.

Ties $33, shirts $49 and suits $299.

Not much there in the way of shirts, suits they seemed to have a lot in 46, 48 and 50. I've heard too many complaints about their suits to take the plunge, although I do like the odd tie of theirs.

I overheard a couple of the salesmen telling people that they would be getting more stock this afternoon.