Luxury Watches: Brand Name vs. Quality Discussion

patrick_y · 2026-01-30T20:58:50Z

Explore the debate: Do you buy quality or brand name? Patrick_y dissects luxury perceptions, craftsmanship, and market realities in watches and leather goods.

patrick_y

WPS member · Independents forum

36 replies6873 views4 photos

Patrick_y challenges the conventional wisdom of luxury consumption, urging collectors to look beyond brand prestige and scrutinize the true craftsmanship of products. His detailed analysis of leather goods, drawing parallels to horology, prompts a crucial discussion on whether we truly understand the quality we pay for or if we're swayed by marketing and reputation. This article, born from his extensive research, provides a framework for discerning genuine artisan quality from mass-produced luxury.

Let's face it. Some of us get excited simply because there's a Patek Philippe logo on a wallet. Not realizing those wallets are made by an external corporate gifts supplier who hired a contract manufacturer in Florence, Italy to make the wallets.

An emperor blindly trusts two conmen tailors to make his clothes. The tailors charge an exorbitant amount but really dress the emperor in no clothes at all. Claiming that only the "truly worthy" can see the magnificent clothes. Eventually, an innocent child blurts out the Emperor is naked. This is the story by Hans Christian Anderson that we all heard as a child - yet - many of us seem to make that mistake in adult-hood. We buy brands because we implicitly trust them, they're well marketed and reputable brands, and because others have endorsed the product (all while claiming we are immune to typical marketing). But we don't really understand quality ourselves - we place a blind trust into the system.

Over the past ten years, I have been interviewing leatherwood's craftsmen. Not entirely content with the products from the big Maisons (a la Hermes, Vuitton, etc.), which had mediocre corners, fraying edge paint, and other small imperfections. I wanted to see an artisan product. What is the Philippe Dufour equivalent in the handbag world? I believe I've found that equivalent and will be writing an article about him soon.

I searched in Europe, USA, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and more. And I interviewed almost ten leathergoods craftsmen and ordered dozens of products. I also learned that many of the products sold by Montblanc, Dunhill, Vuitton, etc. are made by contract manufacturers in Spain and Italy, much like how Apple contracts Foxconn to make their iPhones.

Here's a strap comparison. One strap is from an artisan-level producer. The other is from a huge brand that actually makes this strap in-house (not contracted out). Which one is of ordinary quality? And which one is of exceptional quality?

The area where the hardware attaches to the leather strap is an area which can wear out if the strap is used for years. Thus, it should be made with a second flap as shown in the crocodile example in the photo above. This second flap can be unstitched from the rest of the strap, when it is worn out. The flap can then be replaced. And the strap would have a second life. But the lower calfskin strap would have to be cut and re-stitched. Which would effectively shorten the strap.

The calfskin example stitching looks to be machine stitched, whereas the crocodile strap is ”cous main" or stitched by hand. Again, notice the edge paint is not even on the calfskin example.

Notice the edge paint is uneven on the calfskin example. The edge paint layer is also thin, flat, and clearly shows the demarcation line. On the crocodile example; the edge paint is domed, more even, and is of a thicker layer. The artisan strap has four layers of edge paint and the leather substrate is sanded with sandpaper to create a perfect smooth dome. Four layers of slow-drying edge paint is used. This allows the edge paint to stay flexible and not crack.

The calfskin example is really ordinary quality in my eyes, as you can see more uneven edge paint in this example. Yet, millions of women chase the Hermes Kelly bag because it’s what the celebrities wear; presuming that it's of the highest quality because the brand is one of the most expensive on the market. The crocodile strap, which is obviously of higher quality, is made by an artisan in Europe; where I will write an article about in the coming weeks!

Thank you for reading!

Key Points from the Discussion

Many well-known upscale brands across various industries, including clothing, utilize the same contract manufacturers, with quality variations often determined by material specifications (e.g., thread count) rather than distinct manufacturing processes per brand.
For products where one lacks expertise, relying on a brand name can offer a baseline level of quality assurance, though the premium paid for that confidence versus a lesser-known product remains a personal value judgment.
Montblanc's core writing instruments, particularly the 146 and 149 pens, offer significant value due to their larger feed and nib sizes, which contribute to a 'bouncier' and more flexible writing experience compared to smaller, often more decorative, models.
Porsche 911 and Boxster/Cayman models notably employ MacPherson strut suspension, a single-wishbone design, which can result in reduced tire contact patches in off-camber corners compared to the double-wishbone systems found in most other high-performance luxury sports cars.
A significant portion of consumers prioritize brand association and perceived status over a deep understanding of product substance or technical specifications, a phenomenon observed across diverse categories like cars, watches, and leather goods.
While Montblanc writing instruments are generally regarded as high quality, their leather goods often present a less favorable price-to-quality ratio, with some reports suggesting manufacturing by less qualified workers.

The Discussion

Jan 30, 2026

I think there’s a lot of money to be made in lunching downstream brands with lower quality. Still good, just more value focused.

Thomas_3

Jan 30, 2026

endorser try to tell me what to buy. Personally I look for quality, in any product over the brand name attached to it. I have said it before on the forum, name brands and high prices do not always indicate high quality. Look closely at what you are purchasing and choose carefully.

Besançon

Jan 30, 2026

Eventually we started a friendly conversation and I learned he owned some duty-free stores worldwide and was traveling to China to meet with the head of a large manufacturer of clothing. To cut it short, he explained how these people would make shirts for a significant number of brands. He recited at least fifteen very well known upscale brands sold in the US and other parts of the world. They would manufacture brand’s X shirts as well as brand’s Y, K, etc. Or if you had a brand of your own they

KCLQMULKU

Jan 30, 2026

But, certain names do associate with a history and assurance of quality. In Italy there are so many independent leather establishments with no particular name and which I would always choose over many standard high street luxury brands.

Arronax

Jan 31, 2026

In my experience very few people are interested in substance and understanding the product that they buy. For example I'm always surprised at the amount of people who have no clue what kind of engine is in their cars, the same can be said about watches or leather products. I definitely don't look down on people regardless of how they approach a purchase and over the years I have learned to limit sharing my journey with only close friends and even within my family not all members could relate. Wh

riverside / Henry

Jan 31, 2026

a brand name gives the confidence that the product would be at a certain level of quality. Whether the premium you pay for the brand over the no name product is worth the extra confidence (or quality) is another matter. I for one have to rely on the brand name for products that I have little knowledge, yet would choose quality over brand for products of which I have more knowledge.

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