Jacques Marie Mage - Wolves, Obnoxious Acetate and The American Dream

[qubed]

However, duty will be exempted for e-commerce purchases that are under USD 2500 (approximately MYR 11625).

I don't know why it says that, because you'll likely be charged duty for anything over $800, which is the current de minimis threshold. There is a informal/formal import delineation at $2500, but that shouldn't effect the actual dollar amount you pay.

A formal import over $2500 is a bit of a pain, since you have to do a bunch of paper work, and may have to give your SSN.

Note that you're still supposed to pay your state's use tax regardless of whether you're paying import duties or not.

 

[DorianGreen]

Are there any problems for a feller in the USA ordering from mondello? Is there a problem with customs or shipping or anything I should be weary of? 20% is tough to pass up. Looking to order tonight. Need STAT responses. PATYIA (please and thank you in advance).

Welcome back. Glad that you revised your decision.

To respond your question, I'm in the reverse situation, being based in Europe, and honestly I don't know how these customs taxes are applied, whether they are or not. When I bought from the USA I mostly was charged, but with my latest purchases at JMM I wasn't. It could be a question of luck, as Facultyofzen says. If you are sure you want a frame and will keep it, I would take the risk, because 20% is tough to pass up, as you said.

 

[Easily Amused]

Chiming in on @obecity 's question and reinforcing the responses, as someone who has ordered several JMMs from overseas sellers - under $800, you're fine as far as NOT paying extra duties on eyewear. HOWEVER, there is a good chance there will be a slight slowdown at customs in New York as this is a piece of eyewear, which gets lumped into a medical-related goods classification. You'll likely receive a notice to provide additional information so it clears; Mondello should also receive this, and should take care of the customs matter on its own end. But to make the process faster, once you receive the notice from DHL (I'm guessing Mondello will use DHL), email those messages and links to Mondello. As Mondello already ships internationally, it should be familiar with this.

This has happened with me for a few overseas sellers (including Seen Opticians in the UK and i visionari in Italy), and no problems. It's an extra one or two days added on to the overall shipping and delivery, but in my experience and given the discount, the final price is well worth the extra emails and the wait.

Regarding @Facultyofzen 's input on jewelry, excellent points on individual artists' craftwork vs. JMM's interpretations / reimaginings / conglomerations. I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but can appreciate this perspective, as I used to take jewelry-making classes and created a few pieces for myself. (Ah, the wild things we men do before we get married and start families...) My personal take-away on the inspiration for the JMM jewelry is that they involve a few sources, of which Native American culture is the lynchpin for the designs, but with enough adjustment (artistic license??) to make these its own. But yeah, the JMM prices are difficult to justify overall!

Thanks for posting the Native American artists that you know, I'll look into their works!

Anyway, regarding the JMM ring I just purchased - I'm returning it for a simple reason - it's a tad too big. I used a free ring sizer from Blue Nile to check my size before I purchased - it turns out a plastic size 11 and a silver size 11 have very different feels on the fingers in real life. If I can get a size down, I'll go for it, otherwise that money goes back into the fund.

 

[lsterling]

Chiming in on @obecity 's question and reinforcing the responses, as someone who has ordered several JMMs from overseas sellers - under $800, you're fine as far as NOT paying extra duties on eyewear. HOWEVER, there is a good chance there will be a slight slowdown at customs in New York as this is a piece of eyewear, which gets lumped into a medical-related goods classification. You'll likely receive a notice to provide additional information so it clears; Mondello should also receive this, and should take care of the customs matter on its own end. But to make the process faster, once you receive the notice from DHL (I'm guessing Mondello will use DHL), email those messages and links to Mondello. As Mondello already ships internationally, it should be familiar with this.

This has happened with me for a few overseas sellers (including Seen Opticians in the UK and i visionari in Italy), and no problems. It's an extra one or two days added on to the overall shipping and delivery, but in my experience and given the discount, the final price is well worth the extra emails and the wait.

Regarding @Facultyofzen 's input on jewelry, excellent points on individual artists' craftwork vs. JMM's interpretations / reimaginings / conglomerations. I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but can appreciate this perspective, as I used to take jewelry-making classes and created a few pieces for myself. (Ah, the wild things we men do before we get married and start families...) My personal take-away on the inspiration for the JMM jewelry is that they involve a few sources, of which Native American culture is the lynchpin for the designs, but with enough adjustment (artistic license??) to make these its own. But yeah, the JMM prices are difficult to justify overall!

Thanks for posting the Native American artists that you know, I'll look into their works!

Anyway, regarding the JMM ring I just purchased - I'm returning it for a simple reason - it's a tad too big. I used a free ring sizer from Blue Nile to check my size before I purchased - it turns out a plastic size 11 and a silver size 11 have very different feels on the fingers in real life. If I can get a size down, I'll go for it, otherwise that money goes back into the fund.

I'm actually surprised you ended up with a ring that was too large rather than too small. I feel like, typically, a plastic sizer will under-size your finger since the thin plastic band doesn't really account for how thick the actual ring band will be. For instance, you may be a 10 in thin bands, but with a thick band (thinking of some Native jewelry that would be quite a bit thicker than the JMM ring you had), you might be closer to an 11-12. My guess is that the JMM ring was not a true 11 - if you have access to a mandrel or a friendly jeweler, I'd be interested to know how it measures.

 

[lsterling]

Chiming in on @obecity 's question and reinforcing the responses, as someone who has ordered several JMMs from overseas sellers - under $800, you're fine as far as NOT paying extra duties on eyewear. HOWEVER, there is a good chance there will be a slight slowdown at customs in New York as this is a piece of eyewear, which gets lumped into a medical-related goods classification. You'll likely receive a notice to provide additional information so it clears; Mondello should also receive this, and should take care of the customs matter on its own end. But to make the process faster, once you receive the notice from DHL (I'm guessing Mondello will use DHL), email those messages and links to Mondello. As Mondello already ships internationally, it should be familiar with this.

This has happened with me for a few overseas sellers (including Seen Opticians in the UK and i visionari in Italy), and no problems. It's an extra one or two days added on to the overall shipping and delivery, but in my experience and given the discount, the final price is well worth the extra emails and the wait.

Regarding @Facultyofzen 's input on jewelry, excellent points on individual artists' craftwork vs. JMM's interpretations / reimaginings / conglomerations. I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but can appreciate this perspective, as I used to take jewelry-making classes and created a few pieces for myself. (Ah, the wild things we men do before we get married and start families...) My personal take-away on the inspiration for the JMM jewelry is that they involve a few sources, of which Native American culture is the lynchpin for the designs, but with enough adjustment (artistic license??) to make these its own. But yeah, the JMM prices are difficult to justify overall!

Thanks for posting the Native American artists that you know, I'll look into their works!

Anyway, regarding the JMM ring I just purchased - I'm returning it for a simple reason - it's a tad too big. I used a free ring sizer from Blue Nile to check my size before I purchased - it turns out a plastic size 11 and a silver size 11 have very different feels on the fingers in real life. If I can get a size down, I'll go for it, otherwise that money goes back into the fund.

Also, to add a couple of Native artists that I think are worth looking at - Fernando Benally, Veronica Benally (Fernando's aunt - several members of the Benally family are highly-regarded silversmiths and jewelers), and Rick Tolino all make some really beautiful and unique stuff. Fernando's Mountain rings and Medicine Mask series are particularly nice to my eye.

 

[teddieriley]

Really cool. I've thought all the LF jewelry looked great but just can't justify the price tag.

Same. Digging their turquoise bracelet, but $2600 for silver? You can buy these Native American bracelets in the southwest or online for one or two hundred bucks. I get this is a luxury brand, and exact same can be said about their eyewear, but still.

 

[teddieriley]

Let the bidding war for my pair commence 😈

I have them too but look to sexy in them to sell. 😅

 

[Easily Amused]

Also, to add a couple of Native artists that I think are worth looking at - Fernando Benally, Veronica Benally (Fernando's aunt - several members of the Benally family are highly-regarded silversmiths and jewelers), and Rick Tolino all make some really beautiful and unique stuff. Fernando's Mountain rings and Medicine Mask series are particularly nice to my eye.

Thanks for these artist suggestions, I'll check them out too!

 

[Mr. Six]

Add Ronnie Henry to the list of artists.

 

[Badger716]

If anyone sees a Torino in Taupe out in the wild please do let me know, I’d be indebted to you!

 

[JessBob]

If anyone sees a Torino in Taupe out in the wild please do let me know, I’d be indebted to you!

Sun or optical? I just saw an optical

 

[Badger716]

Sun or optical? I just saw an optical

Will be putting in custom lenses anyways so opticals should work

Thanks for catching em 🫡

Update: Looks like that store sold it to someone else. If anyone sees one in the wild please do let me know. Thanks

 

[Althis]

Went down to the Venice store for some prescription sunglasses and my first JMM frames. I was pretty set on the Zephirin 47 but not on the color and was leaning towards Havana but they had one pair of Whiskey left that grew on me. I wound up getting the Whiskey frames with Turqoise tint lenses. The prescription and tint charges were very reasonable and I was unaware that if you buy frames and lenses together in California then there is no sales tax on either so that was a nice surprise.

 

[lsterling]

Went down to the Venice store for some prescription sunglasses and my first JMM frames. I was pretty set on the Zephirin 47 but not on the color and was leaning towards Havana but they had one pair of Whiskey left that grew on me. I wound up getting the Whiskey frames with Turqoise tint lenses. The prescription and tint charges were very reasonable and I was unaware that if you buy frames and lenses together in California then there is no sales tax on either so that was a nice surprise.

Congrats and welcome to the sickness I mean club.

 

[mbf123]

New colorway called Goldstone up on the site for 4 frames. Looks nice but priced at $950 instead of the $820 they just raised prices to - an extra 16%! No new packaging or special cases like with the Yellowstone / Last Frontier / Kubrick etc, just $130 more for a special color. I would understand but they just released the Vesper colorway last week in 4 frames - all at the same existing price (that they just raised 10% from $750 to $820).

It feels like the $950 is there to anchor their next price hikes so when it comes around we're used to seeing it (and start to think that $820 is a good deal)!