** Quintessential Crockett & Jones Thread ** (reviews, quality, etc...)

[Markintosh]

For you men who have completed an individual MTO, does the shoe/ boot automatically become handgrade? I ask because I was quoted an upcharge of $550usd from New York store on a remake of a discountinued Chelsea 5 boot (black milled calf) that sells for $700usd. I also received no response from the UK regarding my inquiry and I emailed the main office, Canary Wharf and the 77 Jermyn Street store.

Also, you can specify whether you want calf or hand grade - we had this discussion a few weeks ago - going to hand grade route ads about $150 to the MTO price if I remember correctly. This is a picture of a pair of Boston loafers in hand grade mahogany with vibram soles - I ordered through the 92 Jermyn store - when they landed in California I think my final out the door price was $1075 - the loafers that I bought that were just country grain landed for about $900.

Here’s a picture of the hand grade loafers:

 

[Mashir]

Also, you can specify whether you want calf or hand grade - we had this discussion a few weeks ago - going to hand grade route ads about $150 to the MTO price if I remember correctly. This is a picture of a pair of Boston loafers in hand grade mahogany with vibram soles - I ordered through the 92 Jermyn store - when they landed in California I think my final out the door price was $1075 - the loafers that I bought that were just country grain landed for about $900.

Here’s a picture of the hand grade loafers:
View attachment 2311861
View attachment 2311863

Those look great, with denim especially!

 

[jazznpool]

I would order from 92 Jermyn store - I’ve done 7 MTO’s with them over the last 2 years - you can ask for Thomas he’s fantastic. I live in California, and I have saved money by going directly with them versus ordering through New York, which always seems to be more expensive.

I email them at:
[email protected]

Thank you. After seeing he was a good resource, I sent Thomas a message last week and have heard nothing back. I could follow up with another email.

 

[Satmoche]

Thanks Satmoche,

may I ask what you paid for the MTO shoes? I guess it is much more expensive than the MTO programs offered by Carmina or TLB Mallorca.

What are the differences in the upper leathers for the benchgrade and handgrade MTO program? Do they really use the top-tier leather only for the handgrade collection & MTO shoes?

Best regards

Pascal

I paid, more or less, £750 and that was, again, without the shoe trees. That was the price, two years ago for bench grade.
If you go hand grade MtO, you may reach close to £1,000. I would look at Edward Green at that price as it is not too far and you enter another world of quality, in my opinion.

Hand grade is all explained here. They "use finer calf leathers, asymmetric lasts, oak bark tanned soles and have a channeled sole. The handgrades, the brown and tan ones at least, are also antiqued" and there "is the use of a "channelled sole" (hidden stitching) as opposed to one that is "stitched aloft" (visible stitching)." from a post from 2004.
I noticed that the leather is finer on the sole pair of hand grade that I have, it is also quicker to apply a mirror shine. Many people actually put them on par with what you find at Edward Green in terms of leather quality.

 

[Pascal1980]

Thanks for the details about the MTO program,

so far I am happy with the benchgrade models on the 360 and 348 lasts, as they fit me very well, and the handgrade models on the 373 lasts.

Unfortunately they have only one pair of lightbrown/tan oxfords on the roundisch 379 last. C&J them to focus more on casual models with a large range of loafers, country derbies and boots.

Best regards

Pascal

 

[Pascal1980]

FYI: My wife had an MTO 2 years ago, Molly boot in Chocolate Hurricane Hide. Retail price for the standard (Black Calf) was about 675 €, the MTO was prized about 840 € plus German VAT/customs fee (about 215 € then). Main reason for the price increase are the consequences of Brexit and that MTO other than the stock items you can buy online at C&J do not apply to the DTP programme.

Thanks Ulrich,

what is the DTP programme? If I would order an MTO shoe, I would also do it directly in London at their 92 Jermyn Street store and pick up there as well, because for business purposes I travel to London more often this year.

A burgundy-calf balmoral boot with polo suede and a medallion on the toe would be my choice for an MTO boot on the 360 or 373 last.

Best regards

Pascal

 

[Daimler1989]

Thanks Ulrich,

what is the DTP programme? If I would order an MTO shoe, I would also do it directly in London at their 92 Jermyn Street store and pick up there as well, because for business purposes I travel to London more often this year.

A burgundy-calf balmoral boot with polo suede and a medallion on the toe would be my choice for an MTO boot on the 360 or 373 last.

Best regards

Pascal

DTP means Duty Tax Paid, you order online and pay the shown price including shipping fee and the shoes are deliverd to you without any additonal cost or customs hassle. If you pick up an MTO in London, you would have to do all the customs formalities and pay the fees when travelling back with the shoes (if you take the regulations seriously).

 

[Satmoche]

Thanks for the details about the MTO program,

so far I am happy with the benchgrade models on the 360 and 348 lasts, as they fit me very well, and the handgrade models on the 373 lasts.

Unfortunately they have only one pair of lightbrown/tan oxfords on the roundisch 379 last. C&J them to focus more on casual models with a large range of loafers, country derbies and boots.

Best regards

Pascal

When you go MtO, you can also access any bench grade skin and add it on any last, thus you could have:
- last 348 on a Chiltern style with a snuff suede
I would advise going to one of their shops to access their swatches.