Commit TV Yagi Column ~Watches and Leather Shoes~ [Comparing a luxury watch manufacturer to a luxury leather shoe manufacturer] Part 1

Hello everyone!

This time, I'm going to do a project about leather shoes, which I've always wanted to do.

I have mentioned before that I love leather shoes, and this time I have created something that will pique your interest in both luxury watches and leather shoes, based on the theme of "comparing luxury watch manufacturers to luxury leather shoe manufacturers."

In Part 1, I would like to compare the world's three biggest watch brands with luxury leather shoe manufacturers .

This is purely my personal opinion, so I hope you will take it with a sympathetic eye.

PATEK PHILIPPE

The first brand we will introduce is Patek Philippe, which reigns supreme in the world of watches. It is not uncommon for winning bids of over a billion yen at auctions around the world, and it is one step ahead of the "world's three biggest watch brands."

Patek Philippe was founded in 1839 by Antoni Patek and František Čapek. Until around 1850, they only produced custom-made watches, and made watches related to Polish history and culture.

Patek Philippe currently has many popular models, but the company's signature model is the Nautilus. This one needs no explanation (lol). It's that famous in the watch world.

In addition, when it comes to Patek Philippe, they proclaim that they can repair any watch, no matter how old it is, and have established a brand image of a watch that lasts a lifetime .
It is filled with a strong desire for this great tradition to be carried on not only for the current generation, but for their children and grandchildren too.

If we were to compare Patek Philippe to a luxury shoe manufacturer,

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JOHN LOBB

JOHN LOBB is known as the "King of Shoes" in the leather shoe industry.

This prestigious leather shoe manufacturer was founded in 1866 on Regent Street in London by shoemaker John Lobb. Originally a manufacturer of high-end bespoke shoes, the company received orders for shoes from the wealthy and politicians due to its high level of technical skill.

In 1902, the company opened a boutique in Paris and things seemed to be going well, but the company gradually ran into financial difficulties with bespoke shoes alone, and it came to a crisis that threatened to take its business out of Paris.

This is where the well-known Hermes comes in. Hermes acquires the Paris boutique of JOHN LOBB . All stores except the London store are now under the umbrella of the Hermes group, and the two are separated into John Lobb Paris and John Lobb London.

By the way, the company that sells ready-to-wear shoes today that you may have seen is John Lobb Paris. They have produced many masterpieces such as the now famous "William", "Lopez" and "Philip".

JOHN LOBB, which has a history of over 150 years, states on its official website:

The true value lies in shoes that you can wear for a lifetime.

John Lobb shoes are timeless companions, walking alongside you on your journey through life.

JOHN LOBB Official Website

I feel that they have the same identity as Patek Philippe , which has established the brand image of "a lifetime product". The fact that both companies were originally made to order is also a strong link. I think that the two companies, the top of the watch industry and the top of the leather shoe industry, are a perfect combination.

AUDEMARS PIGUET

Next up is Audemars Piguet .

Founded in 1875 by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edouard-Auguste Piguet as a movement manufacturing company, it is known as the only brand that has never been run by the founding family, and is a prestigious watch brand that continues to carry on its traditions to this day.

Later, the company began producing its own brand of watches with complex mechanisms such as tourbillons and moon phases, and its recognition gradually spread. Now, when you say Audemars Piguet , the name "Royal Oak" is synonymous with it, and it has become one of the "three major watch brands in the world ," attracting attention.

By the way, the Royal Oak has a very distinctive appearance with its octagonal bezel and case, and is also famous for being designed by Gerald Genta, known as the Picasso of the watch world.

For more information about Royal Oak, please see here.

If we were to compare Audemars Piguet to a "luxury leather shoe manufacturer"

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EDWARD GREEN

EDWARD GREEN has proven its popularity, technology, and high quality to rival the aforementioned JOHN LOBB . It is highly regarded among British leather shoe manufacturers.

EDWARD GREEN was founded in Northampton, the home of shoes, in 1890. Since its founding, the company has specialized in producing high-quality men's shoes and has earned a reputation for making the most legendary shoes , as it embodies the highest standards of leather shoemaking.

However, Edward Green also ran into financial difficulties, just like John Lobb . (Around 1970)

The man who saved the company from this predicament was the late Italian shoe designer John Fulstick. It is well known that in 1983, he bought Edward Green for the company's debt plus one pound.

After that, EDWARD GREEN made a comeback and became a leading luxury leather shoe manufacturer , focusing on signature models such as "Chelsea" and "Dover".

EDWARD GREEN has been around for 130 years.

"We strive for the highest quality possible"

EDWARD GREEN Official Website

This unwavering belief continues to resonate with people who seek the ultimate.

EDWARD GREEN, which does not belong to any group, is committed to quality and continues to carry on traditions, and I think it is a manufacturer that truly reminds one of Audemars Piguet .

VACHERON CONSTANTIN

The last one we will introduce is Vacheron Constantin , the world's oldest existing watch brand. It was founded in 1755 by Jean-Marc Vacheron, but the history of Vacheron Constantin as it is today began in 1819 with Jacques-Barthélémi Vacheron, the grandson of Jean-Marc Vacheron, and François Constantin, who was skilled in business management.

In particular, the Overseas, the company's representative model with its exceptionally modern brilliance, has been attracting more and more attention every year, and the increase in market price is surprising, even among the collection of masterpieces. I think this is a brand that will continue to attract attention in the future.

※Click here for the Overseas ranking video⇩⇩⇩

If we were to compare Vacheron Constantin to a luxury shoe manufacturer,

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JM WESTON

The last choice is JM WESTON, a long-established French luxury leather shoe manufacturer that produces masterpieces that are highly regarded around the world.

To be honest, I was a little hesitant about this (lol). The world's oldest manufacturer of luxury leather shoes is Germany's Edward Meyer, and given the correlation with the history of Vacheron Constantin , this was also an option for me.

However, when I think of its popularity today and its modern construction, I think JM WESTON is the most suitable. ⇐ This is just my opinion (lol)

Edouard Blanchard opened a workshop in 1891, and when he opened a store in Paris in 1922, he adopted the brand name JM WESTON . This led to the creation of the timeless masterpiece "180 Loafer." It is a loafer so famous that in 1966, "everyone in France was wearing Weston moccasins."

JM WESTON has also produced many other models that are essential to modern style, such as "Golf" and "Hunt Derby."

French Style
"What I call style is the way you aim, shoot quickly and sharply." - JEAN COCTEAU

Although the name sounds British, JM Weston evokes French elegance.

JM WESTON Official Website

One of the reasons we chose JM WESTON was that it embodies French elegance and has a similar image to Vacheron Constantin 's elegance.

summary

What did you think.

We started talking about leather shoes and things got a little heated (laughs).

Thank you for watching this content.

"Watch lovers become leather shoe lovers"

"Leather shoe lovers become watch lovers"

I would be very happy if this could happen.

This is only Part 1 of the series, so please enjoy watching the next installment.

see you!