Iron Heart is similar to….. Rolex?
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That ^^^^. That's what sets IH and Rolex worlds apart IMO.
And makes it impossible to compare. Rolex was founded 113 years ago and developed into a global brand over many generations, while IH -considering the timeframe- is only at the beginning of a hopefully sustainable future within a difficult market.
From what I've learnt so far is, that Haraki san was with Edwin for 20 years before he founded IH 15 years ago.
Time will tell… -
Rolex, Audi, Gucci, etc etc all represent aspirational 'all the gear and no idea' buy it because GQ magazine says it will make a 'statement about who you are and what you have 'achieved'. Many a brand could have replaced any of those 3 examples. I live in Essex, the home of money can't buy style, but people will die trying.
For me, Rolex and it's like represent the material aspiration that modern society in industrially developed nations use as markers for success.
Iron Heart for me is artisan. It's values appear to be based in ethical and sustainable production and responsible consumerism. If I am wrong, then H and G are even better marketers than I already thought.
The risk for producers of quality artisan products is that they become a victim of their own success. With upscaling always almost without fail comes compromise..loss of quality, outsourcing production, cheaper materials…
I can't see (and desperately hope) that IH never has to make that decision.
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As an owner of both IH and Rolex I offer my own reflection. The two, to me, are not alike but how they leave me feeling when I wear them is. I avoid intellectualising the issue as when I do I often loose touch with how I feel and for me it's all about the feeling I have when wearing IH & Rolex.
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Rolex strike me as being similar to Iron Heart in that they're well engineered, well made, and pretty tough. Furthermore, both companies aren't at the cutting edge of design, in that a modern Rolex will generally look pretty similar to what they produced in the fifties or sixties, and a lot of Iron Heart gear could have been produced anytime in since then.
The differences are that Rolex are the biggest Swiss watch manufacturer in the world, and they spend a massive amount on marketing their brand identity, along with playing supply chain games to maintain an image of exclusivity. (Go into a boutique and ask about delivery times for a Daytona, Sky-Dweller, or GMT in steel, and you've got a good chance of being told you can't order one.)
Iron Heart is a relatively small company. I think marketing is mostly word of mouth, and production is limited by the mills and factories they use.
I think that a closer comparison might be someone like Habring2, an Austrian microbrand set up by Richard Habring, who developed IWC's Doppelchronograph, an affordable split seconds chronograph.
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And come on guys. Almost 300 quid for a shirt? I know its not over 6k for a watch but average joe would definitely put that in prestige?
The sticker shock does take getting used to, but when you compare the quality of IH over other brands there’s no contest. But, like anything this is all subjective. You should see the Filson IG page. Seems like every other comment is about how the average working man can’t afford Filson’s stuff, but Filson isn’t transparent about where all their stuff is sourced and their prices are high for non-US made goods
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Filson quality has taken a nose dive in recent years. I have an old wool vest that is much thicker and better made than the vest I just returned to them. High price isn't a guarantee of quality.
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Plus iron heart wont insist on servicing your item for £500 before charging you to replace a button or a snap upgrade.
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And come on guys. Almost 300 quid for a shirt? I know its not over 6k for a watch but average joe would definitely put that in prestige?
The sticker shock does take getting used to, but when you compare the quality of IH over other brands there’s no contest. But, like anything this is all subjective. You should see the Filson IG page. Seems like every other comment is about how the average working man can’t afford Filson’s stuff, but Filson isn’t transparent about where all their stuff is sourced and their prices are high for non-US made goods
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Filson quality has taken a nose dive in recent years. I have an old wool vest that is much thicker and better made than the vest I just returned to them. High price isn't a guarantee of quality.
Was your vest a Mackinaw? I think I paid full price for one of my Filson hats, everything else I got on sale. Don’t think I’d pay full price for most of their goods. Agree that high price doesn’t guarantee quality.
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Off topic but before Filson was bought out (the first time ~2006?), their goods were never on sale. No compromise. The one dealer in the Midwest that was caught giving out 15-25% off vouchers was threatened with losing their retail rights. I have a few pieces from that era and they are at a near IH of quality and durability. I stopped buying Filson when they brought out the Lodge Line and started opening flagship stores in every hip city.
As for IH, I see them more as a Muhle Glasshutte or Sinn.
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Plus iron heart wont insist on servicing your item for £500 before charging you to replace a button or a snap upgrade.
£800 for servicing a 'Vintage' watch now… ???
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Iron Heart for me is artisan.
Filson quality has taken a nose dive in recent years. I have an old wool vest that is much thicker and better made than the vest I just returned to them. High price isn't a guarantee of quality.
Carhartt also…USED to be great.
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Iron Heart for me is artisan.
Filson quality has taken a nose dive in recent years. I have an old wool vest that is much thicker and better made than the vest I just returned to them. High price isn't a guarantee of quality.
Carhartt also…USED to be great.
Carhartt is a mixed bag. I really dislike the Carhartt WIP stuff as that's just their stuff being licensed for the European market and is more fashion driven, despite being a workwear brand. I have a Carhartt trucker cap and acrylic winter hat that I like, but I likely wouldn't buy any of their other clothing. Their duck clothing are supposed to be tough as nails though
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I have a couple pairs of Carhartt jeans and while they are pretty tough, I wouldn't say they are more tough than anything else. Also their fits are pretty terrible. I have to size up pretty much 2 sizes to get the thighs to fit. I have a Carhartt duck jacket that is pretty nice, and pretty full of holes all over.
I think Duluth Trading fire hose canvas is a lot more comfortable and tougher than Carhartt duck.
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Rolex Submariner is nice, so is the Explorer 2, Daytona and Day Date I don´t like but it´s a classic no doubt. So that´s about FOUR models that you can wear being on the safe side of style.
Whereas with Iron Heart, you can basically wear anything they put out.
Slight difference
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To first comment on the OP “Rolex is perfect.” Uhhhh what? Spend 20 minutes on The Rolex Forum. You can find 50 examples of QC issues in that time. Rolex makes 800,000 watches a year. Nothing comes out perfect 100% of the time. That also means that while some models are difficult to source in some markets clearly they are making and selling plenty which suggests that they are not particularly exclusive. As for whether or not they are expensive; compared to a $150 gshock yes, compared to a $35,000 ss Patek nope. Their designs don’t change much but they have been on the cutting edge of some great developments. Ih works in smaller volume but I’m sure a wonky stich can be found. Is IH expensive; compared to the gap yes, certainly there are pricier brands (but not that i’m familiar with).
I never thought I’d spend $8k on a watch but I did. I never thought i’d spend $300 on jeans but I did. What they have in common is that they both make me feel happy when i put them on.
Flash cars and big tvs leave me cold.
