Field Leathers

[Aloysius]

If I bought a brand new Rolex Sub from an AD, and after waiting for more than an year it came with an Aluminium bezel because it was too hand to make the ceramic one and would take longer, I think the confusion would be the same.

Haha if I had been given a brand new 4/5 digit model with the beautiful matte aluminium bezel instead of a shiny ceramic one, I’d drop to my knees in prayer…

(Not to detract from your point lol)

 

[mvilla]

Haha if I had been given a brand new 4/5 digit model with the beautiful matte aluminium bezel instead of a shiny ceramic one, I’d drop to my knees in prayer…

(Not to detract from your point lol)

Haha wouldn't we all? I don't think the new ceramic ones would look right on aluminium though

 

[Will Zach]

At that stage I talked directly to Greg (via Instagram), as he sent me the video I mentioned to discuss something else... No need to apologise, I was just being honest, I don't know how you should carry these types of transactions in this medium... If I bought a brand new Rolex Sub from an AD, and after waiting for more than an year it came with an Aluminium bezel because it was too hand to make the ceramic one and would take longer, I think the confusion would be the same. But anyway, I emailed Sam, let's see if she replies

You have a patience of a saint. Fields is lucky to have you as a client. Kudos. I really hope the jacket works out well for you and somehow you'll get those Crowns on it.

 

[Canuck Panda]

@mvilla

Just to add onto the two other issues, the front stitching along the zipper and the collar height.

About the front stitching (top vs bottom thread), this too can be remedied when the front zipper gets replaced to the Crown. The new thread transition can take place under and over the collar seam so it looks more intentional so to speak.

The rear collar height is just something that some makers decides to make their repro pattern from, but an extra break can be added so it folds back at a lower break. You'd get a bit wider collar at the side but that little extra fabric/leather bump at the back will smooth out.

While all four issues can be remedied, it does blow to have go through this experience, after forking over a large sum of money and time. After sale customer service is perhaps more important (or just as important as) making and delivering the jacket. There are so many different ways this could play out. I do hope you do get what you want at the end of these extra stops on your journey. Godspeed!

 

[Aloysius]

Haha wouldn't we all? I don't think the new ceramic ones would look right on aluminium though

The only ceramic model I really liked was the first ceramic Sea-Dweller (not the 2017 one which is basically just trying to be a Supersize Submariner), which had 5 digit case dimensions with a fully graduated ceramic bezel. I would still prefer an aluminum bezel but it looks so much better than the other new models. Tudor's all matte ceramic bezels on the Pelagos are pretty nice though.

 

[Brandrea33]

Haha if I had been given a brand new 4/5 digit model with the beautiful matte aluminium bezel instead of a shiny ceramic one, I’d drop to my knees in prayer…

(Not to detract from your point lol)

I’d be kneeling beside you brother

 

[red devil]

I emailed Sam all my thoughts now, just to come clean. That is the fair approach.
Once again, just to make it clear, I don't think either Sam nor Greg are bad people, and I wish their business success. However I wasn't satisfied and I wanted to share my opinion (isn't this the whole point of a forum: sharing experiences?) I have the feeling they weren't fully satisfied with the result either, as I asked for process pictures, and whilst they told me they'd send them, they sent me none, even before the zip thing - the first media they sent me was the video with the jacket 80% finished.
Just another detail, I sent the zips over more than a month before they started even considering working on my jacket, and I had to pay the full balance more than a month before they started working on it.

You seem to be overthinking this... As a customer you are entitled to get your order as specced initially or get a valid reason/explanation as to why you did not get it. It not complicated.

I do not know whether Sam and Greg are good or bad, but that was a rotten thing to do to such a nice customer as yourself... It is a rotten thing to do to any paying customer. From what you have shared so far, it seems you will need to be assertive to get a fair treatment. And that is a terrible way to treat a customer.

As stated earlier, I would insist for a full refund, get my zippers back and place an order with someone else. There are better makers that will treat you better. The forum members will be more than happy to assist you to get a jacket you will love.

And to be clear, insisting to get a refund and being assertive does not make you an unreasonable customer in this case.

 

[Bennarion]

But anyway, I emailed Sam, let's see if she replies

It will be interesting what she will say.

 

[Marc mndt]

Well, this is a fairly plain half belt, as you all can see.

I also thought I was buying a full custom jacket, whilst in fact most of the things I asked they "weren't happy to make" and "reserved the right to refuse". Even simple things, such as a cinch on the cuff or decorative stitching.

Entire custom jacket nonsense needs to die out. The "alterations" are miniscule and of no real consequence to the buyer, while they at the same time present a massive disruption for the maker.

People only opt for them to justify spending so much money on a jacket but it never does anything at all.

I feel like we need to put things into perspective. Greg isn't making any money on these custom projects. 0. The time and effort that goes into communicating back and forth with the customer (I've heard about customers who sent hundreds of emails!), adjusting the patterns, doing all kinds of decorative stitching, it's ridiculous really.

This full custom idea is not a viable business model unless he'd at least double the price. And even then it makes more sense to produce a MTO jacket instead of a full custom one because he can probably make three MTO jackets in the same time that it takes him to do one custom project.

Your jacket is not a fairly plain halfbelt. French seams everywhere, total custom back design, stitching on the backside of the collar, a unibody collar, custom cuffs. How is that a 'fairly plain halfbelt'?

I understand there are decisions that are up to the artisan in this type of job, however using "time" as an excuse is just poor form, the jacket is already at least 6 months late, and I waited patiently.

Time is not an excuse, time matters. Time is money. Doing even more custom stuff means putting in even more time without making any extra money.

To be clear: I'm not saying the zippers are extra's in this case. They were agreed upon and the agreement should have been honered.

With both of my custom projects there were requests that Greg could not or decided not to honor: wider upper sleeves, deeper armholes, different collar / lapel shape. Also, some of the panels have blemishes and there was a minor construction flaw. Both projects took way too long to get finished, much longer than quoted. But instead of focusing on what I didn't get I focused on what I did get: great looking and fitting jackets.

I think your jacket looks absolutely amazing. There's nothing wrong with the way the collar and cuffs are finished. Not using the Crown zippers is an issue though because they were agreed upon. But personally I wouldn't give Greg too much of a hard time about it.

 

[red devil]

I feel like we need to put things into perspective. Greg isn't making any money on these custom projects. 0. The time and effort that goes into communicating back and forth with the customer (I've heard about customers who sent hundreds of emails!), adjusting the patterns, doing all kinds of decorative stitching, it's ridiculous really.

Customers sending hundreds of emails are a problem indeed. I would hope they are uncommon or rare. All makers have had to deal with this one way or another I’d guess. We have seen some examples in the past.

This full custom idea is not a viable business model unless he'd at least double the price. And even then it makes more sense to produce a MTO jacket instead of a full custom one because he can probably make three MTO jackets in the same time that it takes him to do one custom project.

Other makers are offering full customs for less than double of what he charges or even within what he charges. The problem lies most likely in his skill set and knowledge. I have ordered a jacket from him in the early days, and he was not able to get me a decent fit.

Making customs seems to be beyond his capabilities, so he should not have offered this option for as long as he did. It was likely a good strategy to get started, but as you say not viable for him as a maker medium and long term.

With both of my custom projects there were requests that Greg could not or decided not to honor: wider upper sleeves, deeper armholes, different collar / lapel shape. Also, some of the panels have blemishes and there was a minor construction flaw. Both projects took way too long to get finished, much longer than quoted. But instead of focusing on what I didn't get I focused on what I did get: great looking and fitting jackets.

You achieved such great results because you put in serious time and effort and compensated for his gaps... something that very few members of this forum could do. I certainly could not do what you have done it. Actually, I was not able to indeed as mentioned above.

I think your jacket looks absolutely amazing. There's nothing wrong with the way the collar and cuffs are finished. Not using the Crown zippers is an issue though because they were agreed upon. But personally I wouldn't give Greg too much of a hard time about it.

On this one I would personally ask for a full refund and go with another maker. He could not care enough about making the jacket, did not install the zippers as agreed (never had any maker refuse or fail such a request), presented the OP with the fait accompli and an unprofessional attitude to say the least.

 

[Marc mndt]

Other makers are offering full customs for less than double of what he charges or even within what he charges. The problem lies most likely in his skill set and knowledge.

Making customs seems to be beyond his capabilities, so he should not have offered this option for as long as he did. It was likely a good strategy to get started, but as you say not viable for him as a maker medium and long term.

You're right, Johnson Leathers does it for less than double and they seem to nail it each and every time.

Greg is above all a great machinist. He's not a good pattern maker nor a good designer. Having to do pattern and design work takes him a lot of time and even then the results are not always great.

I sometimes got the feeling that he's blind for certain design details. I wanted rounded corners on the coin pocket with the sides curving inwards. What I got was a square coin pocket.

I told him I didn't want square shoulders but he had no idea what I was talking about. Eventually he had his patterns overhauled because his customers didn't like the square shoulders.

Instruction

What I got

The remake

Luckily I was able to reshape the coin pocket so that it actually looks like a leathertogs.

 

[cbez]

People just push way more than is reasonable on custom stuff. But at the end of the day its on the business to say no I'm not doing that or sure but it's $200 extra.

The original owner of my rainbow country paid 20000 yen for shorter sleeves.

 

[MrProper]

Found on Reddit.
That won't improve the waiting times

 

[Cheech]

That won't improve the waiting times

Speaking of which, Greg told me in mid-February that he'd start on my jacket toward the end of April. I haven't heard a thing since, including nary a reply to an email inquiry sent at the beginning of June. Given that it'll be quite hot where I am through September, I'm in no hurry to receive it, nor do I want him to rush my jacket, but I find it disconcerting that he's now 2 months beyond what had been a 6-week projection. Now we're in Gustin territory.

I wonder where others are whose numbers are almost up in the queue.

 

[JMax]

View attachment 623153 View attachment 623155 Found on Reddit.
That won't improve the waiting times

Pockets look different.

 

[MrProper]

Pockets look different.

Intentionally? Prototype for comparison? Not paying attention? I think we'll find out sooner or later.

 

[Marc mndt]

Pockets look different.

Maybe it's a prototype and he's trying out different pocket designs. I prefer the one with the more pronounced yoke.

 

[JMax]

Maybe it's a prototype and he's trying out different pocket designs. I prefer the one with the more pronounced yoke.

View attachment 623209 View attachment 623210 View attachment 623211 View attachment 623212 View attachment 623213

You are right. He couldn’t let this be a final design.

I like the simpler one. The nipply one draws my eye too much.

 

[MickeyPunch]

Speaking of which, Greg told me in mid-February that he'd start on my jacket toward the end of April. I haven't heard a thing since, including nary a reply to an email inquiry sent at the beginning of June. Given that it'll be quite hot where I am through September, I'm in no hurry to receive it, nor do I want him to rush my jacket, but I find it disconcerting that he's now 2 months beyond what had been a 6-week projection. Now we're in Gustin territory.

I wonder where others are whose numbers are almost up in the queue.

FWIW I placed an order for an Aero on the 25th of Feb and it was shipped just today, so that’s 4 months, and I was quoted 8 weeks.

 

[Marc mndt]

FWIW I placed an order for an Aero on the 25th of Feb and it was shipped just today, so that’s 4 months, and I was quoted 8 weeks.

You're comparing a one man operation to a company with fifteen or so employees?