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The Luxury Strategy

sparechange

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2016 Mercedes Benz C-Class AMG C 63 S RWD NE Calgary AB 24016857

Here is the exact car I was in a couple weeks ago.

Found it *extremely uncomfortable* and the interior is low quality garbage.

I preferred the Avalon or Camry for a fraction of the price. Would the Mercedes be more fun to drive with 500+hp? Absolutely, but for day to day driving combined with the reliability a little Toyota is a better car overall.

German cars are extremely notorious for breaking down constantly. You think for 6 digits you'll have a bullet proof car but thats not the case.
 
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MTEE1985

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This is sarcasm right?

Haha 100% yes. Addressing the misconception that luxury cars are all badge and no substance. Not saying literally a 7 series but if BMW were to take the 7, change a few things and slap on the spirit of ecstasy and call it a RR.
 

ChrisR

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Haha 100% yes. Addressing the misconception that luxury cars are all badge and no substance. Not saying literally a 7 series but if BMW were to take the 7, change a few things and slap on the spirit of ecstasy and call it a RR.

Haha. Okay, I wasn't sure because that's exactly what BMW did.
 

rpeck90

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If anyone is interested, you might also wish to look up about Taschen.

This is a book company, but - interestingly - they produced some of the most expensive books ever created. Their most expensive piece (I believe) was the huge $20,000 biography of Muhammed Ali (GOAT):

goat_su_image017_02602_1512141106_id_1021454.jpg


This thing was so "great" a product that it was given to president Obama as a gift.

The big point about them - and this in particular - is that most of the buyers of this book are likely not buying it to honour Ali (who was obviously great)... it's more a "reminder" to themselves about their own work ethic, ideals and motivation.

You tend to see this a lot from the luxury / premium sector (more-so luxury) -- people tend to buy a "better version of themselves", and their "investment" into the underlying product is essentially an investment into their own psyche etc.

--
From Wikipedia:
In 1999, Taschen expanded to the luxury market with the Helmut Newton SUMO.

Signed and limited to 10,000 copies, the folio-sized publication quickly sold out and later became the most expensive book published in the 20th century, with SUMO copy number 1 selling at auction for $304,000.

This book paved the way for Taschen’s GOAT – Greatest Of All Time, an homage to Muhammad Ali, which Der Spiegel called “the biggest, heaviest, most radiant thing ever printed in the history of civilization.”

Further Collector’s Editions followed, including titles with Nobuyoshi Araki, Peter Beard, David LaChapelle, Sebastião Salgado, Annie Leibovitz and the Rolling Stones, often reaching ten times their original price within a few years

Highlights my own.

I think it demonstrates a point many have raised already - "luxury" isn't skin-deep.

It mostly takes the form of some "breakthrough" the company made either in the development or delivery of their service (as mentioned in my previous post - it's often the case that prem/lux companies got "deep" into an ideal and worked out a bunch of new techniques to provide as effective an offer as possible).

I discovered the company after looking at their Michelangelo book:


What's interesting is whilst they don't actually fill any ergonomic need in the marketplace (their collector's edition books are far too big to be of any practical use), they do one VERY important thing...


They're actually what are known as "coffee table books".

I didn't know about these until I discovered Taschen - they're used by many leading brands to portray the style/ambiance of their underlying culture. Coffee table books are not "books" for the masses; they're a curation of art - typically telling a visual story of someone, or something, that many would consider extraordinary.

Now... think about this. These books are not meant to be something you sit down and actually read. They're meant as inspiration. If you were "selling" these, you would not sell that because it's not really what people are buying. The true value of these books lies in their sophistication.

I have a theory that people buy one of two things - to get paid, or get laid.

When considering these books - it's a sex play. You're trying to show others (or perhaps yourself) that you have more "inherent" / "intrinsic" value than the other guy. A young single guy may buy several for his apartment, as any girls he brings back are going to *instantly* clock them (unless she's blind drunk).

And, yes, girls pay attention to shit like that. Women are implicit; men explicit. Whilst having a "useless" book like that on a coffee table may be lost on most men, the implied message it sends to women is ... "I have style" / "I have value". It won't do much on its own - but blended with the other trappings of a high value male, the message is strong.

After discovering Taschen, I started to see these books everywhere. Here are examples from two tailors (Manolo Costa + Linda Makhanya) I follow on Instagram...

21980863_179824295923757_5978639929670893568_n.jpg

22581982_429507907444381_1191490637342441472_n.jpg


--
Irrespective of this (Taschen sell many cheap products) - there's a new book they're looking to release...


Starting at $6,000 and another edition at $30,000 - I would definitely consider this "luxury".

It has all the hallmarks of a luxury product... limited editions (1,947 - the date Ferrari is considered to have "officially" launched), super exclusive craftsmanship (notice the red leather being the leather from the cars) and the deliriously ostentatious book stand to keep it in.

To be clear - it's not "premium" because it has very little functional value. In 3,500 years, the books will still hold the same - if not more - value as they do today. Think of them as one of those priceless "chronicles" that are passed down through the generations, except for the modern "post-industrial" era.

To most people, the product itself will have negligible value. "Who needs a $30k book?" they say... well if you're the type of person who's a collector of Ferrari automobiles, or are looking to curate an atmosphere / ambiance beyond functionality - it's a piece which will add a touch of reverence, depth and sophistication to any environment... of course, all coated in a splash of that beautifully garish Italian racing red.

The point is that if you're looking at this stuff from a marketing perspective, and trying to determine the difference between premium and luxury - the above products are (IMO) definitely luxury (they don't do anything except provide more sumptuousness to an environment). They're art - bound in pages, designed to elicit the timeless feelings of beauty, abundance & tranquility.

Whilst the products themselves look gorgeous - to give some perspective on why this is important for any branding you may wish to pursue, you have to appreciate that both Taschen and the general idea of "coffee table books" fit a very particular category - neither book, nor art. They're almost like a decorative ornament... except they still provide some functionality in the sense that they are beautifully printed and bound. In other words, they're meant to be displayed.

--

In terms of your own marketing, the way I see it is like this...

There are a number of different "grades" of product. Each of these grades could be matched against Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I explained this on the Damian Pros thread, so won't expand on it here.

If you're looking at how you can increase the "value" of what you're offering, you need to look at how you can push your service, and - by virtue - clients, up the totem pole. This has very little to do with "what" you're offering, but more about "how" you're offering it - and, ultimately, what that means to the end buyer.

NEVER chase buyers. They don't want to know you, or what you can do. They want to SEE what you have done for others. The trick to growing a great business - and ultimately a brand - is to let people discover your value by virtue of the quality of work you produce over time.

This can't be faked, but CAN be manipulated depending on who you are (hence why pedigree is important):

Untitledg.png
Anyone who doesn't know Faberge, he was a 19th century jeweller, most famous for the "Easter eggs" he produced for Tsar Nicholas II as gifts for his wife. The original Faberge Eggs are a massive collector's item, with extremely high prices because of their exclusivity and association with the Romanovs. The name Faberge is huge - but most importantly - you give the above to a woman and you're basically saying she's royalty.

The idea of it being an Egg is not important. The diamonds etc don't matter. What matters is you're really saying to your woman that her inherent "value" (women have value and are genetically programmed to accentuate / flaunt it) is worth an extortionate amount (perhaps even priceless). The necklace says that she's a princess and her "value" is so much higher than every other woman's in any social setting she finds herself. As mentioned, women are implicit. None of the above is spoken... it's all done with perfect subtlety.

This is partly why women love weddings so much. Apart from the 'estrogenic' (I made up that word) lust for "families" etc - it's [perhaps the only] time when she gets to parade her "value" to everybody as ostentatiously as she wants. It's exactly the same feeling as a guy who cashes his first £1m cheque.

Perhaps you design software. Rather than considering the "speed" of your product, or even if it's "designed in the UK" - think about the underlying solution, what it's actually there to deliver to the buyer, and whether it does that job as effectively as possible. What else can you do - especially if you consider leveraging the likes of social media - to create a "new level" of your service, for those clients who require the most exacting treatment possible?

Anyone with two brain-cells knows that luxury/premium are often associated with "status". But that's just a symptom of an underlying need/desire. People want to have better sex and to make more money. Money is used either for "power" or "freedom". Most on this forum want freedom. Most of Dan Pena's acolytes want power. Deliver either and you'll be seen as a God.

This suggests - to me - the whole premium/luxury ideal can be applied to "any" product, but has to come with the context of what you're actually going to do for the end user. Taschen may deliver a conversation starter for young G's trying to get laid... but also provides an ode to the finesse, sophistication and eloquence so intrinsic to our idea of civility. Whether they're for you is irrelevant; they're a feature of many a billionaire's coffee tables.

--

:rofl: Thought this was worth a mention (from the Italian racing red wiki page):

In the Peking to Paris race of 1907, the first to arrive in Paris was Prince Scipione Borghese, an Italian aristocrat, who was accompanied by Luigi Barzini, a journalist who worked for The Daily Telegraph, and a valet, Ettore, who acted as his mechanic and traveled with a supply of Lanson champagne. The prince was so confident of winning that he took a detour from Moscow to St Petersburg for a dinner in honour of the team, and afterwards headed back to Moscow and rejoined the race.

Their chief rival was Charles Goddard, a fairground worker and con artist who, until he learned of the race from a scrap of newspaper he found blowing in the wind, had never sat in a motor car and who was arrested for fraud as he approached the finishing line. Goddard, who came second, lacked the resources of Borghese and had to beg fellow competitors for fuel. In a desperate attempt to catch up, he set an endurance record for non-stop driving for 24 hours. The prince's prize was simply a magnum of Mumm champagne, and the red colour of his 1907 Itala car was adopted by Italy as its racing colour in his honour.
 
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MTEE1985

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@MJ DeMarco Is there an option in this forum to turn a thread into gold as soon as @rpeck90 hits “post reply”? Amazing stuff as always

Tying the automobile world into this for example I look at the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE

This is a car that was sold out without buyers knowing a final price and what’s more, there are hundreds willing to pay millions of dollars for this car who CAN’T have it. Product, price, promotion and scarcity.

It is literally the opposite of functional as all supercars are unless your function is to go 200+mph. Furthermore like many luxury products 99.9% of the population will have no idea what it is, what it costs, or why somebody would buy it. To the other .1% it is stunning.
 
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Xeon

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If you're looking at how you can increase the "value" of what you're offering, you need to look at how you can push your service, and - by virtue - clients, up the totem pole. This has very little to do with "what" you're offering, but more about "how" you're offering it - and, ultimately, what that means to the end buyer.

NEVER chase buyers. They don't want to know you, or what you can do. They want to SEE what you have done for others. The trick to growing a great business - and ultimately a brand - is to let people discover your value by virtue of the quality of work you produce over time.

The Legend of Legends has graced this thread and posted again! At the rate things are going, my Rep$ is going bankrupt soon. Seems that you've an ability most of us don't, which is being able to analyse really deep down into the inner core of whatever you're looking at.

I've a quick question. You mention that people buy one of 2 things : to get paid or get laid.

In that case, for lux products such as women's clothes and accessories, like Versace and Chanel, are women buying these to get laid, and attract men? To "one-up" and outdo other women and make themselves look better than the rest?
 

rpeck90

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@MJ DeMarco Is there an option in this forum to turn a thread into gold as soon as @rpeck90 hits “post reply”? Amazing stuff as always

Tying the automobile world into this for example I look at the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE

This is a car that was sold out without buyers knowing a final price and what’s more, there are hundreds willing to pay millions of dollars for this car who CAN’T have it. Product, price, promotion and scarcity.

It is literally the opposite of functional as all supercars are unless your function is to go 200+mph. Furthermore like many luxury products 99.9% of the population will have no idea what it is, what it costs, or why somebody would buy it. To the other .1% it is stunning.

Thanks for the kind words!

The Legend of Legends has graced this thread and posted again! At the rate things are going, my Rep$ is going bankrupt soon. Seems that you've an ability most of us don't, which is being able to analyse really deep down into the inner core of whatever you're looking at.

I've a quick question. You mention that people buy one of 2 things : to get paid or get laid.

In that case, for lux products such as women's clothes and accessories, like Versace and Chanel, are women buying these to get laid, and attract men? To "one-up" and outdo other women and make themselves look better than the rest?

Hey man, thanks for the rep - you really don't need to keep sending any though. It bothers me not whether I have any monopoly money on here... I had the grand title of "poorest member" before I posted that inspired post on the Damian Pros thread - none of this writing does anything for my bank account, so I hope you don't feel obliged to keep pillaging the rep you've earned. It's mainly to get my own mind in order. It's obviously well-received, but not my underlying intent. :)

In answer to your question, yes - but in a different way to what you probably think.

At it's core, Versace/Chanel are there to help enhance a woman's social status... but (like most things), it's deeper than that. Ever wonder why [most] women's clothes don't have branded logos the same way men's clothing does? Men use clothes / style to make a statement (look how powerful I am). Women use it to set the tone (what can we do?).

Women treat sex totally differently to men. Women NEVER "get laid" - they (well, the mature ones at least) are entirely logical about the sexual process (not the courtship process), and see far beyond the furor of putting penis into vagina (Adriana Lima was a virgin well into her 20's despite being one of the biggest sex icons in the world). Noticed why women can't orgasm as often as men? They need emotion, connection, "investment" in order to feel connected to their partner. Not true for all - but it's the "default" way.

The clothes they wear are NOT to flaunt their bodies in order to "get sex" (as you would think if you were male). It has to be much more subtle than that. Yes, they want to flaunt their bodies - but that's only to create a higher energy in the social setting they've decided to grace. They are the prize, and they work by "bringing the goods" to the place they feel they're going to create the best memories.

For women, sex is a business. They'll never admit it, but it is. Everything talked about on this forum is *exactly* what women talk about, except with all the shit that doesn't matter... "who's dating who" (which market is popular), "cosmetics" (which look/style/trend is on point)... "I hate my husband" (I want to move into the Fastlane) etc etc etc.

Just like in the business world (you make investments, put out products and make profits) - it works the same for women. Her body is the product, social status is the profit and the investments are the dates/experiences she goes on (which are designed to enhance her ambiance as a child-bearer). How she does this denotes her "value" -- the equivalent of a "brand" in the business world.

Occasionally, she'll have to put out a dividend in the form of sexual activity, and may even go through a liquidity event (child birth) - but that's highly dependent on whether her partner "invested" enough emotionally up front. Sounds retarded, but it's the way I see it -- it's also why most men have no time for all the bullshit problems that women have. In the same sense, try talking to women about computers/cars, and they glaze over.

From the perspective of business, marketing and whether you're looking to create a brand which caters to women - the key is experience. Women want to be elevated through the social hierarchy and are addicted to the depth of the journey you're able to take them on. They appreciate the male psyche, but are not beheld by it in the same way men are with women. The eloquence through which you do this will typically determine the "level" at which your brand/product is perceived in the world, and thus who's attracted to it.

--

So to say "they're paying to get laid" - it's not purely about sex, but how the sex makes them feel. I can go more in depth on it, but just in case the point was misconstrued.
 
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MTEE1985

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Me after @rpeck90 drops gold and then offers to explain more

upload_2018-8-28_10-33-18.jpeg


Tony Robbins describes this a little bit as well. His example is how women put make up on every day because it gives them pleasure, whereas a man tends to dress nice because of the fear of how he will appear to the population if he doesn’t.

If I’m interpreting correctly, the premium product is more the LV purse, the Gucci shirt etc that anybody making 30k a year can buy on a credit card and walk around thinking they are projecting wealth and prestige to the world. Where the luxury product is Bobby Axlerod’s $2200 cashmere hoodie on Billions that to the outside world looks like it could be from GAP? With the same principles essentially applying to any market?
 

rpeck90

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If I’m interpreting correctly, the premium product is more the LV purse, the Gucci shirt etc that anybody making 30k a year can buy on a credit card and walk around thinking they are projecting wealth and prestige to the world. Where the luxury product is Bobby Axlerod’s $2200 cashmere hoodie on Billions that to the outside world looks like it could be from GAP? With the same principles essentially applying to any market?

The thread itself is really about the balance between premium/luxury. I believe the consensus is that the two are subjective - an LV purse might be tosh to the daughter of a Chinese billionaire, or it may be the ultimate display of ostentation to someone on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum.

Whilst what you've written is correct, the big assertion you have to appreciate is that price does not (necessarily) equal luxury. I couldn't make a shirt and charge $15,000 "just because". No one would buy it. Luxury (in its raw form) has no "purpose" beyond being something to sooth the soul. But that doesn't mean it's without value. Its value is just not functional... be it priceless artwork, very expensive clothing (in the $2200 cashmere example) or something like owning a private jet.

The jet itself may have functionality, but its price is not about whether it can get you from A to B... joining a "jet club" can do that for a fraction of the cost. The beauty of the jet (apart from social status) is to have it always available for you.

I think the best differentiator I have presently is that "premium" (in all forms) can be justified by functionality. Luxury cannot be priced against how functional it is, whereas premium can.
 

ChrisV

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C300 is still a poser car marketed directly at middle class spendthrifts. Anyone with a job can afford one. “You deserve it,” they tell you. Hahaha... Yep you deserve a tiny, Carrolla sized car for 50k. I hate all the small luxury cars.

They’ll build up their car to everyone, “it’s sportier than the S Class” they are really thinking “I wanted the S Class, but my life didn’t work out quite the way I hoped.”
The C300 is probably one of my favorite Mercedes. I’ve loved every year of those.

The C class is a sports sedan, the S Class is a large luxury sedan.

Given infinite money and a choice between a C and an S class, I’d definitely choose a C-Class. A) the S class is way too big, B) The C class comes in 6-spd manual.
 
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ChrisV

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Still cant justify a $500k+ tag on a Rolls,

I rode in a Bentley before and they look super cheap inside, might of been a few years older but it was a huge disappointment.

Don't believe the hype, its all brilliant marketing by people that are extremely skilled to make you believe a bunch of bull****
The types of people who buy Rolls Royces make that in 500K months. If you made 500K in two months, I’m sure you wouldn’t be buying a civic. I know I wouldn’t.
 

ChrisV

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In terms of the wording, I see what you mean now. For "positioning" for prem/lux, I think you need to look in the mirror and determine who "you" are. Most people aren't of that calibre, and thus could never command the prices associated with it. You can't "target" a luxury crowd, they have to be impelled.

Okay... @smark and I were talking in PMs, and begot on to the topic of a newer watch brand called Fillipo Loretti, who are widely considered to be ‘fake luxury’

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQPHUXHnNWU


The watches are cool and fashionable, but not luxury. And someone posted the question of Quora. I think the answers people gave are the best description of “what is luxury”

This was the top answer:

What are my thoughts on Filippo Loreti watches?

I am very happy for the founders that they met such a positive response. But straight off the bat, there are two things that leave me doubtful as a watch industry professional:

  1. Their quality fits into the Low Middle End segment (more on that below).
  2. If their sourcing quality is Low Middle End and the price that they charge is a Low Middle End price, then their watches have the same markup as most watches on the market.
main-qimg-488fc60b746622737f0fb3045fd192ec


Quality: how can I boldly claim that their quality is low middle end?

Well as a random example, most of the applied indexes on their Venice model are significantly off alignment. In High End and High Middle end watches, this would never have passed the first quality control. However, this is acceptable quality for Low Middle End watches because we want to keep it affordable.

main-qimg-201e5c6caf7d7a08b4c2fd0d62d58d68-c

But what if these were photograph of the first prototype, and what if the quality was increased during mass production?

Ha ha ha! Well since quality cost in the luxury industry is exponential and not incremental, $ 239 is what a High End brand would spend on the dial ALONE. Even if Filippo Loreti were making Middle End or High Middle watches, $ 239 is what it would cost them to produce the whole watch, and they would be losing money by selling it at that price. They are not running a charity and they need to pay bills like anybody else.

If you make a side-by-side comparison of a Filippo Loreti case and an upper High End case from Vacheron Constantin, other flaws start to appear.

Notice the blurb in the image left, where the Filippo Loreti lugs meet the case? That is a telltale of Low Middle End quality.

main-qimg-62e932c58a7b93a2768fda1e990c7c6f-c

Notice how the Vacheron Constantin lugs perfectly meet the case on the right image, and how the additional chamfer is nicely polished?

That my friend is one of the signs of real High End. There is no such thing as “affordable luxury”, and there are no shortcut to that segment.

Filippo Loreti is making bogus claims, and most people are none the wiser. The reality is that they are charging okay prices for an okay quality. The difference with traditional brands is that the upmark doesn't go into commissions to middle men, in the case of Filippo Loreti it all goes into the founder’s pockets.
Luxury watches, you can practically put under a microscope and everything will be perfect. Vacheron Constantin, Patek Phillepe, Audemars Piguet. These watches are made by master watchmakers. Every detail is perfect. THey’re not just ‘thrown together.’ They’re from a master watchmaker with decades of experience who treated them like a baby.

This was the next reply:

That they are fashion watches.

That is, cheap, blingy knock offs poised to look like expensive timepieces. And they are NOT Italian at all.

Also, they are marred by rumors of being a scam with some people not getting what they have paid for - check here: Is Filippo Loreti really sorry? – Our review of an elaborate Kickstarter watch scam/trap | Techno FAQ

Apart from those allegiations, sorry to be that blunt, but I really do not see any kind of difference between Filippo Loreti and Michael Kors watches - execpt that MKs mount true Miyota movements and are sold in a much more serious and responsible way. I mean guys - you are allowed to stretch the image of your product to the limits (I am a marketer with 30 years of experience - I know), but not deceive customers with things that are not there.

As Francis Jacquerye puts it here, “there are no things such as affordable luxury”.

Either they are affordable or luxury. They cannot be both.

And at 249 USD, they are at the same price level of a Michael Kors. Same thing, different brand, but possibly, worse components.

You can see it from the beginning, if you have a little training in watches. Check that Venice watch on top. What you see is an enormous dial (way too big IMHO) with the three small dials very tight around the center of the watch. Is it a real design choice? Absolutely not. This happens when you meet the current market trends (watches with a big case and dial) with a small-ish stock movement mounted centrally on the watch…

main-qimg-8f48e22700a561362937a2b98cf7fa36-c

… and well, this leaves out another interesting fact: there is a seemingly off centered sun/moon phases indicator below (which looks positively off balance in respect to the other elements of the watch.

Now take a look at this:

main-qimg-5806f5f5f1c0286610208b849a35c0bf-c

This is a Didun automatic, a Chinese watch costing less than 200 USD. Check its dial and the elements. Look at how the moonphase seems a lil bit off center in respect of the other three dials. See where I am getting?

I would love to disassemble a Venice by Filippo Loreti, but to my educated opinion, those watches mount the same kind of movement inside as the Didun, here. Forget about “Swiss quality” and “Italian handcrafting”: those watches most probably mount cheap Chinese movement which - at less than 200 USD - is no luxury or quality at all. Their claim about “redefining Italian luxury watches”, well, they might be talking about redefining the size of their founders’ wallets (which, as a note, are two Lithuanians).

So, I am sorry: if you thought that FL were genuine luxury watches, then, you have been mistaken.

To someone who is not into watches, they might look cool and all that jazz. But if you meet a real watch enthusiast and connoisseur, you might be getting ridiculed - and I am pretty sure this is not what you would be looking for.

PS: with that kind of budget, you would be getting a very fine vintage, or other brands which offer a substantial quality premium over FL watches. I have talked about that here: What are some stylish yet simple watches for $125 and under?

Please, do not fall for those cheap marketing tricks. It is not called “Fools’ Gold” for nothing.

As a note to my readers, apart from watches, I write mostly about furniture and design: so if you are interested in those fields, be sure to check my other answers and follow me. And a nice upvote is always welcome!

https://www.quora.com/What-do-you-think-of-Filippo-Loreti-watches

That’s what luxury is about.
 
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ChrisV

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In terms of what @rpeck90 said... he’s right. I don’t know if you can ‘position’ yourself as luxury, just like if you were a rock band you can’t ‘position’ yourself as hardcore rebels (if you’re not.) If you’re a rapper you can’t just ‘position’ yourself as a thug if that’s not your life.

You know what we call that? We call them ‘posers.’ You have to be who you are.

Luxury watches are made by master watchmakers with decades and decades of experience. They get paid the most because they’re the best. If all this stuff is fake and it’s all marketing BS then why are fake luxury companies always getting called out and embarrassed. Fake luxury watches: Micheal Kors, Gucci, Fillipo Loretti, etc. Those guys ‘position’ themselves as luxury. So why according to watch experts and jewelers are they ‘fake’ while Vacheron Constantin, Patek Phillepe, Audemars Piguet aren’t. I thought it was all marketing.

When a company is only marketing... they’s fake. When there’s true craftsmanship and care, that’s real. Luxury is not just marketing.
 
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The C class is a sports sedan, the S Class is a large luxury sedan.

Given infinite money and a choice between a C and an S class

Sure...

Let me guess... You own one? You sound like an archetypal entry luxury car owner justifying your purchase. "It's better than the flagship, I promise." LOL
 

ChrisV

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Why ‘sure’. Some people don’t like big cars. I have no use for big sedans. Every car I’ve ever owned was a 2 door stick shift Sports car.

My favorite Mercedes (in order)
SL
SLS (AMG GT)
SLC
C
A (I actually like those quite a bit)
S
E

But honestly, my favorite of those is still the C because they don’t make any of the other ones in 6-spd standard (SL, SLS, SLC) which is important. If the other ones were available in standard I’d change my mind.
 

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Sure...

Let me guess... You own one? You sound like an archetypal entry luxury car owner justifying your purchase. "It's better than the flagship, I promise." LOL
And it’s not “better than” an S-Class... a C350 is a drivers car.

The S-Class.. I honestly don’t see a point unless you have a chauffeur.

14C1171_122.jpg

I dunno... I just don’t want one. I don’t even really love sedans.

The same way I’d take a 335 Coupe over a 745 BMW.

7 Series and S Classes aren’t driver’s cars. They’re for people who are older, imo.
 
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@ChrisV I bet you'd rather have a Boxter than a 911 too. :rofl:
 

ChrisV

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@Kak No because a 911 is actually a driver’s car. Not a big clunky sedan. Now a Boxter vs a Panamera, I’d take the Boxter. I don’t like big cars. Period. Matter of fact, notice my ordering of Mercedes was almost completely ordered by size. Big heavy cars handle like shit
 

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@Kak

And actually bro, especially the new ones? you’re crazy... these things are stunning.

c-class-interior.jpg

2017-C300-Sedan-Black.png

An S-class? Yea it’s a great car.... for my grandpa

2015.jpg
 
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hmm 911's thats a car worth the money...

IMG_5102[1].JPG

With my current product I'm 10,914 sales away from buying this baby! wooo!

Although cash in hand I'd opt for a cheaper car and grow the capital to 7 figs +
 

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hmm 911's thats a car worth the money...

View attachment 21156

With my current product I'm 10,914 sales away from buying this baby! wooo!

Although cash in hand I'd opt for a cheaper car and grow the capital to 7 figs +

What fascinates me most about the premium/luxury discussion is the emotional responses. Your personal opinion being neither not wrong but skewed toward vehicles as strictly utilitarian I.e. civics and Camry’s however, when it came to the 911 which is an unbelievable albeit extremely unfunctional car, it’s “worth the money”. Just shows how the premium market is so fluid and so objective.

@Kak

And actually bro, especially the new ones? you’re crazy... these things are stunning.

View attachment 21152

View attachment 21155

An S-class? Yea it’s a great car.... for my grandpa

View attachment 21154

I suspect with FU money you may find yourself at least test driving a S63...all the comforts with stupid performance and handling. My personal favorite is in the middle of the two with the E series, E43 or 63.
 

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I suspect with FU money you may find yourself at least test driving a S63...all the comforts with stupid performance and handling. My personal favorite is in the middle of the two with the E series, E43 or 63.

Given FU money I’d buy a Ferrari F430 stick shift in gunmetal grey, an Aston Martin stick shift Vantage V8 as a daily driver (not V12 since it will be daily,) A white Rolls Royce Phantom and maybe a Porsche.. Most likely a Carrera GT.

The first criteria I look for in a drivers’ car is: “Is it available in Stick Shift”... That’s a deal breaker for me. I’ve never owned an Automatic car and don’t want one. They’re more fun, you get the full driving experience, and those flappy paddles just aren’t the same.

In terms of an S-Class.. in my opinion, those cars are meant to be chauffeured vehicles. Hence the reclining back seats, laptop rest, etc. They’re the type of car you have someone else drive so you can sit in the back seat with your laptop and get work done. A Maybach S-Class I might consider if I had FU money and a chaffier, but truthfully for a chauffeured vehicle I’d want a Rolls.

But no I’d never want to drive an S-Class. For driving I’d prefer something with a manual transmission.

Don’t get me wrong, they’re beautiful vehicles... they’re just not for me to own. A C-Class is small nimble vehicle with a manual trans. That’s something I’d own.
 
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What fascinates me most about the premium/luxury discussion is the emotional responses. Your personal opinion being neither not wrong but skewed toward vehicles as strictly utilitarian I.e. civics and Camry’s however, when it came to the 911 which is an unbelievable albeit extremely unfunctional car, it’s “worth the money”. Just shows how the premium market is so fluid and so objective.



I suspect with FU money you may find yourself at least test driving a S63...all the comforts with stupid performance and handling. My personal favorite is in the middle of the two with the E series, E43 or 63.

LOL I realize I'm a bit of a hypocrite although as a fan of Porsche (practicality as a daily driver along with performance/luxury) Its a ''value'' purchase.

As mentioned of the Rolls Royce its not really justifiable to drop 500-700k on one as it looks the same as a Toyota atleast to me...more like a Chrysler 300 actually with nice leather.

Everyone has they're ''taste''
 

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As mentioned of the Rolls Royce its not really justifiable to drop 500-700k on one as it looks the same as a Toyota atleast to me...more like a Chrysler 300 actually with nice leather.

“This car doesn’t fit my taste so therefor it’s utter crap and people who buy it are idiotic suckers who get swindled by marketing gimmicks"

And a Rolls Royce looks like a Chrysler 300 because Chrysler basically copied their entire car to make a cheap imitation.
 

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Oh baby, throw some leather seats in there and do a $700k markup


real.JPG
 

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Inventory | Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Alberta

Heres a Phantom for $671,000

If you look at the car honestly with 0 bias and ignore the marketing you have to be crazy to think the car is actually worth that much and that much better than any modern luxury car from Korea or Japan

Looks like a souped up Chrysler 300 with fancy leather.

Whoever runs the marketing/branding at Rolls Royce is doing a good job
That one isn’t worth it, imo. The exterior/interior colors are ugly.

So I’d agree that that isn't worth it to me at least..

Now these on the other hand..... 2018-Rolls-Royce-Phantom-VIII-Extended-Wheelbase-rear-seat-01.jpgrolls-royce-ghost-black-badge-versace.jpgGhost-white5.jpgRolls-Royce-Wraith-Bismack-Biyombo-1.jpg2015.rolls-royce-wraith-white-1-1024x683.jpghqdefault-2.jpg83af389fc50877d50451bf9379f84a14.jpgrolls-royce-wraith-coupe-petrol_38478819.jpg
52-10-2-321-42X-2.jpg53d41358093583.59ef66788417b.jpg
 

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Ok I'll play along, whats the value add for $700k on the car above besides a group of people staring at you?
 
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Oh baby, throw some leather seats in there and do a $700k markupView attachment 21158
No.. it’s more like “Trace the exact design of a Rolls Royce, replace it with cheap Made in China parts and do a $470k markDOWN"

Dude, it’s an imitation.

It’s like if i took your Porsche you posted, had engineers copy the design almost to a T, but in a 200 horsepower lawnmower engine, cheap cloth seats,, cheap suspension and try to mass market it to middle class families. It’s not a Porsche. It’s like a fake Made in China Louis Vuitton bag.

Without Rolls Royce Chrysler would have nothing to copy, the same way Hyundai keeps trying to copy the S-Class and pass it off as theirs.
 

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Ok I'll play along, whats the value add for $700k on the car above besides a group of people staring at you?
Dude, the types of people who are buying a Rolls Royce aren’t worries about a meanly 550K... they’re billionaires and decamillionaires and royalty. They don’t need to pinch pennies.

What does it add? A Rolls Royce and a Chrysler 300 are NOT the same things at all. IF you really want an answer to that question, here:

I especially love what he says at 16:05

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBIkJSpqcFs
 

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