Diamond Clothing Buco J100 review.

[Monitor]

Also, this is still a gamble since i doubt it's possible to get a "prefect" jacket.

C:keep the jacket and enjoy it for what it is. In the end it cost me just under £900, which is still cheaper than a £1200 RMC and it fits me better than a RMC ever will.

This. It's a beautiful jacket and you don't want to risk giving up on a jacket that fits you this good (perfect, I'd say) and is made of this insanely gorgeous leather. After all, it's all about the fit. I'd think twice even if Dave offered a remake!

 

[Carlos840]

Another thing i have just noticed, the jacket has 2 different size labels!

All my jackets are size 42.
The original jacket he sent me was a size 42, and it fit like a 40.
This jacket has a size 44 in the back of the neck, but a size 42 label in the right chest pocket!
It fits just like all my other size 42 do...

At this point all i can do is laugh about it....

 

[ProteinNerd]

Since you don't seem to be too bothered by it, option C is surely the best!

But I just want to reiterate, an RMC buco costs (and has a value of) $1350 when you aren't buying it at an inflated overseas price. Just in case people think 1200 pounds is too much and go for a "cheaper" option, when in reality they can get what they really wanted for significantly less than they previously thought...

I don't think anyone is disagreeing that the RMC version is great and if their off the rack pre-produced jacket fits you then its one of the better options, if you need custom sizing for the perfect fit though....its not as easy.

Diamond Clothing - best price but take the gamble on the quality can be great, can have issues, 4 week wait.
Goodwear - fair price, great quality but 2 year wait!
Himel - Significantly more expensive, great quality not sure on wait time.
Aero Board Racer mocked up to look like Buco - this might be best mix of price, wait time and quality now?

Honestly, if you can get one of Dave's good ones ...but now Aero are moding their Board Racer, that might be the across the board winner?

I'll have to add, I couldn't be happier with the DD I finally got, its breaking in beautifully. The leather is amazing and I have to say I prefer Shinki to Vicenza...if only slightly. The sizing is spot on, I love it and no quality issues that I can see.

Dave just needs to get more consistent.

 

[Carlos840]

I don't think anyone is disagreeing that the RMC version is great and if their off the rack pre-produced jacket fits you then its one of the better options, if you need custom sizing for the perfect fit though....its not as easy.

Diamond Clothing - best price but take the gamble on the quality can be great, can have issues, 4 week wait.
Goodwear - fair price, great quality but 2 year wait!
Himel - Significantly more expensive, great quality not sure on wait time.
Aero Board Racer mocked up to look like Buco - this might be best mix of price, wait time and quality now?

Honestly, if you can get one of Dave's good ones ...but now Aero are moding their Board Racer, that might be the across the board winner?

The problem with the Aero Board Racer, is that it is an extremely "skinny" jacket. The shoulders of a size 42 are 17.5", which is tiny!
I need 19.5 to 20" to fit my shoulders, and Aero have a "don't modify the patterns" policy.
I did get in touch with them before ordering from Dave and they just refused to modify the pattern to fit me.

 

[ButteMT61]

Size tags are worth what the materials cost.
My jackets range from 48 to 54. That's why people don't talk about tags here. They're useless

 

[ProteinNerd]

The problem with the Aero, is that it is an extremely "skinny" jacket. The shoulders of a size 42 are 17.5", which is tiny!
I need 19.5 to 20" to fit my shoulders, and Aero have a "don't modify the patterns" policy.
I did get in touch with them before ordering from Dave and they just refused to modify the pattern to fit me.

True, my BR is very tight across the shoulders.

I wonder if they would make one from the cafe racer pattern? It has wider shoulders.

 

[Carlos840]

Size tags are worth what the materials cost.
My jackets range from 48 to 54. That's why people don't talk about tags here. They're useless

Oh, i agree with that completely, i just think it's weird to have two different tag sizes in the same jacket. Once again, attention to detail....

 

[Damo]

What is diamond Dave's website? Thx

 

[Benj]

I don't think anyone is disagreeing that the RMC version is great and if their off the rack pre-produced jacket fits you then its one of the better options, if you need custom sizing for the perfect fit though....its not as easy.
Dave just needs to get more consistent.

I completely agree with everything you've said, but my point in my last post is that saying a Real McCoy's Buco is $1900 and a DD is $1400 is the same as saying that an Aero Highwayman costs $1300 (Aero Japan price) instead of $1000 (Aero UK price). In fact, the delta is even greater at $550 between RMC japan pricing and and RMC UK, or US pricing.

 

[IXL]

I wonder what the stitching looked like in the lining of Indiana Jones' jacket. The lining in Carlos840's jacket is sewn to the leather, nothing is sagging below the hem, and I doubt anyone found inside the pub when Carlos arrives would comment on the stitching of the inside lower hem. They certainly wouldn't in any of the ones I frequent.

The jacket looks great. That said, I do feel that having two tags, each indicating a different size, and seam tape of more than one color does indicate that DD has some very real problems, either with ability or attitude toward the product.

I think Carlos will grow to love this jacket!

 

[ProteinNerd]

What is diamond Dave's website? Thx

http://www.diamondclothingco.com

 

[ButteMT61]

Oh, i agree with that completely, i just think it's weird to have two different tag sizes in the same jacket. Once again, attention to detail....

Sorry. Failing eyes on an old phone. I didn't realize there were two different sizes in the same jacket lol.
Yeah, that's not good.

 

[Superfluous]

I wonder what the stitching looked like in the lining of Indiana Jones' jacket. The lining in Carlos840's jacket is sewn to the leather, nothing is sagging below the hem, and I doubt anyone found inside the pub when Carlos arrives would comment on the stitching of the inside lower hem. They certainly wouldn't in any of the ones I frequent.

IMHO, the bench mark for acceptable quality is not whether someone else will notice the defect(s). Very, very few people notice any of the esoteric details that occupy the majority of our discussions. We see, and care about, details that very few ever consider. Therefore, the mere fact that a group of pub patrons do not notice poor quality construction does not excuse the manufacturing lapses; likewise, the fact that a group of pub patrons do not exalt a superlative leather jacket does not make it any less superlative.

We do not wear the leather jackets discussed on this forum, which are generally understated replicas of classic vintage jackets, in order to be noticed and complimented. To the contrary, we wear these leather jackets because, regardless of anyone else, WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE WEARING . . . we know the quality and craftsmanship . . . we know the details . . . and we derive pleasure from our knowledge of what we are wearing, regardless of whether anyone else ever notices (and most never do). Even if a group of pub patrons never notice the poor stitching on a leather jacket, if the owner is an enthusiast, he/she notices and cares even if no one else notices or cares.

At the end of the day, the only relevant litmus test is whether the owner enjoys wearing the jacket and is comfortable with the quality in relationship to the price paid. If the owner is pleased with the end result, the uninformed opinions of random pub patrons, or the general public, are irrelevant.

 

[Monitor]

We do not wear the leather jackets discussed on this forum, which are generally understated replicas of classic vintage jackets, in order to be noticed and complimented. To the contrary, we wear these leather jackets because, regardless of anyone else, WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE WEARING . . . we know the quality and craftsmanship . . . we know the details . . . and we derive pleasure from our knowledge of what we are wearing, regardless of whether anyone else ever notices (and most never do). Even if a group of pub patrons never notice the poor stitching on a leather jacket, if the owner is an enthusiast, he/she notices and cares even if no one else notices or cares.

That's very, very true - with me, at least.

 

[pawineguy]

IMHO, the bench mark for acceptable quality is not whether someone else will notice the defect(s). Very, very few people notice any of the esoteric details that occupy the majority of our discussions. We see, and care about, details that very few ever consider. Therefore, the mere fact that a group of pub patrons do not notice poor quality construction does not excuse the manufacturing lapses; likewise, the fact that a group of pub patrons do not exalt a superlative leather jacket does not make it any less superlative.

We do not wear the leather jackets discussed on this forum, which are generally understated replicas of classic vintage jackets, in order to be noticed and complimented. To the contrary, we wear these leather jackets because, regardless of anyone else, WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE WEARING . . . we know the quality and craftsmanship . . . we know the details . . . and we derive pleasure from our knowledge of what we are wearing, regardless of whether anyone else ever notices (and most never do). Even if a group of pub patrons never notice the poor stitching on a leather jacket, if the owner is an enthusiast, he/she notices and cares even if no one else notices or cares.

At the end of the day, the only relevant litmus test is whether the owner enjoys wearing the jacket and is comfortable with the quality in relationship to the price paid. If the owner is pleased with the end result, the uninformed opinions of random pub patrons, or the general public, are irrelevant.

Yes to all of the above, I've moved on jackets that I received daily compliments on.

I joined the site just for reviews and threads like this, as they allow me to make informed decisions as to whom I'm going to send my money, especially when it comes to newer or lesser known producers.

 

[wanz]

Aero Board Racer mocked up to look like Buco - this might be best mix of price, wait time and quality now?

Honestly, if you can get one of Dave's good ones ...but now Aero are moding their Board Racer, that might be the across the board winner?

Coincidentally, I just took delivery on a modded Board Racer that wound up being very similar to a J-100... not because I was trying to necessarily... that's just the direction that my tastes go.

I went with kangaroo with a cotton lining which I felt fit the minimalist nature of the jacket. I deleted the wind flap and rear kidney panel (they did keep the interior kidney panel which should address the dreaded liner sag). The back is split which isn't J-100 like but that wasn't my intention. Plus, it gives me some variety.

Shoulder width tends to be the limiting factor for me as well. I sized up from my normal 42 to a 44 (tip of the cap to Thurston for the fit jacket). I haven't had a chance to wear it out yet (Texas summers and all), but my in my initial try on I would say that it is slightly more of a "jacket" rather than a "shirt" like the J-100. Though, if I didn't have a real one I might not even notice. Despite not trying for a repro, it's probably closer than the LVC version. And it's infinitely closer than the one that Schott did for Restoration Hardware a few years ago.

I may have been lucky to receive one of Dave's good ones (I'm pretty sure it's the one pictured on his site). With the Aero Board Racer in play and the RMC at a lower price point it would be an interesting decision to make over. If nothing else, I'm glad to see more choices out there.

And yes I know that worthlesswithoutpics - Just let me wait until it cools down a bit.

 

[ProteinNerd]

And yes I know that worthlesswithoutpics - Just let me wait until it cools down a bit.

Or turn on your Air Conditioning lol

 

[wanz]

Lol... after spending most of day outside, the thought of putting on any unnecessary layers makes me feel physically ill.

I figured I could provide some pictures of the jacket itself. Of course, the lighting inside was crap (and this site has made me OCD about jackets) so I wound up taking them outside. Fortunately, it's 8pm so the heat index is down to 97 degrees ;-)

Front:


Back:


Kidney Panel:


Zipper Detail (intended to show the green thread):

 

[Sloan1874]

Fantastic! I think that's the first kangaroo skin jacket I've seen here. That's a really clean, elegant look.

 

[navetsea]

great looking jacket, is it hand dyed or does it have pullup effect? looks like it would fade and patina fast