I wear my knots looser, because a tight knot makes your bow tie look pre-tied, I also don't like how big some bow ties get when tied tightly.
At an antique store down the road from my house there was a slim (vertical) diamond point piquet formal tie last time I was there.... I can check it out some time soon, to see if they still have it, if you are interested... There was also a Pilgrim "Back Ribboned" Pearl Grey Size 7 Porkpie at the A. Shop.
Looks good, Tony. Keep wearing on regularly (I do about twice a week), and you'll find before long it gets as easy as a four in hand.
Question: Before there were pre-tied bow ties, did men tie them tightly because there was no fear of them looking like pre-tied bow ties because they didn't exist yet? Or was it 'fashionable' back then to tie them loosely? Were they tied tightly because loosely looked sloppy? Or were both ways fine?
Think of a straight tie - people wear them to work out of necessity. So the aesthetics are of no concern in the same way that most people don't think of how smartly they've tied their shoes. Bow ties were a common site in the days before the clip-on. Most people dressed smartly because it was inappropriate not to. So bow ties were just tied with as much concern for aesthetics as people give straight ties in the modern world.
Got a silk one in the mail yesterday It's too hot out to be so dapper, but I tried it on with my best coat and facial expression.