Product Review: E&G Cappelli Ties

I wear a tie several times per week for my job (although it is by no means required), and for that reason I have been planning on slowly upgrading my small collection of mid-range ties to an equally small collection of high-end ties. I saw an opportunity to do that when menswear newcomer Linkson Jack held a well-publicized sale that included E&G Cappelli neckwear.

I grabbed two staples for about $80 each, which is much more than I would normally spend on ties. However, the classic nature of these models make them surprisingly rare on the secondhand market. Moreover, the young neckwear company is held in high regards by by many; Derek in particular is a well-known advocate of the brand and his knowledge of ties goes far beyond my own.

The quality of my interactions with Linkson Jack were mixed; the purchase went smoothly enough but shipping took painfully long, well over their 30-day “guarantee” for stock items. I attribute this to growing pains, as I’m sure the sale drew much more traffic than they were expecting. However, it would have been nice to have these ties for my recent business trips and holiday parties, but that was not in the cards.

The grenadine is a three fold garza fina weave; it seems to be rarer than its garza grossa brother but I prefer it as the texture is even more subtle. The pindot is a very deep midnight navy, almost indistinguishable from black. The dark color and subtle printed pattern make it an ideal candidate for suits and business attire. Both are lined with a delightfully elastic (spongy, for non-engineers) wool lining that makes them quickly return to their original shape after un-knotting. The 8 cm (3.15 inch) width is ideal for my frame; it is wide enough to be within the “classic” range but does not overwhelm my narrow body. The slightly shorter 56″ length was not a problem for me, although it may be for those that are taller and/or have larger necks.

I won’t try to turn this into an in-depth review as my knowledge of luxury ties is limited; I’ll leave that to the experts. I will say that these ties are beautiful to look at, easy to knot, and a pleasure to wear.

(also, pindots & grenadine….get it, Zach?!)