Weave counts are guidelines, not gospel. I judge Montecristi hats as an expert, with more than 30 years of personal experience buying Montecristi hats at the source. What have I learned? No hats are perfect.
Also, there is more to it than the math.
In a side-by-side comparison, two hats with the same weave count, may not be equally desirable. They may not even look like they have the same weave count. So part of my pricing system is subjective.
Each hat is also judged as a consumer. Which hat would I want if it was for me. If it’s really obvious, then those two hats should not have the same price.
Exceptional hats may be upgraded to a higher price level. Hats that do not meet my expectations for a particular weave count may be downgraded to a lower price level.
All of my Montecristi hats are blocked (shaped and styled) and finished (ribbon and sweatband sewn) entirely by hand. My Montecristi hats are custom sized to the nearest one-eighth inch or, if you prefer, the nearest half centimeter.
Every hat is obsessed over. It is a binary system – a hat is either Right or Not Right. If it is Not Right, I keep working on it until it is Right.
It doesn’t matter if it is a $600 hat or a $25,000 hat. I can’t just stop working on an uncooperative $600 hat, because I already worked on it more than a reasonable number of hours. If it’s Not Right, I keep working until it is Right.
A writer for National Geographic watched me block hats for a week. At the end of the week, he commented: “Mate, you aren’t charging enough.”
You won’t find a better hat at a better price.
Grade 18 – 19 |
$600 regular brim styles (to 3 inches) $700 wider brim styles |
324 – 361 | (18x18 to 19x19) |
Grade 20 – 21 |
$800 regular brim styles (to 3 inches) $900 wider brim styles |
400 – 441 | (20x20 to 21x21) |
Grade 22 – 23 |
$1000 regular brim styles (to 3 inches) $1100 wider brim styles |
484 – 529 | (22x22 to 23x23) |
Grade 24 – 25 |
$1350 regular brim styles (to 3 inches) $1450 wider brim styles |
576 – 625 | (24x24 to 25x25) |
Grade 26 – 27 |
$1750 regular brim styles (to 3 inches) $1850 wider brim styles |
676 – 729 | (26x26 to 27x27) |
Grade 28-29 |
$2350 regular brim styles (to 3 inches) $2450 wider brim styles |
784 – 841 | (28x28 to 29x29) |
Grade 30 - 31 | $3250 |
850 – 961 | (30x30 to 31x31) |
31x32 and Mil Fino hats (slightly downgraded) | |
$4000 - $4500 |
1000+ | $5000 |
1300+ | $7500 |
1600+ | $10,000 |
1800+ | $12,500 |
2050+ | $15,000 |
2250+ | $17,500 |
2500+ | $20,000 |
2500 Simón Espinal $27,500 - $40,000 | |
when commissioned to be woven for you $25,000 | |
Time 6 months minimum | |
3600 Simón Espinal $40,000 | |
Must be commissioned, time 8 months minimum |
$600 |
$800 |
$1,000 |
$1,350 |
$1,850 |
$2,350 |
$3,000 |
$4,000 |
$5,000 |
$5,000 |
$7,500 |
$10,000 |
$15,000 |
$20,000 |
$25,000 |
$700 |
$900 |
$1,100 |
$1,450 |
$1,950 |
$2,450 |
$3,000 |
$4,000 |
$5,000 |
$7,500 |
$10,000 |
$15,000 |
$20,000 |
$25,000 |
Text and photos © 1988-2022, B. Brent Black. All rights reserved.
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