R.M. Williams Craftsman Boot review: worth it or skip?

What the R.M. Williams Craftsman Boot does well

The headline: one-piece leather Chelsea, resoleable. The details: Material: Yearling leather; Sole: Leather, Goodyear welted; Fit: Wide; Made in: Australia. In our list it is the pick for: chelsea icon. It usually sells for $650–$750 in the US.

Made in Adelaide.

The trade-offs

Good: durable, resoleable, classic. Not so good: runs wide. Read the skip-if line before you spend: skip it if you want slim.

What to buy instead

Instead, consider the Crockett & Jones Chertsey ($750–$850): classic Chelsea in suede or calf. Better if you want value welted.

Instead, consider the Alden Indy Boot ($750–$900): work boot made famous by Indiana Jones. Better if you want rugged heritage.

Instead, consider the Church’s Leicester Chelsea ($890–$1,000): welted Chelsea boot. Better if you want sturdy.

Before you buy

Construction: welted boots can be resoled and handle wet weather better than cemented ones. Sole: a rubber commando or Dainite sole handles rain and winter; leather soles are for dry days. Suede or leather: suede is warmer looking and surprisingly hardy when sprayed; calf leather is dressier.

Buyer tip

Boots see big end-of-season markdowns in January; buy welted classics from British makers when the pound is weak against the dollar or euro.

Buying in Europe: Italian and French sizes are used on most designer shoes, and they differ from US sizes by brand. Check the house’s own size chart, and remember that many Italian brands run about half a size small.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.