Why are Dunhill pipes so expensive?

[warren]

fordm60: I prefer to think of a Dunhill in the same way I thing of a good hat, a nice home and family, or a Mercedes, something to strive for. I knew I had to improve my standard of living if I wanted some of the "finer" things in life, so I did. I learned and I worked hard. That's why I tell people to always have a plan or a dream, one worth the effort and the work. I knew when I was laying railroad out of high school that I wouldn't do it the rest of my life. Never intended a dead end job as a career nor being poor.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I am always for luxury, and I've done my fair share of defending Dunhills. But, what blows my mind is seeing a table full of them damned average looking, hundreds of boring shaped pipes, hundreds all looking exactly alike, and I have to ask myself, for $700 I can have a boring billiard, or I can walk down and buy a Becker with it's stylish design and wonderful hand carved bit for the same price. Guys will stand at those tables full of Dunnies three deep to buy them damned things. Whether marketing, reputation, or brainwashing, they sell, and they sell a lot.

 

[warren]

I've never owned a Dunhill, never found one that struck my interest. If I do, I'll buy it. But, I admire their reputation, fit and finish.

 

[cortezattic]

Don't they exclusively use dead root briar and some arcane oil curing process?

Could these things, and a high reject rate, contribute to some of that extra cost?

 

[rfernand]

Like Davidoff cigars, their discard / reject percentage is very high. Very few make it to the end. So you are paying for a very strict QC process that checks all aspects of the process - except whether it will be a great smoker or not.
Their blasts are simply gorgeous. Their smooth ones are rather hypnotic in color and grain. You also get the feeling that every part of the pipe has meticulously made for each other. They're pretty and classy.
As with everything, if you like 'em, you like 'em.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Their blasts are simply gorgeous. Their smooth ones are rather hypnotic in color and grain. You also get the feeling that every part of the pipe has meticulously made for each other. They're pretty and classy.

http://www.baweaverpipes.com/pipesforsale.html

 

[seacaptain]

Their blasts are simply gorgeous. Their smooth ones are rather hypnotic in color and grain. You also get the feeling that every part of the pipe has meticulously made for each other.

Having owned a few Dunhills myself, I think your statements about the smooth pipes are true and the fit and finish is definitely second to none. The blasts though, are pretty mediocre. A Savinelli GDO blast is 10x better than anything Dunhill has put out in the last 20 years, not to mention custom sandblasted pipes which can often be had for less than a Dunhill.
Now, older Dunhill Shell pipes from the 1920's-1950's are second to none. In fact, I think they're probably a much better value dollar for dollar than a new Dunhill pipe. If I ever get into estate pipes, that's exactly where I would put my money.

 

[ssjones]

New White Dot stems are outstanding (and by my experience, slightly better than a same year Castello, which is pretty darn good).

 

[foggymountain]

I got my first Dunhill around 1959. It cost $22 new. It was a #4 panel with a finish similar to amber root, but did not taste as good as amber root. Things now cost about 16 times what they did in 1959. That would make the price $352. The price for a similar new pipe now is about $500 or more. So it is partly profiteering but mostly inflation. Are they worth the price? To me they are. The only other pipes I have that smoke as well, Lasse Skovgaard, Benni Jorgensen and Savinelli Giubileo D'Oro cost more.

 

[iamn8]

I disagree with the Rolex analogy. Rolex spends more money on advertising than most countries GDP.. How many Dunhill ads and sponsorships have you seen? Truth is that Dunhills are expensive because Dunhill customers pay their ask. If that ever stops, prices will nosedive. It's simple

 

[philobeddoe]

I think Dunhill would simply stop making pipes altogether, rather than reducing their prices. I know they have split the pipes and the tobaccos for that matter, off from the rest of the clothing and colognes, but they are all under the same umbrella as far as the public perception of their brand. They have spent decades building up their brand, the rest of their goods would suffer too much from the reputation hit if the pipes ever went downmarket.

 

[warren]

Rolex is in a very competitive business. Perhaps Dunhill doesn't recognize any real competition or otherwise see any value in advertising. Philo probably has it right, Dunhill would rather cease any association with pipes and tobacco than change. They have the market share and target audience they are comfortable with. They obviously feel no compunction to make an "every man" pipe.

 

[sablebrush52]

Dunhill was never just a maker of fine pipes. They were, and have always been, a purveyor of high quality luxury goods, of which pipes and tobaccos became an important part for a long time. They also dealt in leather goods, lighters, jewelery and many other kinds of goods aimed at the carriage trade. Their brand became synonymous with material and social success. Having Dunhill products came to symbolize one's taste and station in life, like other luxury goods. People who knew little about pipes knew the Dunhill name. It is that aura of prestige and excellence that continues to contribute to the high market price that people are willing to pay.

 

[warren]

Patek Philippe doesn't advertise. I guess the analogy would be that they do not consider Rolex or other watch manufacturer as competition. They both sell time pieces but, Rolex is not a competitor of Patek Philippe. Peterson is not a competitor of Dunhill even though they both market pipes. Neither of those cherished marques really has a competitor. There are other manufacturers in their class but, each makes something distinctive for a specific market. Dunhill does not vend pipes, they sell Dunhill pipes.
Dunhill serves a select, small market which returns again and again to purchase Dunhill. People who smoke Dunhill, not collect the pipes, want the guarantee and expect a certain level of service. The price is not a consideration to the Dunhill customer. I suspect there will always be a market that level of product.

 

[woodsroad]

Wife: "Why do men piss by the side of the road?"

Me: "Because they can"

 

[warren]

We can also write our name in the snow. I fell in love with a girl one night who could also do that. Very impressive.

 

[sablebrush52]

Patek Philippe doesn't advertise. I guess the analogy would be that they do not consider Rolex or other watch manufacturer as competition. They both sell time pieces but, Rolex is not a competitor of Patek Philippe.

Patek Philippe does advertise. So does Rolex. In 2012, Rolex was the top purchaser of newspaper advertising, and Patek Philippe was number 4, just ahead of Omega. They're all competitors. I sold Patek Philippe, Omega, Audemars Piquet, and Vacheron Constantine, as well as Bulova, Tissot, Seiko, and for that matter Caravelle. They all advertised.
Shameless self promotion is the path to market dominance. The art is in how it is done.
Same goes for Dunhill.

 

[warren]

Thank you. I've never seen a Patek Philippe advert. I must elevate my reading material.

 

[jvnshr]

Why are Dunhill pipes so expensive?

Why Chanel goods are expensive?

Why Ferrari cars are expensive?

Why Ulysse Nardin watches are expensive?

...

 

[gogosamgo]

[quoteWhy Chanel goods are expensive?

Why Ferrari cars are expensive?

Why Ulysse Nardin watches are expensive?[/quote]
Wait you're just going to add more questions with no answers?!?