Western Bolo Tie

I ordered my husband this Native American Indian Art bolo tie on April 18, 2016 because he prefers wearing a bolo with short-sleeved shirts (he has a department head position at a hospital that requires dress shirts and ties.) We received the tie 2 days later (yea for Prime Membership’s 2-day shipping!), and my husband loved it instantly. In fact, it has become one of his favorite bolos. One of the characteristics of the tie that he especially likes is that the decorative pendant is large, has a nice heft to it, and has just enough color and detail to make it stand-out in an attractive, not flashy way. Another feature that he likes is that there is a clip on the back of the pendant, instead of just a slide (see image #4 below). Once the pendant is positioned where he wants it, he closes the clip and the pendant stays put. He doesn’t have to keep repositioning it during the day, regardless of how active he is. Very nice feature!I would like to refer to several negative statements made by other reviewers in regards to this tie. My comments are based solely upon my own point of view and assessment of the tie, of course:1.) The pendant’s center stone is not real turquoise. Of course the stone is not real turquoise; this is a $12. bolo tie … the price alone indicates that the stone will not be genuine. In addition, the advertisement for this tie never makes the claim that the stone is genuine turquoise. Anyone inspecting the advertisement’s image of the blue stone in the center of the pendant can clearly see that the stone is imitation (examine the picture in the advertisement, as well as my own picture below – image #3.)2.) Assertions about the tie looking “clownish”, “flashy”, “atrocious”, and “cheap”. The tie we received looks just like it does in the advertisement (see image #1 below). Also, while the advertisement states that the pendant is 2 3/8 X 2 7/8 inches, it is actually notably smaller than advertised. I measured the pendant myself; it is approx. 1 5/8-inches wide by 2-inches long.Both my husband and I feel the bolo’s pendant is a very nice size. The product is also the quality expected for the price paid. Again, it looks just like the image in the advertisement - which by the way, has a zoom feature that clearly shows up close details of pendant. Therefore, I do not understand how someone who viewed the pendant online, read the measurements for the pendant (which were larger than it really is), and then made a decision to order the tie would then be disappointed upon receipt – saying that it looked cheap, flashy, or atrocious.The only details that the image in the advertisement do not show is the back of the pendant (see image #4 below), and the side profile of the decorative detail along the pendant’s border (see image #3). In my opinion, the side view of the detail along the boarder does detract some from the nice appearance of the pendant; I think it would have looked better had the detail been more refined; perhaps even beveled a bit, instead of raised. Just my opinion.3.) Assertions about the bolo cord - which is leather and about 40-inches long (as advertised), when counting the decorative metal tips - see images #5 and #6 below. Some reviewers noted that the cord had a musty, bad odor to it. This is true- although I wouldn’t say that it is unbearable or even that it is so strong that other people (not wearing the tie) would notice it.Demonstration - I cannot smell the cord’s odor 2 feet away … I cannot smell the odor 1 1/2 feet away … I cannot smell the odor 1 foot away. It is at about 6-inches away that I begin to get a faint whiff when I really sniff hard (and this is on a warm day inside a small apartment, with a kick-but fan blowing.) Even when my nose is right up against the bolo cord, I cannot say that the smell is atrocious or unbearable - as some of the other reviewers say theirs is. While the smell is a bit stronger than other leather woven bolo cords my husband has, it has a strong leather smell and is not offensive to me (but then in all honesty, I don’t find the smells in a tack room offensive either … probably because it indicates that horses are nearby.)4.) One reviewer stated that the decorative tip fell off their tie shortly after receiving it. That really is unfortunate, and must have been a major disappointment. (I hope that the vender made good and offered them a replacement.) However, the tips on the tie I ordered for my husband appear secure … I’ve given them a good tug just to be sure.SUMMARYIn my honest opinion (and I consider myself a wise shopper who looks for the best product at the best price), this is a great bolo tie for the money - in quality and appearance. The clip on the back of the pendant is a great feature that keeps the pendant in place throughout the day, without requiring readjustment. Finally, yes - I would recommend this bolo tie to others. I would also encourage those who are thinking of purchasing this tie to use the zoom feature to view the pendant details up close, to be aware that the pendant’s center stone is not real turquoise, and to be aware that the pendant size is notably smaller than claimed in the advertisement; although it is smaller than advertised, it is still a nice large size … larger than many of the pendants on other bolos.JULY 11, 2016 UPDATE: hubby states that he has begun to favor wearing this bolo tie over all others - including traditional ties. He says that nearly every time he wears it (which is about 2 - 4 times a week), someone will comment favorably on it. It is holding up very well to wear, as is the clasp that holds it in place.NOTE: I paid full price for this bolo tie, which was $12.12 at the time of purchase. I DID NOT receive it at a free or reduced-price in exchange for writing a review. For the most part, my reviews are detailed, informative, and include multiple images of the product. Posting reviews like this is time consuming, but I do it because I - like you - depend upon the experiences and comments shared by other consumers when making an Amazon purchasing decision. I am also a long time writer who (although I no longer write for pay) enjoys expressing herself through the written word. If you have the inclination, feel free to visit my public profile page and read my bio - which shares why I strive to write honest and fair product evaluations.

This is absolutely incredible quality for the price! Like other reviewers have mentioned, the centerpiece is much larger than standard-- 2in wide by 2-1/4in tall exactly. Depending on the type of shirt, this can cause bunching at the collar or cause the front flaps of the collar points to cover both sides of the design.The metal seems to be very good quality pewter for both the centerpiece AND the tail caps, very sturdy and solid with a nice weight that does not feel heavy around the neck. Unlike other bolo ties I have owned, this one has a handy clip between the tie loops on the back to hold it securely in placeDetails on the design are exquisite, from the ridges of the leaves around the wolf's head to the black and emerald enameling. Even the metal tail caps have an intricate leafy sort of design. In very small, almost unnoticeable print, the tops of the tail caps read "True Love" on one side and "Healehy" on the other... not sure what that's about. The cord feels very well-constructed and not likely to fray-- it even smells like real rawhide! If you bought this in an actual Western store in Texas, it would easily cost 30$ or more.Keep in mind that the cord is 40in long, or 20in on one side. If you're shorter than average, that means the tail caps will hang down quite low. I don't see a way to unclip the tail caps and reaffix them if you wanted to cut/adjust the cord length... you might just have to superglue them back on.Overall this was an amazing purchase, much nicer in person than you'd expect for the price or based on the picture.

Great for my purpose, which is to make my own modifications. The medallion is large and flat with a bold, open design, so it easily serves as a platform for adding on. Also, the cord slide is unusually well built.The cord tips, however, are a different story. They are quite heavy as tips go, have an ornate vegetative design, and each one carries an odd inscription. One half of each tip has "True Love" and the other half has "Healehy." The only guess I can make is that this is a misspelling for "Healeth." While I get that true love healeth, I don't know of anything that "healehy" and in any case wasn't wanting any inscription even if it made sense, which this one does not to me. So I cut these clunky tips off and replaced them with my own design.

Over the course of 10 years I have looked for a genuine silver and turquoise bolo tie with a design that I liked, and so far I have been unable to find one on my trips to Arizona and New Mexico. This is a great place holder until I find one. Until I can find the genuine item around $300 or so I will stick with this under-$10 "faux" or "ersatz" piece.Recently I have seen a number of photos of men wearing bolo ties online. Closer inspection reveals that these are obituaries for WWII and Korean War veterans. Apparently my fashion sense is a good 50 years behind the times. An acquaintance called my bolo a "bold" (i.e. off) fashion statement. So be it. The base metals ends make a nice chiming sound as I walk, so that's a nice bonus as well.