01 June 2011

Filofax Aston - Review

The Filofax 'Aston' is one of the new styles released in 2011. As its name implies the Aston is at the luxury end of the product range. It is made from 'Deluxe Leather', the stitching detail as you will hopefully see from the photographs is quite delicate and very well done.

So how does the 'Aston' compare to the other organisers in the range... ones you will most probably be more familiar with.  My first impression when I opened the package was 'Finchley'. It has the same soft feel of the Finchley mini that I have. It is very soft to touch, but may be not as supple as say the Malden, but no were near as stiff as say a Finsbury or a Classic.

In pocket size the Aston has the following features:
  • 19mm rings, yes I've measured them! This is the same as the Malden. 
  • On the left hand side there are four horizontal credit card slots, and a full length vertical pocket behind them. 
  • On the right hand side there is a leather zipped pocket. On the Finchley this is a mesh pocket, not as nice as the leather on the Aston in my opinion.  There is also an elasticated leather pen loop. 
  • The Aston comes with cotton cream inserts: Diary(Week on Two Pages), To Do, Ruled paper, Addresses, Three letter index, Brown ruler.  
What the Aston pocket doesn't have is a full width exterior rear pocket, which the Finchley doesn't have either. But what it does mean is that the pocket size does lay flat virtually from day 1. I compared it to my 'broken in' Chameleon pocket, which does have the rear pocket and the Aston does lay flatter than the Chameleon pocket.  So the lack of the rear pocket or the ability to lay flat could be a decider for some people.

However, when I have tried the Aston out as a Wallet/Filofax and it holds everything that I need to carry: Passport, Drivers licence, Credit Cards. The rear pocket I only use for paper money and as I carry less and less of that these days, the lack of the rear pocket on the Aston wouldn't be a big issue for me.

So some pictures, this is the pocket size in Mushroom. The leather 'panels' reminded me of the crease lines you get on a car bonnet (or hood if you are in North America)


They continue on to the back of the organiser as well, but without the centre stitching, so just like a boot or trunk of a car.


Without the stationary you can see how flat the Aston lays. 


A close up of the inside front cover. 


And also a close up of the base of the spine, stitching all the different panels together must be quite a task, even if it might be done by a machine these days. 


And finally open with the cotton cream stationary back in place. 



The Aston is available at present in the following colours: Black, Chocolate, Orchid, Mushroom. It is available in Pocket, Personal and A5 sizes. and the prices range from £72 for the Pocket, £83 for the Personal and £125 for the A5. These prices are the same as the equivalent size Finchleys.

The Aston I'm told will be available on the Filofax website sometime in June 2011.

Aston Chocolate
Aston Orchid











I would like to thank Filofax for the opportunity to review this new model and for sending me this free sample.

18 comments:

  1. This looks really nice - probably because I am a real Finchley fan - I couldn't understand why they were discontinuing it, and this may be the reason.

    One thing I don't understand is why it takes so long to get these items on the website - unless they have sent you a sample and they don't have stocks yet!

    Gosh it must be like giving a child a job as a chocolate taster being able to review all these lovely filofaxes!! You lucky devil!

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  2. Thank you so much for this review! I knew I wanted this one as soon as I saw it, and these pictures only solidify my love for it. :)

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  3. I can definitely see the similarities with the Finchley and I love the purple colour. In fact I think I prefer it to the Finchley! I'm looking for an A5 and maybe this is the one! But I don't think I could afford £125 for it... the good thing about the Finchley is that it's been around for so long there are cheap ones on ebay etc, but I couldn't wait for this one to get cheaper... the price is an issue

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  4. WOW. The Aston looks really nice!! Thank you for the excellent & thorough review....or not...because now I totally want one in that mushroom color you showcased!

    Finally some more interesting colors in the lineup!

    Thanks again Steve : )

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  5. Will the A5 size have 30mm rings?
    The Orchid one looks fantastic... I'm extremely tempted.

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  6. No, the Aston A5 will come with 25mm rings.

    The Malden A5 has 30mm rings likewise the Finsbury and the Kendal have that size too, as well as the Domino and the Metropol.

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  7. will it be available in the Neal/Conduit street shops before it is online I wonder... maybe an excuse to go to London!!

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  8. Ooh I'm loving the Orchid colour! But not sure it is as lovely as the Malden leather. I'll have to pop in store next time I'm in London for a look (cuddle)

    Still dithering here about the Malden in Rose after deciding I didn't like it at the meet up I am loving using the Malden in Crimson but the colour isn't really me (bit too serious and grown up and I miss my pink!!)

    L

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  9. Thanks for the review. Love the orchid.... looks like a classy Filofax. Stunning...

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  10. @Saffronia. I agree with you. Don't think this is as nice as the Finchley. There will be no increase in my Philofaxy count!

    Thanks for the review though Steve.

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  11. Great review, Steve! However, the way you put it, it sounds like its either the wallet pocket or laying flat. The Malden has the wallet pocket and lays flat as a rat (well, after it's been run over or something)! Pity they didn't include the wallet pocket in the Aston...

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  12. Thanks for the great review, Steve. I really love the mushroom color. I wish it came with a secretarial pocket, though.

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  13. I'm with Saffronia and CP - I'm not increasing my filofax count with this one either... sorry.

    Great review though!

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  14. Oh Steve, it just ocurred to me that I sound a little snooty.

    I absolutely love the your review. I am very confident your accuracy thus I am confident that it is not for me.

    I appreciate you for time and the detail that you ahve provided for the review.

    XOXO

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  15. Thanks for this review Steve. I love the mushroom color. I know this will be my next purchase. Do you know when they will be selling them in the US? How come I have never been asked to be "under the spotlight"? LOL

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  16. Ha ha... having said I didn't like the idea of it...
    ...I now have one and I love it!

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  17. I have just bought an Aston in personal size from John Lewis in Cardiff for £42.50 - it was half price in their 'Clearance Sale'. What a S-T-E-A-L at that price. They had other there as well - Cubans, Finchleys and Chameleons - in pocket, personal and A5 sizes -and all at half price. I have a pocket Belgravia that I have used and loved for years but was thinking of up-sizing to a personal filofax and had been holding off for a long time and then along came this filo-fest in Cardiff. Which one to buy? In the end, after a good groping and fondling of leather and testing the all-important 'lay-flatness' of them all, I chose the Aston - and the cotton cream inserts tipped the balance as well. By the way, the back pocket on any filofax makes them terrible on the desk - they just never lay flat but curl up and you need both hands to man-handle them into submissive flatness. I am now a well-satisfied, indeed delighted and somewhat smug owner of an Aston personal. If the Greek gods are reading this, a hubristic thunderbolt must be coming my way.

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