I don't get to wear a tie everyday, just on Sundays.  This beautiful tie always gets a lot of nice compliments!  Some of the other reviewers said that this tie - ties easily, is made of a thick material, holds up well, etc.  They're right, of course.  I asked a friend of mine who is a "gentleman's tailor" about this tie.  He said it's silk but its weave is a little unusual by today's standards.  He called it a "saglia" weave.  It's as close to a "corduroy" as you can get, working with a material as soft as silk.  That's what gives this tie a little more strength and rigidness and it's why it ties easily and stands out so prominently.  He also said that this type of weave isn't as common as it once was simply because it costs more to produce it.  You can learn a lot from a tailor!  Still, as you can see, the price is certainly reasonable for this great-looking tie and you'd easily pay much more for it elsewhere.