Every once in awhile I’ll do something crazy like buy two Hermes wallets at the same time. It all started when I was browsing Instagram (isn’t that how many impulsive consumer tendencies begin? Well that’s true for me 🤦🏻♀️), and I got the notion to have a wallet that’s large enough to fit my usual card case items + my phone. I think it’s something a lot of people do, but I hadn’t really the need until I started working (and switching bags). I like my minimal card case (an oldie but goodie from Everlane), but I wanted something that could fit my phone. And like I’m wont to do, I went straight to Fashionphile to see what they had in stock. Having tried both Chanel and Celine wallets in the past, I wanted something different. Well they had two very similar Hermes wallets (at least on the outside) and not being able to choose just one, I went with both. Lucky for me, Fashionphile has a great return policy (free returns up to 30 days as long as you keep the tags attached) so even though I bought two, I kept one. So which one did I end up keeping?
I should also mention I purchased the Quince continental wallet with credit (thanks again to all those who purchased through my referral link). I thought if the Quince wallet was good enough I would go with that one and return the two from Hermes. But as you can guess, a wallet from the other end of the price spectrum has a hard time matching an Hermes.
So the three wallets I’m comparing today are the Hermes Silk’In Classic Long Wallet in Epsom leather in the color Raisin, the Hermes Azap Classique Wallet in Chevre Mysore leather in Etoupe, and the Quince pebbled leather continental wallet in black. They’re all about the same size: 7.75” x 4” (which I guess is the standard continental size). But if you take a look at the thickness, you can see the difference between the high-end and low-end wallets right away. As you can see in the picture below the Quince wallet is quite a bit thicker. That’s probably from using lower grade materials and leather. The added bulk also translates to added weight. When I weighed all three wallets empty the Hermes Silk’In weighed 6.4 oz, the Azap weighed 6.2 oz, and the Quince wallet weighed 8.2 oz. Two ounces doesn’t seem like a lot, but it is noticeably heavier when carrying it.
If you look at the picture above, you can also see that the construction of the Quince wallet is slightly shabbier with visible glue marks (and keep in mind the Quince wallet is brand new while the other wallets are used—the Raisin Silk’In wallet is from 2019 and the Etoupe Azap wallet is from 2014).
The other reasons (other than the weight) the Quince wallet was a no-go for me: 1) the zipper wasn’t really smooth and it was noticeably harder to open than the Hermes wallets, and 2) the thick leather meant it was more difficult to slide cards in and out of the card slot. So I ended up selling the Quince wallet on eBay. TBH even if I couldn’t afford the Hermes wallet, I don’t think I would purchase this Quince one. I think for a little more money a wallet from Cuyana (their wallets are made in Turkey) or Lo and Sons (they have a cactus vegan leather version) will be a better bet and last longer. Or go the secondhand route, and you can see how well the wallets have worn during their years of use by the first owner.
Which brings me to the comparison of the two Hermes wallet. As you can see the Raisin Espom leather is starting to show wear even though it’s 5 years newer than the Etoupe Chevre Mysore leather. Both leathers are quite durable and scratch resistant, however Epsom is a heat pressed leather, which means it has an add layer of texture over a base leather. And as you can see, part of that is starting to flake off at the edges.
As for the interior of the Hermes Silk’In wallet, I do love the patterned silk inside. But I think the silk tends to stretch out more, so for this used wallet it meant some of the card slots were quite stretched out and couldn’t hold just a single card securely. Of course this all depends on the habits of the previous owner (maybe the Etoupe wallet owner was more careful and or didn’t use her wallet as much). But I do think having a leather interior is better for wallets in the long run. And surprisingly, the all-leather Azap wallet was 2oz. lighter than the silk one, which is not what I would have guessed. But I guess when it comes to high quality leather, it sometimes can be lighter than a fabric-constructed one. But it’s cheaper to make a wallet with a silk interior than a leather one, and that shows in the retail price. The Silk’In wallets retail for $1375, while the all leather Azap wallets go for $3275 for the Chevre Mysore (it’s $100 cheaper for the Azap wallet in Epsom leather). But when it comes to the secondhand market (and in this case), the Azap wallet was only $85 more than the Silk’In wallet.
And that brings me to the Hermes Chevre Mysore wallet in Etoupe, which if you’ve been reading the blog or following on Insta is the one that I kept. Not only was it the lightest in weight, but it was the best looking one even though it’s almost 10 years old! I love the ease of the zipper, the ease of sliding the cards in and out of the card slots, and I love that even though I fit my phone it hasn’t stretched out. Also while doing some research for this post I learned that Chevre Mysore is a leather made from goats and is one of the most durable leathers that Hermes uses. And that makes it the perfect material for a wallet. Yes, this old wallet has some scratches on the exterior and has worn out a bit. But I got it for 80% off retail so it’s 100% worth it. I’ve been using this wallet for about six months now and I really love the feel, look, and functionality of this wallet. And when it wears out, I hope to take it back to Hermes for repair (or for a “bag spa”) and continue to use it until my senior citizen days (so 25 more years to go).