My love for wallets began with my first genuine leather wallet. Back then, I didn’t know that “genuine leather” was merely a marketing term and not a guarantee of quality leather. That wallet had a very thin layer of leather, combined with suede and fabric liners in different sections. The main compartment divider was made of suede, and for a long time, I considered that suede as an identifying trait of a real leather wallet.
As I started learning more and more about leather, I finally saw and felt what full-grain leather truly was. As my understanding of leathercraft grew and my leather collection expanded, I knew I wanted a wallet made entirely from full-grain leather.
By then, I had already come across a made-to-order brand called Craft and Glory. I had bespoke boots and a belt made by them. While searching for a minimalist wallet made from full-grain leather, I eventually chose one from their existing catalogue, the Glasgow Mini Wallet.
It was made from chrome-tanned, full-grain buffalo leather, and the moment it arrived, it became one of my favourites. For nearly two years, it was my constant every day carry (EDC). I cherished every moment with it. Conditioning the leather and patiently waiting for the patina to develop became a weekend ritual.
As time passed, I realized that the world of leather is far bigger than I had imagined when I bought that wallet. I began learning about leathercraft, tanneries, different hides, and the many types of leather used across the world. And That’s when shell cordovan caught my eye.
Shell cordovan is often debated as “not really a leather” because it isn’t made from skin, but from a dense fibrous membrane called superficial fascia found between the skin and muscle. While all equine species have this membrane in their rump area, only horses have it thick and large enough to be usable. There are only a handful of tanneries in the world that produce shell cordovan.
The leather has a smoothness and natural lustre that no other material can compete with. Owning a wallet made from this rare, premium, vegetable-tanned leather became my holy grail.
Next came the design.
My Glasgow wallet had horizontal card slots, and over time, as the leather stretched, my cards began slipping out the moment I took the wallet out of my pocket. Learning from that experience, I decided that my next wallet would have vertical card compartments for better retention.
And with both of these decisions, my hunt for the perfect wallet truly began.
Frequent scrolling and searching for shell cordovan wallets soon became my new ritual. Rocado, Horween, and Shinki Hikaku were the names I kept looking for. These are the legendary tanneries producing shell cordovan, which are in Italy, Chicago, and Japan respectively.
Most of the time, I found wallets that used shell cordovan only on the exterior, with different leathers lining the inside. But I wanted an all-shell wallet, and so my search continued.
One fine day, while browsing Etsy, I stumbled upon a shop called Toronegroleather from Kyiv, Ukraine . And there I found the wallet I had been searching for, made using Rocado shell cordovan.
The piece was stunning. It featured a beautiful combination of Whiskey and Petrolio colours, and I knew instantly that I wanted it exactly as shown. The only customization I made was the thread color and my initials inside the wallet. I chose orange stitching, to contrast with the deep Petrolio and to blend with the Whiskey tones.
After placing the order, I messaged Eugene to explain my requirements in detail. The seller was extremely cooperative and patient, accommodating every request without hesitation. After about a month of waiting my holy grail wallet finally arrived.
The wallet turned out truly beautiful. Aniline-dyed shell cordovan in its full glory.
The Petrolio and Whiskey tones worked incredibly well with the orange stitching, and my initials quietly inside the wallet.
The saddle stitching done with waxed nylon thread was exceptionally neat, the kind of precision that only comes from skill and patience. The edge work had been taken to a mirror finish, smooth and reflective. Petrolio and Whiskey turned out to be the perfect combination. I honestly couldn’t think of a way to make this wallet better.
At the center was the mark of the Rocado tannery, which is a sign of authenticity. Having the complete tannery logo placed so prominently is a feeling only tannery and leather enthusiasts can truly relate to. For days, I just admired its beauty; and I still do.
However, what I hadn’t fully considered was the thickness. A wallet made entirely from vegetable-tanned shell cordovan, without any skiving, was bound to be substantial, and so it was. When it first arrived, it was almost twice as thick as my existing Glasgow wallet.
Ironically, that very thickness is why it took me so long to find an all-shell wallet. Most makers avoid making wallets entirely out of shell cordovan. Instead, they use shell for the exterior and lighter leathers like calf on the inside to keep the profile slim. An all-shell construction inevitably adds bulk. But, that bulk also changed the way I carried my wallet.
Earlier, my back pocket was always reserved for my wallet. With this wallet, sitting on it meant uneven posture, and I started experiencing some back pain. I had to switch to carrying it in my left pocket. Also, there was one more reason for this shift.
On my trip to Kerala, I was sitting on a rock at the Phantom Hills with my wallet in my back pocket. The pressure of the rock and my weight left debossed marks on the leather. That became the very first memory etched into this wallet. Even now, whenever I notice that mark, it takes me back to that day.
But, knowing that I could damage the wallet by sitting on it made me respect it a little more, and carry it in a way that’s better for both my back and the wallet.
With time, the wallet has broken in beautifully. The vegetable-tanned shell has softened and developed a sheen. The thickness has reduced too, partly because I’ve stopped carrying unnecessary cards. Now it’s just two credit cards, one debit card, two IDs, and a few bills.
Every day, when I pick up my wallet, it gives me immense joy to carry something that holds meaning to me. And that’s how your EDC should be, right? Tools that help you get through your day, and quietly make you happy, every single day.
