For those who missed out on Chester Mox’s shell cordovan wallet sale a few weeks ago, they’re both reintroducing and expanding it this week. For the next seven days, you can knock $75 off their #54 shell cordovan card cases with the checkout code ShellDisc; $100 off their #90 shell cordovan bi-fold wallets with the checkout code 90ShellDisc; or a combined $180 discount off both with the checkout code SpecialDisc.
Like with the last batch of wallets, these are made from Italian shell cordovan. The leather has all the same glossy shine and finish of Horween’s shell, but is made with a more consistent thickness throughout (which Bellanie at Chester Mox tells me makes it easier to use for small leather goods). It also comes in a considerably wider range of colors. Whereas Horween these days mostly only pumps out shell cordovan in their signature #8 color, these Italian shells are available in everything from British racing green to deep navy to mocha brown.
As always, Chester Mox’s wallets are fully handsewn. Which means, instead of pushing a piece of leather through a sewing machine, these are made using an old technique known as saddle stitching (same as what’s done at Hermes, to a standard I think is just as good). Here, two needles pass through a single hole, which makes the seam both stronger and tighter. If you look closely, machine-sewn seams will always have visible holes, but saddle-stitched seams – if well done – are a bit neater. Just compare Chester Mox’s wallets pictured above with these machine-made shell cordovan wallets at Brooks Brothers. By comparison, the ones at Brooks look like they’ve been made with a nailgun.
To be sure, even with the discount, these aren’t cheap, but they’re more affordable than the machine-sewn shell cordovan wallets you’ll find elsewhere, and they’re fully customizable. Since everything is made-on-order, customers can choose their own combination of colors for the outer and interior leathers, the threads, and even a personalized, hot stamped monogram (should they want one). To see the options, first click “Shell/ Chevre” on the page, then click “Personalize It.” You’ll then get a new pop-up window.
Note, the sale ends next Wednesday, September 27th.
