I love the feel and look of lambskin but I hate all those lttle scratches so I always lead towards caviar.
Caviar or Lambskin - Chanel classic flap
- Thread starter honeybunch
- Start date
CONGRATS! I'm so happy that you love the lambskin!!! 
Can't wait to see modeling pics!
Can't wait to see modeling pics!
yea me too can't wait to see modeling pictures.
hurry up. hehe....
honeybunch, may i know how much u bought the lambskin and what r the colors available??
I purchased mine over the telephone as my nearest boutique is miles away. They only had them in black and beige and the cost in GBP was £1220 which I think is roughly $2440. The caviar was £100 cheaper.
I have not found that the caviar softens up like, say, a leather jacket would, but they really do age well. The caviar softens up in the sense that the synthetic appearance you mentioned (know exactly what you're talking about, btw) diminishes over time. Can't really explain why this is... My sense is, as the leather wears-in, its shiny "topcoat" (so to speak--I sound like I'm describing a manicure) fades.
ps. I'm loving your topics today, honeybunch!
Ha! Ha! Thanks Ginger!
I am almost starting to regret the lambskin because it is so damn fragile. I have already scratched it in several places and haven't even used it yet! Please don't let me get remorse over sending my caviar back!My baby lambskin got rained on a month or two ago (pouring rain + cab strike + pink lambskin baby flap = I'd rather chew glass) but miraculously survived thanks to acting quickly, waiting patiently for baby to heal, and a jar of Urad Tenderly (I use this more on caviar/nappa, but its safe for all leathers, even lambskin, and y'all know I asked them!)
As soon as I got home, I blotted the bag gently with a soft absorbent cloth (actually, my hair turbie-towel, LOL) to soak up some of the water. The bag wasn't drenched, but the top half/flap part was pretty wet.
Then I stuffed the bag with tissue to preserve its shape, laid it on a fresh turbie towel, and let it air dry, away from heat sources/sunlight. You don't want it to dry too quick (NO hairdryers! Not even the cool ionic ones!) bc that increases the risk of leaving watermarks.
There were several watermarks after my baby dried (1 week at room temp). I lightened the marks significantly though using Tenderly (I purchased it from the manufacturer in Canada at urad-dot-org--highly recommend it and the site for its products and free online leather care guides). I used a very small amount on the watermarks with a soft sponge, then applied it to the entire area around the marks to "blend" the marks into the bag.
I then restuffed the bag and lay it on the towel til the Tenderly dried, which took another 2 days. By then the marks had faded and are noticeable only up-close.
Sorry this is so long, and probably more info than you really need/want! The takeaway is this:
Rain is just plain bad, but in my experience, caviar CAN withstand a shower once in a while if you dry it naturally and treat it carefully when you get home (I only have dark colors though).
Light-colored lambskin, even if you're vigilant about tending to it ASAP, will almost certainly show marks of water damage if you get it even a little wet. It reminds me of fine silk in that way. Not sure about the darker colors though--my other lambskin is black, and I have no desire to ever get it wet! The first time was traumatic enough.
Ha! Ha! Thanks Ginger!
I would never do such a thing! I love the lambskin--they definitely have a much more luxurious look and feel. The last time I asked my friend to hold my bag for me (I was taking off my coat, but it took a few minutes bc I talked to my other friend while at the coat rack), I returned to find her lovingly stroking the purse as if it were a pet! It was the cutest thing ever.
After the rain incident, I noticed that my baby's surface was a little less delicate, though just as soft. So I applied a light coat of Tenderly to my other lambskin (black xl), and even though it's vintage, it too felt slightly more resilent to the elements (my fingernails, buttons, Things With Edges, etc) when I carried it.
Ginger12, this is all great advice as I'm terrified of it getting rained on. But I don't think they sell Tenderly in the UK? I wish someone could recommend me a great product in the UK
:s
:si am debating b/w a flap in caviar vs. lambskin. is the lambskin too delicate that i will feel afraid to use it? Do you think the medium flaps look just as good in the caviar? Are they just as dressy?
I think everyone is afraid of the lambskin in the beginning and once you get it - you realize it is not that hard to take care of. But the caviar is really the best - if you don't want any fuss at all. Yes, caviar looks good on the med flap. I have a med flap both in the white and black caviar - love them.
I think it really depends what color you're thinking of getting! If it's a lighter color e.g. beige, white then definitely go for the caviar cuz it's much easier to maintain. Otherwise I think caviar and lambskin are both charming in their own ways... caviar is feels so fresh and sturdy, while the lambskin is so lux and delicate. You can't go wrong with either!! 
Lambskin is really a lot more resilient than people think. If you have spent any time on eBay looking at vintage flap bags you will note that about 95% of them are lambskin and they have held up very nicely.
