Crochet, perhaps it would be better if you can see the colors in a bag, not just in leather swatches (as sometimes they are too small to see the full effect of the color in different lightings).
About box, imo, yes you kinda have to baby it if you dont want scratches. But if you like the look of box calf so much, I think it might be worth it (I'm a box calf freak, I love it so much). But if you want more peace of mind in everyday usage, clemence, togo or chevre would be good suggestions.