Lizard vs. Karung

castorny

Luxury Obsessed
O.G.
Jan 3, 2008
3,056
29
I have seen many beautiful exotic pieces here in the BV forum. But, I can't really tell the difference between Lizard and Karung. Is it possible that they are the same? Is Karung a type of lizard?
 
as far as I know, karung is a watersnake

Yes, that's correct. It has much smaller scales than python or other snakeskin, almost lizard-like from afar. I have it in a bronze (Brass) Knot clutch. Here are some pics I posted before. http://forum.purseblog.com/bottega-veneta/knot-knot-clutch-here-189705-2.html

Apologies for the huge pics.

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Close up

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Karung is water snake, and though the patterning looks similar to lizard to the untrained eye, the feel is very different. Snakeskin is "drapier" - more pliable- and has directionality or nap, since if you stoke it in one direction you are smoothing down the scales, and in the opposite direction you are lifting the scales. Lizard would feel smooth regardless of the direction in which you rub it. BV's hides are as pliable as I have ever felt, so that even croc or lizard are not the usual stiff skin that one expects for the reptile exotics. Karung (and all snake, I believe) is less expensive than reptile, but I love the skins for their absolute beauty - and they are not as sensitive to moisture and cracking as are the reptile. I find the two different, but one could substitued karung to get a lizard-like appearance... and because the scales are small, the lifting is not noticable like it is for python, and not as plastic appearing as anaconda. Karung is a beautiful, beautiful skin in its own right, IMO!
 
Ooooh. Thanks Jburgh!

Does BV offer Lizard or just Karung?

I misread the Bottega website. The flip flops are made of Karung, with a "Lizard motif", meaning on the insole. Very confusing!
 
I think it is so hard to really tell the difference between lizard and karung. In fact when I was in BV recently, I was asking about a wallet that I was sure was Karung, and the SA told me it was lizard. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I am very detail oriented. Porsche girl's Cabat and the one from bv.luxury look like exactly the same reptile.
 
Lizard and karung are different in texture. If you look closely to the skins (depending on the size of the skin), lizard's pattern is less uniform scales (has smaller and larger scales, hard to describe -similar to croc), karung is more uniform in pattern (little scales). They are similar but not totally alike. Also, the feel of lizard is smoother than karung. But I would think Karung is sturdier.

BV uses karung (water snake skin), pitone (python skin), and lizard skin.