princessfrog, I love lizard! (And croc, and ostrich...) I have several lizard bags (about 30 exotic skin bags all told, from one maker, all about 50 years old), all the skins and bodies, handles etc. are MINT. And I've used them (as have others) - they look perfectly new.
I bought an H lizard GM agenda de poche (it's 5" by 3" with the two metal hooks top and bottom inside, holds note paper or little calendar), and it's not new, it's approx 10 years old, but it looks brand new.
I think it has to do with how careful you are with the exotic skin. My feeling is that exotic skins are really hardy.
I know there are many many H exotic skin bag owners here - perhaps they'll tell us how lizard holds up.
All I know is while I don't have H exotic skins, mine are made by a competitor in the 50s and they are all immaculate - sturdy, mint and gorgeous! And, if H is supposed to be the premiere handbag maker, stands to reason theirs would stand up at least as well.