Let me kickstart things! This is my special order Joseph Duclos wallet that has been crafted from the skin of the Malayan water monitor (
Varanus salvator). It was a gift from my mother for graduating from university last year. The whole process, from making payment for the wallet to selecting the shade of green to obtaining the CITES certificate, and finally, receiving the wallet, took around eight months. However, the end result is well worth the wait in my opinion! I love the shade of green used on this wallet – although there is no name for the colour, I would liken it to a rich emerald green.
The inside of the wallet is made of Royal Goat leather, which is highly scratch-resistant. It is in the same colour as the exterior. From my experience, most luxury brands do not use exotics for the insides of wallets, possibly because this would make the cost of these already expensive wallets even higher and probably due to the lack of scratch resistance of most exotic leathers in general.
I use this wallet in my front trouser pocket daily, and as a result, some parts of the wallet have lost their glossy sheen. However, I believe this is to be expected when using wallets in pockets, and I am fine with it. The exterior of the wallet has also picked up some small scratches along the way, which adds some character to the wallet. One important thing to note, though, is that lizard skin is highly sensitive to water. I once got caught in a downpour and my hands were slightly wet when I took my wallet out of my pocket to pay the bus fare. Some of the water from my hands touched the edge of my wallet and immediately removed the gloss from the affected area. Thankfully, the problem fixed itself after a long time, and the affected area now looks normal again.
All in all, I am elated with my Joseph Duclos lizard wallet and would highly recommend the Maison to anyone seeking a new wallet! The wide range of customisation options are a major plus point for the brand.
