Weights of different leathers

[peonies13]

I'm looking for a vintage B30 or B35 and have finally decided I'm going to put my smooth barenia hunt on hold (as it's turned up nothing in more than a year) and will look for a leather I can find more easily. I'll find something in barenia eventually

Can any lovely TPFers help me better understand the weight and thickness differences between these leathers? I've done a fair bit of research online and digging through threads here, but still don't understand for certain which is thickest-to-thinnest (and thus heaviest-to-lightest).

Also, can a vintage bag in a discontinued leather (Ardennes) be spa'd - i.e. do the repair technicians keep bits of discontinued leather around for repairs or are you out of luck on spa'ing a vintage-leather bag?

Thanks all!

 

[Goobydoobydoo]

I can speak to the first 3 leathers. Of those 3, Ardennes is the most stiff and durable. It’s scratch proof and water proof so it ends up looking pretty much the same many years down the line. Another pro is that Ardennes won’t slouch because of the stiff leather. I saw a B35 in Ardennes noisette in person and really had a hard time deciding because it looked almost new 20 years from when it was originally made but ended up going with a Togo because the Ardennes leather didn’t feel delicate enough for me. I’m also 5”3 so it looks even bigger in full shape. I’ve also heard that since it’s a discontinued leather, there’s only so much a spa can do if something needs to be replaced.

Togo is a classic birkin leather and for me at least, is a good balance of delicate and sturdy. You can see the grains (similar to Clemence). It will last a long time and have some slouch over the years but minor. It is heavier though. Clemence is thinner and therefore has more slouch which translates into more wear on the sides and corners but a lovely leather nonetheless. You’ll see the Evelyne in Clemence leather because it’s a thinner more flexible leather and able to mold to your body (while Epsom is the other available leather for the Evelyne if someone is looking for a more rigid bag).

I’d recommend looking at Fashionphile pictures to see the differences between leathers since they take pretty good pictures and getting your hands on them to feel the differences. Hope that helps!

 

[hermesgeek]

I can speak to the first 3 leathers. Of those 3, Ardennes is the most stiff and durable. It’s scratch proof and water proof so it ends up looking pretty much the same many years down the line. Another pro is that Ardennes won’t slouch because of the stiff leather. I saw a B35 in Ardennes noisette in person and really had a hard time deciding because it looked almost new 20 years from when it was originally made but ended up going with a Togo because the Ardennes leather didn’t feel delicate enough for me. I’m also 5”3 so it looks even bigger in full shape. I’ve also heard that since it’s a discontinued leather, there’s only so much a spa can do if something needs to be replaced.

Togo is a classic birkin leather and for me at least, is a good balance of delicate and sturdy. You can see the grains (similar to Clemence). It will last a long time and have some slouch over the years but minor. It is heavier though. Clemence is thinner and therefore has more slouch which translates into more wear on the sides and corners but a lovely leather nonetheless. You’ll see the Evelyne in Clemence leather because it’s a thinner more flexible leather and able to mold to your body (while Epsom is the other available leather for the Evelyne if someone is looking for a more rigid bag).

I’d recommend looking at Fashionphile pictures to see the differences between leathers since they take pretty good pictures and getting your hands on them to feel the differences. Hope that helps!

love everything you said but in my experience I think clemence is heavier and thicker than togo. But that could just be me lol Love both leathers but with a birkin 35 I’d choose togo over clemence.

 

[peonies13]

Ardennes is the most stiff and durable. It’s scratch proof and water proof so it ends up looking pretty much the same many years down the line. Another pro is that Ardennes won’t slouch because of the stiff leather.... ended up going with a Togo because the Ardennes leather didn’t feel delicate enough for me.

Thank you - this is helpful. I figured maybe one could be a little less careful with ardennes (vs togo) but I don't want to lose the nice hand-feel. Is ardennes kinda unpleasant to the touch compared to togo (not soft, supple, etc.)? I don't mind soft bags but don't need crazy structure either (i.e. I strongly dislike epsom for this reason)

since it’s a discontinued leather, there’s only so much a spa can do if something needs to be replaced.

Have heard the same, hopefully someone who's tried to spa a discontinued leather can chime in.

is a good balance of delicate and sturdy. You can see the grains (similar to Clemence). It will last a long time and have some slouch over the years but minor. It is heavier though... Clemence is thinner and therefore has more slouch which translates into more wear on the sides and corners but a lovely leather nonetheless.

in my experience I think clemence is heavier and thicker than togo

Maybe someone knows for sure? I thought togo was heavier but I cant find for sure! I have two clemence bags and can't imagine something even heavier in a B35. Is ardennes even heavier than both or somewhere in the middle?

 

[Goobydoobydoo]

Hmm, I checked up online and supposedly Clemence is heavier but softer than Togo. Maybe my experience is because I saw the Clemence on an Evelyne and if felt less heavy than when I touched the Togo birkin. I want to say that the Ardennes is a little lighter than Togo in a birkin 35 but it was stiff. It’s not soft or supple. It’s definitely a workhorse bag where you can throw around and nothing would happen to it. It’s very close to epsom in stiffness but just slightly less.

 

[hermesgeek]

Hmm, I checked up online and supposedly Clemence is heavier but softer than Togo. Maybe my experience is because I saw the Clemence on an Evelyne and if felt less heavy than when I touched the Togo birkin. I want to say that the Ardennes is a little lighter than Togo in a birkin 35 but it was stiff. It’s not soft or supple. It’s definitely a workhorse bag where you can throw around and nothing would happen to it. It’s very close to epsom in stiffness but just slightly less.

oh that explains it lol yeah evelynes are unlined inside so that does make the difference I guess haha I love clemence on evelynes I think it looks best in that leather!

 

[loh]

Clemence is definitely softer, heavier and thicker than togo. I have B's and K's in both leathers. Clemence is hardier than togo as well. If you're thinking of a B35, I'd go for togo over clemence for the weight factor, especially if you are planning to use it like a workhorse bag and fill it up. It could become very heavy to carry.

 

[peonies13]

Hmm, I checked up online and supposedly Clemence is heavier but softer than Togo. Maybe my experience is because I saw the Clemence on an Evelyne and if felt less heavy than when I touched the Togo birkin. I want to say that the Ardennes is a little lighter than Togo in a birkin 35 but it was stiff. It’s not soft or supple. It’s definitely a workhorse bag where you can throw around and nothing would happen to it. It’s very close to epsom in stiffness but just slightly less.

Oh awesome, glad you found something more definitive than I did
If ardennes is similar to epsom I should probably pass despite my appreciation of a workhorse bag... darn!

 

[peonies13]

Clemence is definitely softer, heavier and thicker than togo. I have B's and K's in both leathers. Clemence is hardier than togo as well. If you're thinking of a B35, I'd go for togo over clemence for the weight factor, especially if you are planning to use it like a workhorse bag and fill it up. It could become very heavy to carry.

Thanks for clarifying from personal experience. I wouldn't likely stuff my bag - I don't carry much for myself and only minimal kiddo stuff but I prefer to not baby my bags so a "workhorse" appeals on that angle. But still, togo over clemence for sure based on weight alone.

 

[peonies13]

oh that explains it lol yeah evelynes are unlined inside so that does make the difference I guess haha I love clemence on evelynes I think it looks best in that leather!

I love my evie in clemence so much

 

[hermesgeek]

I could be wrong, but I remember talking to someone who said Ardennes was brought back by Hermès in limited birkin and kelly quantities the past two years. So if that’s the case, I’m sure Hermès can spa your bag without supply worries. Please take this with a grain of salt because I’m not entirely sure!

 

[peonies13]

I could be wrong, but I remember talking to someone who said Ardennes was brought back by Hermès in limited birkin and kelly quantities the past two years. So if that’s the case, I’m sure Hermès can spa your bag without supply worries. Please take this with a grain of salt because I’m not entirely sure!

Ooh ooh... anyone know for sure? This might change my mind even if the hand-feel isn't quite as nice as togo, I'm so tempted by the resiliency.

 

[Mariapia]

Clemence is definitely softer, heavier and thicker than togo. I have B's and K's in both leathers. Clemence is hardier than togo as well. If you're thinking of a B35, I'd go for togo over clemence for the weight factor, especially if you are planning to use it like a workhorse bag and fill it up. It could become very heavy to carry.

I totally agree, loh.
I weighed my B35 in Clémence leather.
1,3 kilo….

 

[duna]

To me Togo and Clemence are pretty much the same weightwise. Clemence is softer and has a nicer hand feel than Togo, also the grain in Clemence is bigger and flatter than in Togo. Ardennes has not been brought back recently and of the 3 leathers it's definately the lightest in weight. As others have said it's stiffer than Togo and Clemence. My favourite of the 3 is Clemence as I prefer soft slouchy leathers to stiff ones. The hand feel of Ardennes is much nicer than Epsom, even if it's also a stamped leather.

 

[Tonimichelle]

I’m not sure there’s much in it weight wise either between togo and clemence. My B35 in togo weighed 1.29 kilos.
My B30 clemence weighs just under 1 kilo, which makes quite a difference to my back somehow!
I think both leathers are pretty robust and fairly likely to slouch in a B35, slightly less so in a B30. I have to admit I do love the thickness and squishyness (is that a word!) of clemence.