If you look into your pocket right now you will probably find at least three things; your phone, keys and yes, your Wallet. The wallet is a universal thing when it comes to items people carry in their daily life. No matter what your job is and how you spend your average day, you are going to need a wallet. You never realize it, but your wallet is the most versatile thing in your pocket except for your smartphone. It carries your cash, business cards, credit/debit cards, driving license, bills, keys, coins, and many other things and makes sure that they are accessible right away.

When it comes to choosing your wallet, leather made is the obvious choice. Metallic and carbon fiber wallets are also out there to experiment with, but when style and class are in focus nothing can outmatch the beauty of a perfectly crafted and skillfully stitched top quality leather wallet.

Here is a list of five qualities or features any good leather wallet should possess.

Leather Quality

This list is not sorted in any particular way, but if I have to list important factors first, Leather Quality will make it to the top. High-quality leather has a peculiar ‘feel’ when you hold it in your hand. To adequately judge leather, you need basic background knowledge, but you can judge the leather quality up to some extent just by rubbing a double layer together. High-quality leather is soft, has a natural smell, and feels good. If you want to evaluate it technically, then full-grain leather is the highest quality of leather. This is the uppermost part of the hide where the fibers are arranged in cross arrangement giving it extra life, and it develops a beautiful patina with time. Next to it is top grain leather. Top grain leather is obtained when the upper layer is split apart, and the surface is sanded to remove any remaining imperfections. It has a smooth look. It does not develop a natural patina like the top grain leather. The third and most commonly used leather is genuine leather. A thing to remember here is not to get confused by the word ‘genuine’ as it does not means ‘original.’ Genuine leather is the lower layer of the split in which the fibers are almost linearly arranged giving low strength and wear-resistant. It is considered as the lowest quality of leather.

Capacity

We hate it when we have to make a compromise between two things we really want. Same is the case with wallets. You can get either a slim wallet or a spacious wallet. The trade-off is easy if you know your needs. If you are a person who would keep like 10+ cards with a lot of cash and bills etc. you must look for a spacious wallet else you will have to leave some of your things behind. But if you are like me who would keep it thin with just with 2, 3 cards and some emergency cash, you don’t really need a spacious wallet. A slim wallet will perfectly suit your style. A poorly designed wallet will have unnecessary layers and pockets which add inherent thickness to it. But things are changing now, and people are out there making wallets which are spacious without being bulky. Keep an eye on the latest designs.

Size

Again size is a totally subjective thing. Bigger size may make it difficult for you to carry it in your back or front pocket, but unnecessarily small size will also make it difficult for you to orient your wallet in your hip pocket. It will keep moving like [/] and [\] inside your pocket, which is quite uncomfortable. A 4”x3.5” wallet will perfectly fit most of your jeans hip pockets.

Craftsmanship

Poor craftsmanship can completely overshadow a good design and high-quality material. Craftsmanship is the name of paying attention to every minute details. A small misalignment in sewing or cutting can make the wallet look really ugly. Craftsmanship is the reflection of the craftsman's culture. You can find high craftsmanship in the south Asian region where people are associated with the art for centuries. The habit of doing things right to the core, attention to details, and dedication to their art is something which has been transferred from generation to generation. So the next time you go to buy a wallet pay close attention to the corners bends, and inside areas of the pockets, that is where the competency of a good craftsman is hidden.

Extra Features

Everyday life is changing, and we continuously require new features in almost every product we use. Credit cards were not very common a few years ago, but now you can’t live without it. RFID-enabled cards are now getting popular as well. This new technology brings, with itself, some new security and privacy threats and you have to be on constant watch for skimmers. Your wallet can help you here. RFID blocking wallets are gaining popularity in the market. They use a layer of signal blocking material beneath the leather to keep unfriendly scanner out.

Apart from RFID blocking features, wallets are also coming equipped with tracker chips which easily connect with your Android or iPhone and keep you informed about the location of your wallet. This makes it less likely for you to forget your wallet in places like restaurants or coffee houses. But these features are not mature yet and I have found people complaining about weak battery, low signal range, and malfunctioning of these features. Do read the user reviews before going for such high-tech wallets. They are nice but highly unreliable if you select a product which is not yet thoroughly tested.

As a user what you want in your wallet do let us know in the comment section.