Valextra Zip Purse 12 Cards
It is said that it is better to change your wallet regularly according to feng shui. I recently replaced my wallet after seven years, and chose a zip wallet that is useful in this cashless era. The wallet I selected is the Zip Purse 12 Card, which can hold 12 cards, sold by the Italian company Valextra.
Valextra
I regularly replace my wallet, but I had never considered purchasing a high-end brand wallet before, so this is my first time choosing one. Prior to this, I used a Whitehouse Cox bridle leather long zip wallet, which had aged beautifully over seven years.Since wallets are leather products, I had planned to purchase the same Whitehouse Cox model again due to its ease of use and maintenance.
However, Whitehouse Cox has ceased operations, and while a Japanese company has acquired the brand rights and is attempting to resume operations, no concrete plans for restarting production have been announced yet. As a result, I decided to explore other options and selected the Valextra Zip Purse 12 Card, which I am introducing today.
A brand that is not well known but is of high quality.
The image of the Valextra brand comes from a senior colleague who took care of me about 20 years ago. I can’t remember the model name, but it was a slightly large zip wallet with a handle, which my senior colleague used regularly, so it stuck in my memory.
This senior colleague spent much of his time overseas, mainly in North America, and led a lifestyle that was unconventional and beyond my reach, in terms of how he enjoyed himself and travelled. When we ate together, he would pay without even offering to contribute, always covering the entire bill in a very smart manner. However, instead of carrying a bag, he always had a Valextra zip wallet with a handle, in which he kept everything from cash to credit cards, cash cards, his passport, and driver’s licence.
Since it belonged to a senior colleague who lived a life that was beyond my reach, I felt intimidated and lost interest in the Valextra brand for a while. It was also this senior colleague who taught me about Barolo, an Italian wine.
My impression of Valextra was that, since it was chosen by a senior colleague who had travelled the world and broadened his horizons, it must be a product with excellent quality and well-thought-out usability, even before considering its brand image. However, I thought that it might be too daunting for someone like me to actually use it, so Valextra faded from my mind.
Wallet options
The quality of Whitehouse Cox wallets is evident in their high-quality bridle leather construction, and with the cream provided for bridle leather, regular maintenance will give them a unique patina that differs from when they are new. The construction is solid and practical, typical of a British company, and the more you use it, the more you will grow to love it. It is an excellent wallet and leather product.
The drawbacks are that the bridle leather is quite stiff, making it difficult to remove cards from the card holder and causing cards to rub against the zip when opening the wallet, potentially causing scratches. Additionally, the wallet’s opening is not very wide, making it challenging to neatly store bills. Furthermore, if you add more cards or store them in pockets other than the card holder, the wallet may lose its shape.
Even so, I feel more attached to leather products that I have nurtured myself, and the more I use them, the more I grow to love them.
I begin searching for another wallet that I can grow attached to. The junior colleague featured in the Berluti article recommends Berluti’s zip wallet and Louis Vuitton’s Zippy. Since I cannot imagine myself owning a high-end brand wallet, I consider other options such as Camus Forne’s zip wallet, known for its watch straps, or Enri Begrin’s zip wallet.Berluti and Louis Vuitton wallets are indeed top-tier luxury brands, and seeing the actual products in person reveals they are far superior to what you see online.
I am interested in the Berluti double zip wallet, but although it is well-made and an excellent product, it is a little large, so I realise that it would be impractical for use in the bag I usually carry.
Camuflore is also an excellent product, but the desired colour is not yet available, so it has been removed from the list of candidates. The Enlibegrin zip wallet has a strong handmade feel, which I like, but it only has four card holders, so it has been removed from the list of candidates.
With no clear candidate in mind, I recall a wallet used by a respected senior colleague in the past. Although I feel a sense of awe and reverence towards it, considering that 20 years have passed, I think it might be appropriate for me to own one now, so I research Valextra. I recall that they had a storefront in Ginza, but upon checking their official website, I find that they no longer have a storefront and instead operate as a tenant in department stores and other commercial facilities.
It’s also available at Yurakucho Hankyu Men’s, so I’ll go check it out right away.
Famous items selected by experienced experts
We visit Valextra at Hankyu Men’s and are shown their wallets. There are two types of wallets, the Round Zip 12 Card and the Zip Purse 12 Card, each available in a variety of colours.
The Round Zip 12 Card wallet features a zip-style coin pocket in the centre and bill compartments on both sides that fold out like an accordion, similar to the Whitehouse Cox wallet, but with the difference that it can hold 12 cards.
The Zip Pouch 12 Card differs from a standard zip wallet in that it does not have a zip-style coin pocket in the centre or an accordion fold, allowing for independent pockets on both sides for bills and other items. It can hold six cards on each side.
Both are well-made, with Valextra’s signature edge finishing meticulously crafted. The card slots are cut into the brand’s iconic V shape, making it easier to remove cards compared to traditional zip wallets.
The surface is embossed leather, but it is softer than it looks, feels good in your hand, and is resistant to scratches.
The size is well thought out, measuring 21 cm in length, 11.5 cm in height, and 2 cm in thickness, providing ample storage space. The height of 11.5 cm allows you to store your passport in one of the pockets.
Both are very attractive, but the major difference is that the Zip Pouch 12 Card opens 180 degrees. This feature makes it easier to take out cards, so I decided on the Zip Pouch 12 Card as it suits my needs better.
I went to look at wallets with my wife, but she has been decluttering her belongings recently and decided that she only needs a few credit cards and some cash, so she chose a wallet with a coin pocket that can hold six cards.
My wife has been using a Hermès Silk D’Or zip wallet for many years, and for the past few years she has been using a tiny beaded Monile series zip wallet by Brunello Cucinelli. However, she wanted something a little more compact, so she saw this coin purse with six card slots and decided to buy it.
I chose black, but there are various colours available for women. Valextra is known for its meticulous edge finishing, which is very beautiful, so I think choosing a colour with black edges as an accent would be enjoyable. My wife chose yellow, and the soft, vibrant Italian yellow with black edges makes for a cute wallet.
As you can see in the photo, it can hold six cards on one side and has a V-shaped cut-out that reflects the brand image. There is a coin pocket with a zip on one side, two bill compartments, and the other side can be used as a pocket, providing ample storage space.
Unlike zip wallets with coin pockets in the centre, this wallet opens approximately 180 degrees, making it very easy to take out cards, which is why I chose this wallet.
The packaging is very careful, so it would make a great gift.
I wrote an article about the iPhone 16 Pro last time, and the photos shown here were taken with the iPhone 16 Pro.
Actual storage
When you insert the cards, the V-shaped cut of the card holder becomes clearly visible. I have been a fan of AMEX cards for 25 years and use four types: two corporate cards, one personal card, and one personal business card, each for different purposes.The card types are as follows: one corporate card is Platinum, the other corporate card is Green, the personal card is Centurion, and the personal business card is Green. American Express is an excellent credit card company that has built a wide range of services for its customers over the years, many of which have been pioneered by American Express and later adopted by other card companies. Since this article is about wallets, I will omit further details, but I would like to write about them in a future article.
The photo has been omitted, but on the opposite side, you can store transportation cards, driver’s licences, bank cash cards, My Number cards, social insurance cards, etc., and arrange the cards for easy use according to their purpose. The storage locations are fixed, so you can quickly take out the cards. The moderate softness of the leather, the careful edge finishing, and the V-shaped cut make it very easy to take out and store cards.
Detail
Excerpt from Valextra official website
Inspired by the vintage-inspired design of a round zip wallet, this design features luxurious leather and Italian craftsmanship.The interior features 12 credit card holders with the brand’s signature V-shaped cut, two compartments, and a zippered coin case. The lining is made of soft leather. The edges, known as ‘coba,’ are hand-finished with multiple layers of Valestra’s proprietary dye ‘Costa,’ then polished to a smooth finish.
Size：21×11.5x2cm
*Due to manual processing, sizes and weights may vary slightly.
Conclusion
I have always loved leather goods, particularly bridle leather and cordovan, and have been using wallets made from such materials. However, the brand I had been using, Whitehouse Cox, ceased operations, so I began searching for a new wallet and eventually came across the Valextra Zip Purse 12 Card, which I am introducing today.Unlike the wallets typically chosen by leather enthusiasts like myself, this wallet combines functionality, meticulous craftsmanship, and a focus on the leather and dyes used, while also incorporating playful elements for a fashionable touch. It is a wallet I would not have chosen before, but it offers exceptional functionality and is perfectly suited for the cashless era.
I had a vague idea about Valextra because a senior colleague I used to work with used it, but I never imagined that I would end up using it myself 20 years after first learning about it, so I decided to write an article about it.
Shop
The Valextra Zip Purse 12 Card featured in this article was purchased at the Valextra store in the Hankyu Men’s Building in Yurakucho.The Hankyu Men’s Store offers a better shopping experience than the flagship store, as the products are easier to view and try on, allowing you to explore a wide range of items. The Valextra staff are extremely friendly and provide detailed explanations while showing you various products. Even if an item is not displayed in the show window, they have it in stock, so you can request specific products or colours to find the perfect match for you.
The actual products are even better than the photos on the online shop, with a nice texture and just the right softness. Every item feels very well-made when you hold it in your hands. The bags and other leather goods are also very well-designed, with great functionality and texture, making this a brand that is highly recommended for those who want leather products with high craftsmanship. The dyeing technique is also excellent, resulting in leather products with beautiful colours. The product lineup is enjoyable for both men and women, so why not take a look with your wife on the weekend?
