Like any sane capitalist, I love getting new stuff. But there’s something heartening about those new things settling into age, like a fecund garden becoming slightly unwieldy, or a pair of shoes getting more comfortable as you use them.
Similarly, I’ve always enjoyed the way a well-made leather case ages as it weathers the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Traditionally called a patina, it’s the lived-in quality that a piece of leather inherits as it absorbs skin oils, scratches, and the unpredictability of weather.
So it was when I put on the new “Red Ochre” variant of the leather Pixel 11 Pro XL case from Bellroy. The Melbourne-based company has long been an official Made by Google partner, which means it’s always among the first case manufacturers to unveil its wares each August.
I’ve had the case on my phone for just over three weeks now, and I look forward to picking it up each time. Bellroy’s leather is thin and rigid, and is treated to prevent wear, which means that it takes longer than, say, a piece of Horween leather from Nomad, to age. But it also means it will look new for longer. Barring a few minor scratches, the case has survived more than a few child-related drops with aplomb.
Top comment by matteventu
I have a terracotta-coloured one for my 9 Pro, and while it looked amazing for the first few days (and I loved the grip of leather!), it's genuinely the most wear-sensitive case I've ever had.
After a month of very sporadic use, the leather has started browning very badly in the main points of friction (browning: not a "patina").
Additionally, the leather layer has started peeling off around the bottom USB-C and speaker cutouts.
Then, it got a couple of chips.
And that is without even mentioning the lack of QA (I went through 2 units before receiving one in decent state and without badly wrapped leather in the corners, or with regular and smooth cut-outs for speaker and USB-C).
I got it for £25 (instead of RRP £49, if I remember correctly). And I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy.
I hope the Pixel 10 and 11 series ones are made better.
(And to be clear: I take maniacal care of my devices - including their cases)
I wish more options existed in terms of leather cases for Pixel devices.
Actually, I would really like one made with the same soft material the rear cover of some Motorola devices are made of - with a leather-like pattern, but much more resistant and with basically no wear over time.
On the structure side, the leather is reinforced with a rigid plastic frame that protrudes a millimeter or so above the display, and is covered internally by a microfiber lining. Magnets are present on the back for PixelSnap compatibility, and the buttons are made from anodized aluminum, which gives them a satisfying tactility akin to the phone’s buttons themselves.
At $59, this is not a cheap case, but to my eyes it’s the right combination of form and function. I love the color, though there are three others available — Black, Artichoke, and Pewter — if the more traditional saddle color is a bit too bright.
My weakness is a great leather case for any phone, but unlike iPhone and Galaxy cases there aren’t many good Pixel options. There’s this $40 option made by Snakehive that I plan to pick up, but it lacks coverage on the top, bottom, and right button side, which I dislike. Still, it appears to have more supple leather than Bellroy’s, which should patina more quickly, so I’m looking forward to putting them head-to-head in the future.
Until then, I’m quite happy with Bellroy’s leather Pixel 11 Pro XL case, and plan to keep it on my phone until something else newer, shinier, and patina-ier comes along.
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