Horween Shell Corovan

Horween Shell Cordovan comes from Horween, a world-famous tannery based in Chicago, Illinois that has been in operation since 1905. The term "shell" refers to a very specific type of leather that only comes in a round shape from the rump of a horse. This part of the hide is prized for its tight, dense grain structure. A single shell can be no larger than 2.5 square feet.

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Horween Shell Cordovan is the finest tanned leather. The entire tanning process goes through around 100-steps, mostly by hand. Each shell is slowly steeped in gentle vegetable liquors. The shells are hot stuffed then slicked onto glass frames to dry. Each shell is curried and shaved by highly skilled artisans exposing the shell. Dyes are then rubbed on for a deep aniline finish. Finally, the shells are glazed to achieve the rich, glossy look and feel prized by fine craftsmen. This process takes a full 6-months to complete.

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Horween Shell Cordovan is one of the most expensive types of leather due to its rarity, quality, and labor-intensive production process and prized by all leather artisans.

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The director at Horween tannery, Nick Horween, had this to say about the leather: 

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"A product made of shell cordovan will last multiple lifetimes. The best part of using shell cordovan in a wallet or watch strap is the natural rubbing and wear placed on the shell which starts developing an amazing patina that develops with each use. It is similar to having a fine wine that you can drink every day and keeps getting better.”

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This luxurious leather develops a fine patina that gets you excited every time you pick it up. But let me be the first to warn you, once you get your hands on it, it will be hard to go back to anything else.