Pros and cons of burnished leathers vs non-burnished unprotected leathers

What are the pros and cons of the H & M burnished leathers vs non-burnished unprotected leathers? Hand? Sound? Feel? Durability? Look? Etc...


1) Top picks for burnished?


2) Top picks for non-burnished unprotected? Prefer grade 2 and 3.

A burnished leather is an Italian pull-up leather that is taken back to the finish room when the piece is fully upholstered (and usually before the nail trim is applied) and then tinted or toned by hand to create an aged effect. It has the same characteristics as a pull up leather, just you don't use a pull-up oil rejuvenator with it as it ages.

See the PRIMER IN LEATHER thread for more.

Thanks that thread was helpful.

I notice Wade is not offered anymore. What would be your recommendations for non burnished grade 2 or 3 to look at?

Wade series was a super-soft, not a burnished and it appears it has suffered a recent drop!

Capri is probably the best leather in the entire lineup for my money (also Tim Roger's top pick, and he is President of H&M). It's a GR 4 price point however so be prepared for that price tag. If you want a finished leather in say a GR 2 I think Champion is phenomenal, but there are many color choices, also I like Aspen and Angelo.

At the end of the day however, I have more burnished leathers (all GR 3) in my own home than any other kind of leather. It ages well, is tough, easy to touch up.

Thanks for those recommendations on the finished leather side. Trying to pick out super soft leathers for 2 H&M sofas. Leaning toward unprotected esp. after reading your thread about protected vs unprotected leathers.

For unprotected leathers, now that Wade is gone, which ones should the buyer look at to get closest in softness to Capri in say a grade 2 or 3?

There are none. Capri is in a league of its own (along with its sister leather Quintessence)

Think of it this way - which hamburger will be closest to having a New York Strip steak? Like that.