CalypsoCrystal – A Premium Italian Leather Case For The iPhone X

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The iPhone X has arrived and if you’re a lucky new owner of Apple’s latest smartphone, congratulations!  It’s a phone that’s been highly anticipated with many exciting new changes that will undoubtedly change the landscape of technology for years to come.

Now whether you’re thinking about purchasing one or have one already, one thing that you’ll be looking into is a case to protect your new gadget.  Over the course of the past few weeks I’ve been testing a case made by CalypsoCrystal and their new CalypsoCase Monochrome in the Cabrio style and I wanted to share with you my thoughts and review on this one-of-a-kind case.

iPhone Stunning But Slippery

The iPhone X features a gorgeous new glass screen and glass back as well to enable wireless charging.  The side of the phone is a thing of beauty as well with its liquid metal look that is a gorgeous reflective dark chrome if you have a Space Gray like I do.

While stunning, this means that the new phone is also ridiculously slippery in your hand.  I’ve had a chance to use the phone without a case and there have been countless times where I’ve had near misses with the X slipping out of my hand ever so slightly and only narrowly missing my tightened grip.

As much as I’d like to run the phone naked, it just wouldn’t be a smart thing to do.  According to some tests, they say it’s the most breakable phone yet so I don’t want to take any chances especially since this is an expensive device.  That’s why I wanted to make the right investment and get a case that’ll protect the iPhone X all around and last as long as I hope the phone will last me.

A little about CalypsoCrystal

For those that haven’t heard of CalypsoCrystal, this is a company hailing from Slovenia.  They focus on premium cases with a special focus on the finest leather sourced from Italy and the personal touch of every case being handcrafted.

Review of the CalypsoCase Monochrome Cabrio

I’ve had this case for a few weeks now and I’ve had a chance to take it with me on the road in the city and even for a short trip.  The below are my honest thoughts about this iPhone X case to help guide your decision on whether it’s the case for you.

Material – Sexy leather

I know good leather when I see it.  My first impression when I did my unboxing was just how much I loved the colour and how high the quality the leather is.  Oh and it comes complete with that fresh leather smell that permeates from the case and in the box as well.  Sniff testing is mandatory.

When they say premium Italian leather, they weren’t kidding.  The particular colour I got is the Optimistic Journey which you’ll see is a sophisticated orange that’s darker than the fruit you’re thinking of but still bright enough to catch your eye.  As much as I was tempted to get the black case, I really wanted a colour to stand out with a little oomph and personality.

I say the leather is high quality because it has a certain toughness to it while also a sense of rawness with its natural cowhide dimples.  In my tests, I’ve tried to scratch the phone and it’s held up to everything I’ve put it through.

One thing I will note about the leather is that it’s not the kind that will naturally patina.  What you see is what you get but that’s fine for me because I don’t want to have to freak out every time my nails accidentally dig into the case when pulling out the phone.  It’s also leather that won’t rub out over time especially around the corners.  These are both issues that plague Apple’s own leather cases.

Ultimate craftsmanship

One thing I really appreciated with this case is that you can tell that it was made by hand and with care.  These are cases that aren’t mass produced or by factory floor machines.  Every single one of these cases is made by someone with care in Slovenia.

This means that yes, you’ll find some slight imperfections but it’s a reminder that every inch of the case was delicately created by hand.

What makes the Cabrio special?

Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty on what the case features.  There are several things you’ll want to know about what makes this case different from others.

First and foremost, this is a case that wraps around the entire edge of the phone.  When it is on your iPhone X, there is no exposed corner of the front glass which is just what you need for ultimate protection.  With the edge of the case rising above the glass a few millimetres, this means that you can lay the phone glass down and not worry about it touching the surface.

Rigidity wise, the material underneath the leather is stiff and sturdy.  This means that there isn’t a whole lot of flex but there’s just enough.  This is needed to prevent any warping of its structure and to give the case a certain strength to it even if you accidentally drop it.

Wrapped around the entire side of the case is a shiny silver metal band that accentuates and what makes the case stand out.  While it doesn’t have a functional use, this is a design feature that gives the case its own cool character.

On the left side of the case is an exposed opening for the mute switch and two separate metal bands that allow you to press for volume functionality.  On the right side of the case is a large band that gives you access to the power/wake up/Siri button.

Lastly, there’s the bottom of the case which has thin slots for the microphone and also a slot for the lightning port.  Take note that the size of this slot is specific to Apple’s charging cable.

On the backside of the case, they’ve kept it pretty simple with the perfectly cut opening for the iPhone’s dual lens camera and a nice shiny metal logo at the bottom.

Areas of improvement

While I loved this case, there are a few areas that I want to mention that I feel like can be improved in a future generation:

• Putting the case on – Since this case wraps around the phone completely and due to the stiffness of the case, there’s a bit of technique required to put the case on. Start with the phone slotted into the bottom of the case and then force the top corners in one at a time.  Don’t worry, you won’t cause any damage to the phone but you do have to give it a bit more of a push than you’d like.  Likewise, taking the phone out of the case requires a bit of work as well.
• Lightning slot – Since the case was designed specifically for the Apple cables, if you own any sort of third-party cable that is shaped differently, you’re not going to be able to fit it in which for me is a bit of an issue. If all your cables are pretty standard then no real issue here.
• Side buttons – I found that the metal bands that are overtop the areas where there are buttons are a little stiff to use. I’ve been assured by CalypsoCrystal that they’ve improved all current versions of this case so it’s not an issue anymore.

Final Thoughts

The CalypsoCrystal Monochrome Cabrio is a sleek case that touts premium leather and full protection for your new iPhone X.  All the materials used are of the utmost quality and is a fine example of expert craftsmanship that can’t be said for a lot of other cases on the market.  Add on the metal bands that hug the sides of the case, and it has that extra character to it that will make it the envy of others that see your phone.

It’s not without a few flaws but if you’re looking for an iPhone case that will last you through the years and has a personal statement of style and personality, this may be the one for you.