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Legendary in the realm of leather goods, Ettinger’s Capra Collection is a standard-bearer in minimalist design and a lesson in pared-back luxury

It’s no secret to anyone that there exists a set of unspoken qualities that see an object transcend its inanimate nature to become something inherently more. Whether it’s through superior quality, superlative design, or sentimental value, the fact is that certain prized possessions aren’t simply carried around; they are, by dint of their unique nature, trusted companions.

Expertly designed and lovingly crafted here in the UK, the pieces that make up Ettinger’s Capra Collection all bear the hallmarks of this companion-worthy uniqueness. From its glasses cases to its watch rolls; its travel pouches to its hip flasks, Ettinger’s travel-friendly Capra Collection harks back to a time when the journey was just as exciting as the destination.

Taking cues from both the golden age of travel and its own rich tradition, the recently expanded collection combines the best of Ettinger’s heritage with more modern design sensibilities. The result is a collection of luxurious investment pieces crafted with the long haul in mind.

That said, the Capra Collection is more than a masterclass in heritage and luxury. It is a promise in the making. A promise that, after many years of loyal service and even more miles of adventure, your Ettinger piece won’t just continue to hold your personal treasures; it will carry the memories of your far-off travels etched into its leathers forever. It will tell your own, unique tale. A story as vivid as the day you were there, recounted by a trusty companion that was with you every step of the way.

Essential Thoughts On: The Ettinger Capra Collection

What do you keep close or take with you? Are there particular items – be they sentimental or practical – that you don’t travel or leave the house without?

ELLIOT:
I’m oddly sentimental about the most seemingly unremarkable items. The frayed, old wallet living in my jacket pocket, its dog-eared corners folding away to reveal a rough, weathered hide beneath. The airport-impulse-buy sunglasses I carry on my person daily, though worn probably a handful of times in the last couple of months. The inexpensive watch that hasn’t left my wrist for the best part of five years, and without which I feel truly naked.

I’m certainly a buyer, rather than an investor. I’m a creature of habit – I like something, I buy it, I use it to death, wearing it out every day until it ultimately falls to pieces on me. And I repeat. These things are never purchased with the long haul in mind, but they do the trick, nonetheless.

I’ve never truly been one to live by the buy once, buy well philosophy. But, moving forward, I’m willing to give it a try. First stop might have to be a little Capra card holder…

You can shop the Ettinger Capra Credit Card Holder here.

WILL:
It’s hard to answer this without offering you front row seats to two of my most guarded neuroses, but what the hey: sit down, why don’t you? Make yourself comfortable. You see, I’m a watch guy. Not in any ostentatious sense, you understand, more in the sense that I take a perverse pleasure in winding my watch of a morning, checking its time periodically for any inaccuracy, and stealing moments in the day simply to watch the secondhand slide by.

I’m also a stickler for coordination. That my mornings have often grinded to a complete halt on account of my inability to pair my watch with my outfit is no exercise in hyperbole; it’s a statement of absolute fact.

The Capra Collection’s Double Watch Roll, then, is a no-brainer. It allows me to carry two more watch options around so that my coordinative crises can continue long after I’ve left the house. Now I think of it, the Watch Roll is more of an enabler than a solution, but who cares when it looks that good?

You can shop the Ettinger Capra Double Watch Roll here.

CHRIS: 
I think I’m definitely one of those people who follows the mantra ‘value is measured in years, not pounds’. But I’ll make no bones of the fact that I’m often found with more time on my hands than cash on the hip, so perhaps take that with a pinch of salt.

It’s safe to say though that I appreciate the longevity of a high-quality product, and it’s never more apparent than in those everyday essentials. For me, those boil down to two things: my wallet, and my key clip; with particular importance on the latter.

It’s probably because I’m apt to lose pretty much every god-damn thing that isn’t physically attached to my person in someway, but having that one go-to place to keep something as important as your keys is just invaluable to me. If only somebody clever out there could combine a key clip with some sort of wallet…

You can shop the Ettinger Capra 6-hook Key Case here.

TOM:
You can’t beat a good hip flask. This isn’t something I carry around every day, mind. But I’m a true believer in the idea that the food and drink experience is always better when shared, especially when there’s a little adventure thrown into the mix. So, in simpler times when match days went unperturbed by pandemic restrictions, I’d take a hip flask along to Goodison Park to share with a friend.

When normal play finally resumes, I think I’d rather like to upgrade my current flask as a way of celebrating our renewed freedom. With it’s goat leather housing and four little sharing cups, Ettinger’s Hunter Flask would allow me to do just that. Now all I need to do is make a list of the four friends worth sharing my whisky with.

You can shop the Ettinger Capra 8oz Hunter Flask here.