Visconti Apollo Tanned Leather Briefcase with Strap and Lock, Oil Brown, One Size

I absolutely LOVE this bag! I was in the market for a new briefcase since I inadvertently donated my beloved 20 year old leather Tumi bag to charity (long story, I hope it went to a good home...). I loved my Tumi. It wasn't the most practical but man did it look nice! The last thing I wanted as a replacement was a black non-descript canvas laptop bag that looks like any other at the airport.I had been searching for the perfect bag for a long time. I looked at everything. I didn't think the USD600 bags were worth the price. There were some very nice looking leather bags near this price range on Amazon but were of questionable origin with few, or no, reviews. Visconti, on the other hand, is a real company with a real history, based in England. That gave me confidence to buy it. That, and the fact that Amazon offered Prime with free returns. Thank you Amazon!From the moment it arrived, I knew I would love this bag. It comes wrapped in one of those lightweight fabric covers that you find on expensive Italian shoes, purses, etc. Then that beautiful smell of tanned leather hit me and I knew this was the bag for me. It is not PU leather, faux leather or whatever cheap material the chinese think is "genuine leather" these days.The leather on this bag looks and feels almost like suede. The color can be described as espresso or dark chocolate. The hardware is brass (some of the photos make it look like it is brushed nickel which I think would look really nice on this bag, by the way).The leather handle is thick and substantial and feels good in the hand. The clasp lock looked a little flimsy to me at first but I have taken this bag on a few business trips and I can attest that it is a very good quality lock. It opens and closes the bag very quickly--unlike most similar leather bags that use leather straps with buckles which looks very retro but just is not that practical if you need to quickly open the bag (like at the security line at the airport).The pockets and zipped compartments are very well thought out. I wouldn't change a thing about them. I can easily carry my Dell XPS12 ultrabook, iPad Mini, chargers, notepad, etc with plenty of room for keys, receipts, boarding passes, magazines, etc.One of my favorite features is that the bottom "accordions out" to be self-standing. So it doesn't topple over when you put it down. Very nice design. Look at the photo of the bottom of the bag for the reinforced leather patches. Brilliant!The stitching looks to be very durable and handsome in a contrast color (beige) to the rich dark brown of the leather.I only have three minor issues/feature requests for the bag. The first is that the dimensions are like that of a 4x3 TV. I would prefer a wider bag (like that of a 16:9 HDTV--I know, I'm a nerd). That would allow you to carry a bigger, wider laptop. Otherwise, the size is perfect. Not too big or too small. The second is that the strap looks really nice with brass buttons and accents, but the leather strap has a canvas backing. I'm sure they did this for durability or some other practical purpose but it just doesn't look as high quality as the rest of the bag. My final wish is for a strap or some way to attach this bag to a roller bag that I usually carry with me when I travel.Regarding the last point, I bought a velcro strap for USD2 and...problem solved. The other two issues are not enough for me to deduct a star. I expect to use this bag for at least 20 years like my Tumi. Maybe then I'll donate it to a worthy cause...or hand it down to my son. Nice bag. Get it!

As an attorney I need a briefcase that can stand up to a lot of use (and abuse). It also needs to be able to hold a fair bit, including a 17' laptop. I shopped around a lot once I knew my old case had to be retired and finally settled on this one. I am very happy with my purchase, though a few small things keep this from 5 stars. First it is very roomy and will hold the laptop along with a good number of files. The organization of the bigger pockets is quite useful and the leather itself is of obviously high quality, as is the manufacturing. The drawbacks are the smaller inside pockets which are positioned and stitched in a way that makes them almost useless (getting a phone in and out, for example, takes some effort - so most times I just throw the phone in one of the bigger pockets). The only other minor flaw is that the case does not carry well without the clasp closed as the top will tend to open almost completely while being carried unless the clasp is secured. But those are minor issues, the case looks great, holds a lot and is very well made.

Nice messenger bag. But brand new came damaged I wonder how long will last?

UPDATE July 2015: In my first usage of this briefcase, I took it as my only luggage on an overnight business trip. It held my business essentials (laptop and accessories; files; legal pad; pens; etc.) plus a pair of shoes, change of clothes, comb and brush, toiletries and more. Granted, it was a bit over-stuffed, but I was able to latch it and could carry it by the handle (as opposed to the shoulder strap) with ease. Added bonus: I didn't have to gate-check it, as so many other travelers were doing with their wheeled carry-ons. I'm absolutely delighted with this purchase!I cannot believe you can buy a leather briefcase of this quality at this price point. I am absolutely blown away.I decided to buy a briefcase to use as my second carry-on bag when flying, and I wanted a high-quality leather piece. Browsing the listings on Amazon, I came across this one. The other glowing reviews convinced me I had nothing to lose, even though I was skeptical it could be as nice an item as people said it was. Well, let me tell you: it is.The briefcase arrives beautifully packaged in a slipcover (which I kept to keep dust off the bag when it's in storage in the closet). The briefcase itself is incredibly high quality. The leather is thick, the seams are heavy-duty, the hardware is handsome. This briefcase is crafted of such good quality leather that it will require a "breaking in period" to become a bit less stiff.In addition to the classic handle, the case includes a shoulder strap that lengthens enough for me to wear this as a cross-body. The interior is spacious enough to easily hold my 15" laptop. In fact, I can get my travel purse inside this, which was a key consideration for my purposes (since airlines count a purse as a carry-on bag). The bag has several interior compartments and will expand to accommodate a LOT of contents. I believe I can get my laptop, purse, work files, snacks, water, swimsuit and at least one change of clothes into this briefcase with ease. It probably would hold a small umbrella and other useful travel items, too.As a woman, I am delighted this briefcase is somewhat narrower than the older, traditional-sized men's briefcases. From a perspective of scale, this briefcase does not overwhelm my physical frame (though granted I am 5'10"). I feel the briefcase is stylish enough for a woman to carry, yet the bag definitely is still a no-nonsense workhorse.The leather looks darker in real life than it does in the images. At least, the one I received does. Mine is almost black-looking. I don't know if time will mellow the color or not, but I don't really care.I still am amazed at the quality of this thing. Do not hesitate to take a chance on this briefcase. You won't regret it.

I bought this bag after much deliberation and after receiving it, I am happy with the quality and craftsmanship but the bag is just too big for me (I'm 5'6" 140 lbs). My wife said that it looks ridiculously big. So for those small/medium sized guys, you may want to reconsider investing in this bag. I want to return it but Amazon is telling me it's too late.

We love this bag!! Very thick, sturdy leather. It doesn't look like a big bulky case but it had sooo much space inside! The clips are very study too, not like any other cases we've had. I think this bag will last a very long time :)

Wow, I've waited 3 months to write this review and I've mulled it over for that long. I've used my briefcase every day since I anxiously unwrapped it for my birthday on Feb 19, 2014. I'm an articling student at a law firm, so I need to carry files, some office supplies like pens, highlighters, mini staplers, a legal pad, my phone, business cards, a compact umbrella, my wallet and my agenda. not to mention I try to eat healthy on the job, so throw in an apple, some grapes and a bit of cheese and now you've got a mammoth hanging off my shoulder, which is small to begin with. I love the spacious compartments, it's just that they abet the larger problem. The bag is made of cow's leather, which makes it heavy. I think it has to be about 5 pounds without anything in it. Add 1-2 files and my aforementioned sundries and wow, you're up to 15-20 pounds on one shoulder or arm.Even though I checked the dimensions out before my husband bought it, it doesn't fit in my bike basket, so i have to turn it on its side, which risks spilling contents. I'm also 5'4 so this bag looks really big beside me.It's not waterproof and I usually bike 7 minutes to work, so I'm always a bit paranoid about rain. However, thanks to the many compartments, I carry a large plastic bag to cover my case in the rain.I bought the case because it had been well-reviewed by someone who bought it for their friend, a lawyer, and when I checked it out I thought it was just what I was looking for.I think it's too late to return it, and I'm not totally sure I would even if I could because it still meets all my criteria for a case, it's just waaaaay too heavy.

I had spent months trying to find a replacement briefcase. I was looking for something leather, large enough to hold my laptop+files, but not too large that I couldn't place it anywhere if I needed to pack it away during the day. This was a tall order, and after trying 2 other bags, I was really frustrated. Then behold, I found this one. I love it. Its zippers are sturdy, and it feels great to carry around. The only complaint I have is that the strap catches on my shirt and gets caught on it, I'll be replacing it with another strap in the future.

Very nice. The little details make it great.

Awesome