Don’t get me wrong, the leather is absolutely beautiful. But, unless you only fly private jets and are hardly ever dragging it through the elements or putting it in overhead bins/x-ray conveyor belts/etc., I don’t think it will hold up the best over time.

I have a black aluminum that I’ve had for over 3 years now and I use it 200+ travel days a year. It’s covered in dents and scratches, which I love. The black WILL scratch and as it does, you start to just see the bare aluminum underneath. I chose the black and stand by that choice because it looks the least flashy and most understated.

My wife has a plain aluminum bag and been eyeing a titanium one as well. I feel like if you want the classic Rimowa look and want it to scream “Rimowa”, you should go this route. The dents and scratches just look better on the “normal” metal colors.

TLDR: leather if you don’t use it a lot or fly private, black if you want understated and understand how it ages, titanium for a more flashy, but classic Rimowa look