I know that most men don’t think much about choosing the wallet they use. After all, it’s just something that carries your cold cash. But to me, the wallet is possibly a man’s most essential accessory and the wallet he carries says a lot about him and his personal style.

So regardless of whether you are buying a wallet for yourself or as a gift, you really need to take your time in choosing a good one. It will accompany you for many more years.

Women clearly have a lot of options when it comes to handbags and small leather goods. Every season, designers rack their brains to create the “It” bag that will be the object of every woman’s desire.

As guys, we’re not that lucky. We don’t have as many designers clamoring for our attention. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have options. In fact, there are men’s wallets and small leather goods that never go out of style.

I find these timeless classics very attractive because there is always an interesting story behind their success. They may not come cheap, but they will certainly elevate your status in the style department.

Montblanc’s Meisterstuck

Montblanc turned 100 in 2006 and there are many reasons to celebrate. The success of the legendary Meisterstuck fountain pen launched in 1924 helped Montblanc become the de facto leader of the fine writing instrument market.

Today, Montblanc is more than just a maker of excellent writing instruments. The company has launched its leather goods, fine watches, eyewear, fragrances, and even jewelry.

Montblanc’s foray into leather goods began in 1935 when it acquired a leather goods producer in Germany. Building on the success of its Meisterstuck fountain pen, Montblanc launched the Meisterstuck leather collection.

Using black calfskin fitted with its signature “star” logo, Montblanc creates a men’s line of fine leather goods that is an instant hit with its efficient male clientele.

Cartier must-haves by Cartier

Known for its fine jewelry and watches, Cartier is one of the world’s leading luxury brands and its products are associated with very, very high price tags.

1974 was the year that Cartier returned to the world of leather goods with the Must de Cartier line. The color burgundy, with a slight raspberry undertone, was chosen as a logical continuation of Cartier red for this must-have collection of fine leather goods. Burgundy soon became the new black.

The influential burgundy color, the iconic double ‘C’ logo and the distinctive gold-tone hardware make the Must de Cartier line a timeless classic.

But to be honest, Must de Cartier is not for the faint of heart. Not every guy is comfortable with a burgundy wallet with gold trim.

Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas

With over 100 years of history, Louis Vuitton monogrammed canvas must be the classic of all classics. And no matter what Louis Vuitton does to the monogrammed canvas, it still sells like hot cakes.

They splattered the canvas with graffiti. They planted red cherries on the canvas. They painstakingly sewn the motifs into the denim. And they got Takeshi Murakami, who reinterpreted the motif in brilliant rainbow colours. Looks like you can’t go wrong with monogrammed canvas.

Unfortunately, they don’t have a great selection of men’s wallets in monogrammed canvas, so your options are pretty limited.

Prada Nylon Pocone

It was in 1978 when Miuccia Prada took over the dusty suitcase business from her grandfather. Under her, Prada has become a luxury powerhouse with far-reaching influence in the fashion world.

The world took notice when Prada crafted a clutch bag out of waterproof black Pocone nylon. Equipped with its distinctive triangular logo plate, nylon has never looked so good. Miuccia Prada did lavishly in nylon single-handedly.

Of course, I don’t expect you to carry the popular nylon bag. Prada makes handsome cowhide-trimmed nylon wallets for men. Although now available in many different colors, black is always a classic.

Bottega Veneta Woven Leather

Once a second-tier brand in the Gucci Group stable, Bottega Veneta has become the rising star of the group. With its ultra-exclusive and elitist appeal, Bottega Veneta is about to become the next Hermes.

Recreating the brand’s popular woven bags from the 1970s, Bottega Veneta bucks the logomania trend with its leather goods crafted from the finest nappa leather.

And in keeping with the brand’s tagline “When your own initials are enough,” you won’t be able to see any logos on leather goods. But the beautiful woven leather, which ages nicely with use, should be enough to announce that you’re wearing a Bottega.

Line D via ST Dupont

ST Dupont is so well known for its lighters that it’s easy to forget that Simon Tissot-Dupont founded the company in 1847 making leather briefcases for diplomats and businessmen.

The classic Line D collection of fine leather goods launched in 1985 and featured the Dupont “D” logo in gold on black calfskin. In recent years, they also offer the D Line equipped with the most modern palladium hardware. But whether in gold or palladium, the D line remains as timeless as ever.

Burberry Box by Burberry

When we think of Burberry, we invariably think of the red, camel, black and white checks that have become consistent with the brand. It’s hard to imagine that the Burberry Check actually had humble beginnings. It was introduced in 1920 as a lining for Burberry’s iconic trench coat.

Burberry is enjoying a renaissance in recent years, all thanks to its creative director Christopher Bailey’s modern interpretation of the classic check, the dynamism of CEO Rose Marie Bravo and the star power of Kate Moss. You simply can’t go wrong with such a rich British heritage.