• NoreveUSA.com – $39.99 (Sandy Vintage $49.99)
• AbsolutelyU.com  – $36.95 (no Sandy Vintage) 

Noreve has been crafting leather cases since 2004; a new company for sure, but a darn good one at that. I have had the pleasure of working with Noreve cases in the past & think they are great. No, I am not going into this review with a bias. If anything, it will cause me to be extra detailed, as I expect only great things.
The Nokia N95 is a hard phone to wrap a case around for a few reasons. One, it is a multimedia phone, which means you will be using it a whole lot for practically everything (if only it would do my laundry… come on patch!). Second, it is a dual-slider. Now making a case that accommodates sliding up & down while also allowing for easy access and actually protecting the device will be a difficult task. Let’s see how Noreve does.

Packaging
Now, not the most important part of the review, but it is the first thing we see. Noreve packages their cases in a typical blister pack. Then they also include a pretty nice gift box inside. Makes for great presents for any time. Done, check.

Quality of Materials
In my opinion, the Noreve brand is at the top of the list in this category. The stitching is always straight & every cutout and corner is placed with perfection. It doesn’t look like the stitching will be unraveling for a very long time. The quality of the leather itself is outstanding. The feel of the leather is soft, but at the same time very durable. The inside of the case is always black but varies from either leather or a soft nylon. This case in particular has leather on the inside & I am confident it will never scratch the device or screen.

Color
Noreve has 13 color options (rumor: more are still to come) & I have heard of very few complaints of fading or discoloration. The color we are looking at today is Sandy Vintage. This is Noreve’s newest color & you are either going to love it or hate it. I personally love it for this device. It is a lighter brown color that looks like it has been thrown around on asphalt quite a few times. The imperfections of this color are what make it so beautiful. It surprisingly adapts to almost any outfit you are wearing.

Fit & Design
Obviously, this is the most important section of the review. Does it fit right? Short answer: DEFINITELY. I am very surprised at how well this case was designed. The flip case design is the most protective of the designs of cases & is what Noreve does best. We all must know that leather is designed to stretch a little bit. So when you first try to snap the flap on the back, it may be a bit difficult. After a few times, it’s a snap! Bad joke, I apologize. The magnetic snaps on the back of the case & on the flap are pretty small. This can make it difficult to find where it attaches to the flap if you aren’t watching carefully. When you first flip open the case you notice that the sides are actually rigid and are waiting patiently for the device to get in. You also notice that there is nothing that will be covering the front of the phone.
The moment you put the Nokia N95 inside the case, you know that you have a winner. Everything lines up perfectly. From the charging port, to the headphone jack, the buttons, everything! If you open the flap all of the way you see that you have complete access to the camera & its open-shut lens feature. With the flap open it is very easy to slide the N95 both up and down. Also there is no plastic covering the screen or the keyboard to make it difficult to use.

Protection
Now, of course the drawback of any flip case is the fact that you cannot use the phone without opening the snap on the case. So the dilemma comes down to: protection or easy access. For this device, since it tops out at a pretty hefty price, I will go with this flip style. With the flap closed, very few parts of the device are left unprotected. The camera is safe & so is the screen. The two bottom corners of the Nokia N95 are not covered by leather. The piece of leather that snaps the case closed makes it very difficult for the corners to be damaged, with the exception of a direct hit on the corner.
The snap for the flap, when you get it closed, is very strong & will not just open randomly, letting your N95 free. Also, if you do have the flap open & happen to turn the case upside down or around, the reinforced leather on the sides of the case hold the Nokia tightly in place.

Clip
Ahhh, the clip. Let me preface by saying that I am not a clip person. Never have been, never will be. I don’t clip my case to my belt. It has nothing to do with being cool, I just would rather have it in my pocket. Speaking of… allow me sidetrack for a moment by saying that this case doesn’t add to much bulk to the phone considering it is a flip design & protects it very well. That being said, it can fit easily into your pocket or can be attached to your belt with the clip without sticking out extremely far.
The great thing about the Noreve case, is that you have the option of not having a clip & having an almost flat back. With each case comes a flat metal plate that screws into the back of the case or the clip system discussed now. Each clip system comes with the plastic clip, a metal ratchet piece, a tiny screw, & a mini-screwdriver. Whatever you do, do not lose that tiny screw! I really wish that Noreve had created a much simpler way to attach the clip to the back. Now, to install you unscrew the flat piece that is already attached to the case & then screw in the metal ratchet piece with the tiny screw. Now the removable plastic clip is ready to install. There is a “quick release” button at the top of the clip to remove the case from the clip when it is on your belt.
Attaching the clip to your belt is a chore. Removing it is worse. If only it had a spring action to it to make this a one-hand job. The good part of it being so difficult to get on & off your belt is that it won’t jump off of your belt anytime soon. The plastic clip & the metal ratchet piece both seem to be very strong & could very easily last as long as the case. The problem is the ratcheting part of the clip. It is supposed to ratchet & hold in 45 degree angles all around. Having a case sideways when you are sitting down is much better than having it dig into your hip or leg. The problem is because the weight of both the phone & case make it so the ratchet doesn’t hold the device sideways. Gravity takes its course & makes the Nokia N95 hang the typical up & down. This is great if you aren’t one to turn your phone sideways or any other direction. Just be warned that if you decide you want to do it, it won’t happen.

Conclusion
Finally! Yes that was a long review. I believe that since Noreve put so much effort & detail into their case that I would give them the review they deserved. This case is gorgeous & almost perfect. The two flaws being that the magnetic snap is small and hard to use & that the clip is far from perfect. Now the clip part can obviously be a very big deal breaker for a lot of people, while the snap you can adjust to quite easily. The color & craftsmanship of this case is by far the best I have seen for the Nokia N95 thus far!

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