I copied the Imgur comments over!
1:
The beautiful and iconic Chanel box. Purchased from Saks Beverly Hills.
I was searching for this exact bag for a while and thought my chances of getting one were over until at least 2018, but I got lucky! I had some hesitation here and there since my SA offered me the So Black Boy several times, which is all the rage right now, but I am the odd Chanel fan that doesn't get excited by that bag...
2:
My first (and likely last) Boy bag! 17P black caviar, ruthenium hardware, old medium.
Going to be 100% honest – I was surprised when I first saw and touched this bag. I have another caviar Chanel bag (pics included), and there is a world of difference. At first, I panicked and thought that maybe I made the wrong choice and should've waited for this exact combo to be released again, but I think the caviar is just very different. I'll go more in detail at the end.
I at least completely understand now why there are strong feelings about the 17P vs. 17C black caviar Boys: https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/17p-vs-17c-black-caviar-boys.958823/.
3:
I can post more pics if anyone wants :)
4:
Happy Chanel family! Comparison shot: black caviar M/L classic flap w/ GHW (purchased Jan 2016 – was an extremely generous gift) vs. old medium 17P black caviar Boy bag w/ RHW
You can clearly tell from the photo how different the caviar is. The caviar on the classic flap is shiny (but looks... natural?) and much sturdier to the touch, too. The quilts are nice and puffy and I think it'd take a lot of wear and tear for them to "deflate." The bag feels indestructible and I haven't found a single scratch on it; admittedly, I am consciously more careful with my most expensive bags, but I'm still clumsy here and there and use them frequently.
On the other hand, the caviar on the Boy is soft and not as strong. Of course, it still feels a lot sturdier than lambskin but I'm not convinced that the Boy will keep its shape after years of use. Interestingly, the pebbles are noticeably smaller, too. The quilts are a bit puffy (not as puffy as the classic flap's quilts), but may flatten over time. The leather is also very shiny – the picture doesn't really capture that – but in a different way than the classic flap's. All in all, the caviar's just different!
Practically, the Boy is not as dressy as the flap, which is one of the main reasons I wanted it. It's also bulkier and boxier in size, but lighter in weight. The straps are a bit long, too. On my 5'0" stature, the flap is perfect as a single strap shoulder bag (though I do wear it double strapped and crossbody), and the Boy will be perfect as a crossbody.
I'm quite content with my Chanel collection and will probably not be adding any more bags until... oh, I don't know, mid-2018? :) Happy to answer any questions.