Seriously, what is it about the Moleskine case that strikes a chord in almost every artist, writer, composer, and creative person the world over? Is it the simplicity and elegance? Is it the slick understated design? Could it be the high quality materials and reliable binding that will last a lifetime? We may never know, but the fact remains: The little black book is inscribed unto our hearts. The Octavo is by far the best rendition of this love affair that we have come laid our hands on to date. It’s an eight part harmony that combines to make beautiful music to our ears. Ok… enough waxing poetic… let’s get to the review!

On the outside you start with a high quality italian bonded leather that is soft and warm to the touch and looks luxurious. The profile of this case is very thin (.65" to be exact) and it weighs almost nothing at just 11 oz. It is bound like a traditional book, in fact this is where Pad and Quill got their start as a company. Inside this case you have a stunningly warm baltic birch frame that is smooth and sturdy, the layers of wood make this iPad 2 case look just like a real book. There are no sharp edges on this wooden frame, everything is hand turned and sanded down to a smooth warm finish.

The iPad 2 is held in place with their proprietary compression bumpers, and they work like a charm. You can even adjust them for added tension should you desire. To further add to the illusion of a book, the Octavo also comes with a bookmark that goes underneath your iPad and aids in the easy removal should you ever want to extract your tablet from it’s happy home.

A rare earth magnet is embedded into the cover of the Octavo to give it ‘smart cover’ capabilities and automatically turn your iPad 2 on and off when you open and close it. There is also an optional front pocket as well for keeping important documents and papers handy at all times. There are cut outs for all the buttons and controls on the iPad 2, and even a hole for the front facing camera. They have a fancy patented ‘sound channel’ for the large speaker on the bottom that actually redirects the sound waves right at you, enhancing the overall sound quality. All of this is secured safely closed with a nice thick black elastic strap reminiscent of the world famous Moleskine notebooks.

This Octave case is very sturdy and will protect your iPad if you take care of it. Don’t leave it in extremely hot cars, don’t use it as a dog chew toy, and try and not leave it out in the rain. The wood is treated with an eco friendly water based urethane, so it will be safe from stains and spills. Both it and the cover can be cleaned with a damp cloth. Over time, this case will age just like your favorite book and will develop its own character that is unique and charming.

I love this case. Pictures and words don’t do it the justice it deserves, thought I tried my best. There’s so much good about this case, and very little bad. In fact… there is nothing bad that I can find about it at all. If you are looking for a stunningly beautiful iPad 2 case that is made with love and that will last a very long time, then the Octave by Pad and Quill case is the one for you! The Octavo iPad 2 Case is available for $59.99.

Oh, and did we mention it comes in 3 different jewel toned colors: Classic Red, Camden Blue, and Field Green. Each color is very rich and beautiful looking, it’s hard to pick a favorite!

Features:

The slimmest design ever produced by Pad and Quill.

3 beautiful cloth colors – Classic Red, Camden Blue and Field Green.

optional interior pocket available in all colors.

Holds the iPad 2 very securely with proprietary bumper materials.

Covered in Italian bonded leather.

The ‘bookmark’ for easier device removal

Patented sound channel.

Wrap around spine for multiple viewing configurations

Includes the Magnetic on/off feature