This is a heavily used Flat Brass First in Caramel (2002, 2nd season I believe) During the first 2 seasons, Balenciaga used flat brass hardware instead of raised bronze HW of later seasons They also had a longer detachable shoulder strap with no shoulder rest & the handles curved where connected to the bag - this was a normal appearance for the 1st 3 or 4 seasons The laces & handles are pretty heavily worn - they are darkened & soft but not mooshy or sticky There are also some loose/stray threads along the edges The back of the bag has faded and the glaze has worn away The leather doesn’t appear dry but but the color is faded and appears dull and less glossy There are also a few spots on the front where the leather has a similar appearance The inside is clean with no rips, holes, snags or stains The tassel for the zipper for the body of the bag is heavily worn & pretty thin & should probably be replaced (you could snip a piece of the tassel from the mirror) The longer shoulder strap has an approx 13 in drop which makes carrying this bag on the shoulder much easier and more comfortable (probably why the glaze has rubbed off the back of the bag) While the bag is pretty heavily used/worn, there’s still still lots of life left to it I believe the appearance of the handles can be approved upon, especially if you have them professionally done (I can recommend someone who's done excellent work). If you’re a collector of Balenciaga bags, you may not want to pass this one up!