Well, the damage was really not visible (tiny dent near the wheels) but apparently, the frame was just bent enough to not close properly, worsening over time. I used to sit on the suitcase like in the old days, and then that stopped working as well, which is when I took it in.

I wrote Rimowa customer service an email, and that (or the above "rant") seemed to have some effect as Hides in Shape called me back and told me that they will cover the repair after all.

Still, it surprises me that something that looks so durable is so easily broken. It's a lot of money to spend, folks. I think that the Rimowa Topas cases are the most beautiful suitcases I've seen, but another poster wrote that he retired his Topas after three consecutive repairs due to similar issues.

Best of luck if you fall for the looks on the Topas. I can certainly understand why you would.