My first iPhone 5, the paint fell off pretty quickly. Apple replaced it but said use a case if you want it to remain unscratched.
I bought a Calypso Case. The Zurich Night "Ring" Case. It's as nice as the phone itself and being a slip case it means you get to hold the phone as a naked device too, which is the way it should be I think. So you get the best of both worlds. It's extremely well protected the rest of the time.
The case is so beautiful. I can't stop touching it (it feels as good as my girl friends inside thigh
) and it's high quality Italian leather so smells divine too. I've never been this enamoured by a case!