Persol 714 vs 649 - Page 3

I have the 714s and they are great glasses. The folding feature at the bridge and temple are neat but can be a bit annoying when handling / carrying them around indoors.

649s are almost identical with the exclusion of the extra moving parts and taller temple arms. Also I believe the 649s come in a smaller lens size too; 48 or 49mm if I remember correctly (so 3 sizes available vs 2 sizes in the 714s).

Almost all sunglasses that come out of Italy are now manufactured by Luxottica. If you can find vintage Persols made before 1995 the quality is superior.

Sorry to resurrect this thread,
but can anyone comment on the sizing of the 649?
Im not in the position to try one on, and am not sure whether the 52 or 54 is more 'standard'.

I prefer the 714 to the 649 model because I dont like the way the bridge looks on the 649. I like the metal accents the folding features add to the 714 as well.

When I first bought my 714's I was worried the folding parts would wear out but Ive had them for a while now with no problems. They loosened up a bit but I just tightened the screws and they are fine now.

^^Thanks, any comment on the size?

I have a fairly large head and I got the 52's and they are fine. I never did try on the 54's but I feel like they would be too large.

Have this same conundrum myself right now, too.

52 is standard issue size. 54 is for elephantitis.

If you can't try them on, go for the 52. The 649/714s are a big sunglass to begin with and they're even bigger in the 54, they won't look right on most people.

If the 52s are too big, you can try and get a pair of the 48s, which are usually for women If they're too small, well, you can get them in 54, 56 and 58

thanks guys. will try and get my paws on a pair of 52s.
leaving for vacay in 2 days, so its going to be a feat to actually acquire them before then.

The size 52 is definitely the standard, and the first you should try. It measures 140mm right across the front of the frame. I believe the 714 is actually a bit wider in the same size.

i've actually been looking for a pair of these. no store carries them for me to try on.
i know that 50mm rayban wayfarers look too small for me and i need 54 in that size. are the 649 the same fit as the rayban? mean i should get a 54 or will the 52 suffice.

every store i've found has a restocking fee too. where are you guys purchasing?

I have no experience with the Raybans myself.

Ebay for Persol 649s. There's a constant supply of new and used pairs on there.

I am always concerned about fakes. Any opinions on that?

I have 54mm Wayfarers. They are on the large side. My head is pretty big.

The 714s aren't built exactly like the original 1960s era Steve McQueen spec. The problem with the Luxottica 714 reissue is the they fold differently and in a way that causes damage. The metal hinges dig into the back side of the bridge when collapsed (i.e. folded) on the reissue.

Stick with the 649 reissues. Less parts, no design flaw. Get the 52 size. All other sizes are too big.