A Thread for Sunglasses (High End and Rarities Welcome)

[Adroit]

Ugh... FedEx tells me the FDA is holding the glasses until I can provide them with a drop ball test certificate...

I had never heard of that before your post, but thereafter looked it up. How do you go about obtaining such a certificate?

 

[JDelage]

A specific person at FedEx emailed me so I fwd'ed her email to both JMM and the retailer. They both responded right away and JMM tells me they sent the information directly to the FedEx person. Hopefully that will be it. I'm very impressed the the reactivity of JMM and Niche Market I have to say.

 

[JDelage]

What are people's favorite aviators (or navigators if you really want a square version)?

 

[GG Allin]

What are people's favorite aviators (or navigators if you really want a square version)?

Wait for it...JACQUES MARIE MAGE!!!!!

 

[ramsker]

What are people's favorite aviators (or navigators if you really want a square version)?

A few of my favorites.

Native Sons Thompson

Mr Leight Doheny


Salt x Aether Scout - I have yet to get my hands on these though..

 

[JDelage]

Wait for it...JACQUES MARIE MAGE!!!!!

Duke or Peyote? I like the Duke frames better, but the glass seems a bit light.

 

[Adroit]

What are people's favorite aviators (or navigators if you really want a square version)?

I personally prefer square navigators over traditional aviators -- never been a fan of the traditional aviator shape.

Randolph Engineering makes a decent product at a reasonable price -- I own a 55 with a black frame and blue lenses. Linda Farrow makes some interesting aviators and navigators. My current favorite in my stable is the Thom Browne TBS 907-50-02 (made by Dita).

 

[GG Allin]

Duke or Peyote? I like the Duke frames better, but the glass seems a bit light.

I have the duke's, which are very big. Personally, I like my Jaggers the best, and am seriously thinking of ordering a pair of Reynolds too. Not sure if those qualify as aviators though.

I also really like my Linda Farrow aviators, and recommend you look at those too. Also, although slightly out of favor in the forum currently among some, I really dig my Dita flight 004's with polarized lenses.

 

[Mike80]

What are people's favorite aviators (or navigators if you really want a square version)?

I've always been a big fan of aviators. In my opinion, the best metal frames are made by Leisure Society. And if you like small-sized aviators, Clairaut is a great choice.

Spoiler

If it is too expensive (1500$ for a pair), Mr. Leight has a couple of good avitors. Doheny, already mentioned above:

Spoiler

and Ichi S

Spoiler

Among square ones I think Mykita mmcraft013 is great.

Spoiler

What do people think of ic! berlin's *titanium* frames? They look like they use the same hinge system as their famous stainless sunglasses, only in titanium...

They are just a little bit better than their stainless steel frames. At first they started to sell them as a separate brand ONONO, but it seems that the idea didn't work and now it is just Ic Berlin Titanium. They are just a little bit lighter and have a clip in the hinge that is printed from some plastic that makes the hinge move smoother.
Actually, I think the Ic Berlin 's hinge is the best in the industry. It is very durable, you can disassemble the frame without any tools and you don't need to tighten the screws, like in normal glasses. Mykita's and Lindberg's screwless hinges are inferior, in my opinion.
Unfortunately, the guys at Ic Berlin seems not to care about the lens quality. From this point of view their sunglasses are not so great. And the design of most of their frames is quite unimaginative, to be honest.

I like IC! Berlin and have two pairs. That said, for contemporary, unadorned titanium sunglasses with simple, clean lines, I personally prefer Mykita, Lindberg, and Orgreen,

Mykita unfortunately doesn't make titanium frames. They are probably trying to safe a few dollars in the production costs.

 

[JDelage]

Mykita has some cool navigator designs, e.g., Caleb, Ian, Yuuto, Wilder, all with their Polarized Pro lense. The Caleb looks too be halfway between a navigator and an aviator.

 

[JDelage]

The Mr Leight Ichi look super fragile to me...

 

[ramsker]

Mykita has some cool navigator designs, e.g., Caleb, Ian, Yuuto, Wilder, all with their Polarized Pro lense. The Caleb looks too be halfway between a navigator and an aviator.

Really want to try out their new "Polarized Pro" lens.

 

[Valfunde]

A stupid question probably but are (chain) stores able to put in prescription lenses in rimless sunglasses with uncommon shapes? Looking at Jacques Marie Mage's Cody and maybe the el dorado.

 

[JDelage]

A specific person at FedEx emailed me so I fwd'ed her email to both JMM and the retailer. They both responded right away and JMM tells me they sent the information directly to the FedEx person. Hopefully that will be it. I'm very impressed the the reactivity of JMM and Niche Market I have to say.

Well, the FDA (or maybe FedEx) took their sweet little time and the frames were only released today. They should be in Seattle Tuesday, and of course I'm gone for the week.

So, to the Americans here: if you order a pair from abroad, make sure you get the shipper to include the drop ball test certificate with the customs paperwork (that is, *outside* the box).

 

[JDelage]

I don't know what's wrong with the Matsuda M3038 but there's a number of them on eBay these days...