Persol 714 vs 649

[Chris Hanson]

Just have to deal with it mate. Try tightening the screws so that the legs can't so easily reach the rear of the lens. Unfortunately I have this on my left lens but it isn't noticeable for me when wearing them and other people don't notice it so I wouldn't worry too much. You can also try to put one leg over the other instead of side by side when you fold. They are amazing glasses so *******! wheeeeeeey

 

[specialedd]

Just have to deal with it mate. Try tightening the screws so that the legs can't so easily reach the rear of the lens. Unfortunately I have this on my left lens but it isn't noticeable for me when wearing them and other people don't notice it so I wouldn't worry too much. You can also try to put one leg over the other instead of side by side when you fold. They are amazing glasses so *******! wheeeeeeey

im jsut too scared that i might break the legs on accident. but i guess i'll just keep onto it. these are way better than my ray ban wayfarers. best glasses ever

 

[dnmtsn]

has anyone had the chance to try the 649 in 54 size and in 52? I wonder how much of a difference there is between the two sizes. well, it's 4mm, but is that perceptible when wearing them?
I just fot a pair in size 54 and I think it's a little too big for me. I'm not very sure, sometimes I look in the mirror and they seem allright, sometimes they seem large... hard to be sure.
thing is I need to change the lenses with prescription, which would double the price so it's important I don't screw this up...
I can't try them on in a store as there's no one stocking them where I live (I got mine from ebay, but I can send them back and get a different size, I think)

 

[mr usneun]

has anyone had the chance to try the 649 in 54 size and in 52? I wonder how much of a difference there is between the two sizes. well, it's 4mm, but is that perceptible when wearing them?
I just fot a pair in size 54 and I think it's a little too big for me. I'm not very sure, sometimes I look in the mirror and they seem allright, sometimes they seem large... hard to be sure.
thing is I need to change the lenses with prescription, which would double the price so it's important I don't screw this up...
I can't try them on in a store as there's no one stocking them where I live (I got mine from ebay, but I can send them back and get a different size, I think)

I did the upgrade from 49mm to 52mm and I think it's too large now. So try the 52mm, it shold work.

 

[Dr Jimmy09]

i just picked up a pair of the 714sm special edition from solstice, but i see that if i fold the legs it will scratch the lens......how the heck am i supposed to fold it? i looked it up on youtube and other people's glasses fold going up/down instead of going from in/out.....

I recently picked up a pair of 54mm. I wore them for a few hours and realized they were sliding down my nose. So I decided to do a little adjustment. I heated the back parts of each arm with a hair dryer and gently bent down them down to more securely wrap behind my ears. Not only did that solve my problem but happily also solved the problem of the arms hitting the frames when folded in. If you personally are not comfortable trying this at home I'm sure your optician can do this for you

 

[shazeh]



where did you get fake persols? never heard / seen any pair..

I never heard of a fake pair either....

 

[shazeh]



has anyone had the chance to try the 649 in 54 size and in 52? I wonder how much of a difference there is between the two sizes. well, it's 4mm, but is that perceptible when wearing them?
I just fot a pair in size 54 and I think it's a little too big for me. I'm not very sure, sometimes I look in the mirror and they seem allright, sometimes they seem large... hard to be sure.
thing is I need to change the lenses with prescription, which would double the price so it's important I don't screw this up...
I can't try them on in a store as there's no one stocking them where I live (I got mine from ebay, but I can send them back and get a different size, I think)

Here are my thoughts on the 54 vs 52 size:

I am not a big guy, 5'8" 155 pounds. I have two pairs of the 649 both in 54mm. The 52MM arms are just too short. They dont wrap around my ear, they float on top of my ear. Everyone wearing 52MM in pics and in person, I notice the same thing, so its not just me. Like you, in some pics and mirrors they look great on me and in others they look a little big. What I do know is that everywhere I wear them, I get compliments on them. No one ever says they are too big.

So as a final test, I went to sunglass hut wearing my 54mm. I told the sales girl, "I want to get a pair in size 52mm since everyone online says 54 is too big." She looked at me said, "i think the 54MM look fine on you, they arent too big. I wouldnt get the 52mm." She had every opportunity to make a sale and she didnt. I think 99.9% of the population will say they look fine on you. But if you come to a place like styleforum, where people debate little things like 'should monkstraps have two straps or one' and other arcane minutiae that no one in the real world notices or cares about, then yes, you will be told they are too big. If you like them then keep them and wear it in good health mate.

Here is the thread I started before about the 52mm arms being too short, but no one replied. If you look at the pic, you will see what I and others mean about the arms being too short.

http://www.styleforum.net/t/407858/persol-649-arm-length-issue

 

[dnmtsn]

Here are my thoughts on the 54 vs 52 size:


http://www.styleforum.net/t/407858/persol-649-arm-length-issue

hey, thanks for the answer. In the meantime I decided to keep the 54 because, just as you said, lots of people, including salespeople who could have closed a sale said they look fine. So I'm happy with how they look now, they are a little too wide though and tend to slid down. I think I should take them to a shop to get them sorted.
But, for what it's worth, I think that the length issue on your 52 pair can be solved by a good optician (they just straighten then re-bend the arm so the curve falls at the proper place). I'm not 100% sure that it could be done on that particular pair, but as a general idea something like that is feasible.

 

[shazeh]



But, for what it's worth, I think that the length issue on your 52 pair can be solved by a good optician (they just straighten then re-bend the arm so the curve falls at the proper place). I'm not 100% sure that it could be done on that particular pair, but as a general idea something like that is feasible. 

Really? I was not aware that could be done. The 52MM have 135mm arms. The 54MM have 140mm arms. So I just assumed it was a length issue, the arms arent long enough.....

 

[George Roundy]

Hi guys! I decided to buy a 714 SM in the dark havana frame. But I'm still reluctant for some reasons. I like the original horizontal inge on the sticks and I like the vintage thin sticks.

But I don't know if I like the front. I find, as someone of you said, the external corners are to high compared to the original Ratti that McQueen wore in the Thomas Crown Affair...

Here in this picture, however, the corners are lower in the SM than in the classic 714. what do you think? Thank you.

 

[FreeStyller]

Hi, everyone!

Sorry for reviving the thread again - it was definitely an interesting read for me.

I've ordered online a pair of 714 with a size of 54 without having the opportunity to try them on or to compare with the 52 size.

However, what I can compare with is my other pair of Persol: 2409S with metrics of 56/20/140. Here is a link to the model in the same colors as mine.

http://www.otticanet.com/img/imgocchiali/100/img_art_PO_2409S_1026_51_A.jpg

Those fit perfectly on my face in terms of size. Can I assume that the 54 size of the 714 will do it as well, I'm afraid their frame is not that typical and can just look huge on me, no?

What do you guys think? Thanks in advance for your 2 cents.

 

[LucasFilms]

The 714 and 649 are nice and better quality than other sunglasses of the same style but, similar to that shape and design, I prefer Ray-Ban CATS 5000.

My last Persol acquisition has ben the 3072 polarised. Havana. Really nice.

I have many sunglasses... another favourite model is Oliver People's Aero, faded blue

 

[Dr Jimmy09]

For your consideration Re: Persol 714 sm special edition leather pouch/ case. I've had these glasses since the summer. The pouch/ case is very rigid and the folded glasses don't quite fit in very well. It's impossible to fit the glasses together with the cleaning cloth at the same time. I know this has been well documented in forums, reviews and internet videos. Today I realized the rigidity is due to the pouch pocket having a white plastic insert that is lined with black velvet (or velour or whatever). I was able to remove this insert with little effort. There is only a small amount of adhesive on the front edge of the insert. The pouch essentially looks the same as it did with the insert in. That is the inside is the same velvet/velour material as lines the plastic insert. the pouch is now softer and more pliable. Perhaps a bit flimsy. The folded glasses AND the cloth fit easily into the pouch and the snap closes easily. What is more the pouch now fits easier into a shirt pocket. I'm not sure how this will effect the durability of the pouch over time. The insert may also protect the glasses being crushed. i'm just wondering if anyone has considered or tried this before ? Do you think that it was always the intent of Luxotica for the customer to remove the plastic insert and that it was only meant for display and/or packaging purposes ?

 

[mikejungle]

Just got a pair of the 9714-s after much deliberation, and wanted to share my thoughts if anyone would find it helpful.

First off, buy these in store if you can. The quality control on the folding Persols are absolutely horrid. There is NO attention to detail, and while the quality of the parts is good (crystal lenses are EXCELLENT), the workmanship is shoddy. I had to go to a few different stores to find one that wasn't completely crooked. Here are the things wrong with a lot of the ones I found:

• the lenses were not aligned with each other relative to the center piece, so depending on the sunglasses, when they were folded, they would not close clam-shell-like; they'd look like a clamshell if you ripped the two halves apart and stacked them messily on top of each other
• one pair had pock marks on the right arm; perhaps air bubbles when the acetate was poured?
• a few pairs had a loose hinge in the temple that would not allow for proper setting when opened; it would be very loose and would flop around on my face, making the glasses crooked
• the hinge angle varies greatly between pairs, and most of the temples (when viewed from above) splayed outwards, meaning they'd be very loose on the face, and almost none of them are perfectly straight; one pair had one arm going outwards and another going inward, so they would sit to the side of my face

as for temple arm length, i have what I think is an average slim face (but what is average, really...), and I actually had to shorten the length of the temples to my ear for it to fit correctly, so I don't know if this is a change that they made in the new "9" models, but changing the length was essential to get them to stop sliding off my face

for lens width, the 52 looks great on my face. Not too small, not too large. The 54's look ok, but they look a bit like the bug-eyed sunglasses that were popular with the ladies in the early 2000's, and I'm not into that look. In my humble opinion, Steve McQueen would have looked better with slightly smaller frames, but really, that's just my opinion.

and again, my opinion, but I feel the 714 shape looks better than the 649 shape, mainly due to the bridge. The horns on the bridge of the 649 look a little comical to me, and the hinge of the 714 necessitates a straight bridge, which I much prefer. I think the 9649 looks better than the original 649

The 9 series "modern" update is not bad. At first, I thought the slimmer frame would look a tad girlish, but they are not too bad.

I bought another pair of persols, because the last pair I had, a 2869, was a GREAT freaking pair. I put those through hell, and while the frame got pretty battered over the decade that I had it, the lenses never quit. If you fart on a pair of Ray Ban's, they'll have a jillion scratches on it, which is really a pity, since they have such an iconic past.
HOWEVER, the disappointing bit is that the workmanship is one of the worst I've seen. for $300+ pair of sunglasses, the 10 additional manufacturing steps they say need to be performed for the folding pairs should be done by craftsmen who care, but it looks like they're handed off to newbs with no experience and no desire to make a good product. I'm guessing this has to do with throughput, but it really is disappointing.

 

[JChong8]

Just got a pair of the 9714-s after much deliberation, and wanted to share my thoughts if anyone would find it helpful.

First off, buy these in store if you can. The quality control on the folding Persols are absolutely horrid. There is NO attention to detail, and while the quality of the parts is good (crystal lenses are EXCELLENT), the workmanship is shoddy. I had to go to a few different stores to find one that wasn't completely crooked. Here are the things wrong with a lot of the ones I found:

• the lenses were not aligned with each other relative to the center piece, so depending on the sunglasses, when they were folded, they would not close clam-shell-like; they'd look like a clamshell if you ripped the two halves apart and stacked them messily on top of each other
  
• one pair had pock marks on the right arm; perhaps air bubbles when the acetate was poured?
  
• a few pairs had a loose hinge in the temple that would not allow for proper setting when opened; it would be very loose and would flop around on my face, making the glasses crooked
• the hinge angle varies greatly between pairs, and most of the temples (when viewed from above) splayed outwards, meaning they'd be very loose on the face, and almost none of them are perfectly straight; one pair had one arm going outwards and another going inward, so they would sit to the side of my face

as for temple arm length, i have what I think is an average slim face (but what is average, really...), and I actually had to shorten the length of the temples to my ear for it to fit correctly, so I don't know if this is a change that they made in the new "9" models, but changing the length was essential to get them to stop sliding off my face

for lens width, the 52 looks great on my face. Not too small, not too large. The 54's look ok, but they look a bit like the bug-eyed sunglasses that were popular with the ladies in the early 2000's, and I'm not into that look. In my humble opinion, Steve McQueen would have looked better with slightly smaller frames, but really, that's just my opinion.

and again, my opinion, but I feel the 714 shape looks better than the 649 shape, mainly due to the bridge. The horns on the bridge of the 649 look a little comical to me, and the hinge of the 714 necessitates a straight bridge, which I much prefer. I think the 9649 looks better than the original 649

The 9 series "modern" update is not bad. At first, I thought the slimmer frame would look a tad girlish, but they are not too bad.

I bought another pair of persols, because the last pair I had, a 2869, was a GREAT freaking pair. I put those through hell, and while the frame got pretty battered over the decade that I had it, the lenses never quit. If you fart on a pair of Ray Ban's, they'll have a jillion scratches on it, which is really a pity, since they have such an iconic past.
HOWEVER, the disappointing bit is that the workmanship is one of the worst I've seen. for $300+ pair of sunglasses, the 10 additional manufacturing steps they say need to be performed for the folding pairs should be done by craftsmen who care, but it looks like they're handed off to newbs with no experience and no desire to make a good product. I'm guessing this has to do with throughput, but it really is disappointing.

I know I'm reviving a very old post of yours but I found your post to be very accurate to the current situation I'm in after purchasing a pair of the 2016 model 714s with dark havana and blue crystal polarized lenses. Right off the bat, I can say that I literally only paid $60.00 for my pair and they are fully authentic. I bought them from a Marshalls (which I was shocked would have Persol 714s, and especially a very popular color/model). Most Marshalls stores will stock a crapload of garbage dollar store quality sunglasses but then some will have a random mix of higher end designer shades as well.

Due to the price, I'm not going to raise a ton of hell and complain too much but a lot of the points you made about the shoddy craftsmanship hit home. First of all, the main metal hinge which is in the centre of the brow is actually scraping the acetate on one of the sides of the frame because it was clearly not machined properly. One side has an excess space of about a mm or two, while the other will scrape into the frame slightly. I also notice some of the "bubbling" or kind of pock marks within the acetate, not to mention the acetate not looking uniform in some places. In a few areas, I also have these weird white markings which I don't think are scratches because scratches wouldn't show as white on a havana frame. The hinge above the nose is also very loose and with minimal handling after taking them off, the glasses bend in half which is annoying. I obviously didn't really have choice of selecting a different pair because that's the nature of stores like Marshalls where you basically find things at luck of the draw.

Another thing I noticed is that the metal hardware on my pair actually has brown hues within the silver which look like rusting? I'm not super concerned about this as it's more of a nit pick but is definitely an indication which shows Luxottica's poor quality control and the potential use of lower grade materials. I think we can all agree that none of these glasses produced by this conglomerate will ever touch the Ratti produced Persols but I also agree with you that at a usual price point of over $300, there should be a lot greater attention to detail. The re issue 714s also have the problem of the folding process actually damaging the lenses as well. It's definitely a design flaw as the way the arms fold down exposes the rough metal edges which fold directly into the lenses. Those same metal hardware also scratch the acetate frames themselves. I had a pair of 714s a few years back that I sold online and every time I used to fold them and store them thinking they were safe...they were being damaged the entire time. It wasn't until I inspected them closer at a later date that I realized that my pair had very bad and deep cosmetic scratches from folding them.