Vintage Ray Ban Expert

[astromaddie]

Sounds like a bit of a gamble. You’ll have to trust your gut!

I know, it is a bit of a gamble! I’m leaning towards the odds being in my favour, there was a shot showing the B&L etching on the lens so it isn’t an unofficial lens-swap, and I can’t find anything about B&L Ray-Bans with orange lenses beyond the Ambermatics. Is it possible for the photochromic properties to wear off or “stop working” over time? I’m not exactly sure how the UV reactivity works.

 

[astromaddie]

Sorry for the double post, and this isn’t specifically about vintage Ray-Bans, but it looks like RB has sold a few limited-time Ambermatic aviators in the last few years. Are those the same quality and performance as the vintage lenses, or are they different at all?

 

[Styles Bitchley]

No clue about the modern ones. What you have in your favour with the. Intake Les is the case looks authentic and is not the style that is faked. Looks to the the right vintage too.

 

[astromaddie]

Just an update, rolled the dice and bought those Shooters. It’s a pretty overcast day… or week … or month, lol, but I did cover one lens and took it outside, and when comparing, the uncovered lens did darken, so these seem to be ambermatics after all!

I’ll have to see what their range of abilities are as the weather clears up, but for being 40+ years old, these are in beautiful shape

 

[astromaddie]

Just an update, rolled the dice and bought those Shooters.

I can not get these to sit on my face without slipping down my nose! After trying (and failing) to adjust them myself, I took them to the Ray-Ban shop nearby to see if they might have better luck getting a good fit on my nose bridge. They were able to help a bit, but they still slide down and pinch my nose shut. Right now I've got some nonslip silicone pads stuck on the bridge pads to keep them in place, but does anyone have any suggestion for fitting 62mm Aviators/Shooters properly on the nose? Any pictures of "properly adjusted" bridge pads to get me in the right direction?

 

[Hassan1979]

Hello everyone, I have bought Ray Ban glasses at a good price and I want to know if they are original or fake. The glasses are from the 60's and there is no "BL”on the lenses. The seller mentioned that in the 60s there was no engraving on the lenses. thank you

 

[Charlesmax88]

Hello everyone, I have bought Ray Ban glasses at a good price and I want to know if they are original or fake. The glasses are from the 60's and there is no "BL”on the lenses. The seller mentioned that in the 60s there was no engraving on the lenses. thank you

Hi Hassan1979,
Actually, I’m not totally sure about the authenticity but I can’t confirm you they are fake. I’ve seen two unusual things :
- The engraved letters aren’t perfectly regular : the U of USA is very too close to the 62()14. But it isn’t a unarguable proof of non-authenticity !
- On this model, I’ve never seen black or dark plastic arms : usually they are colourless (transparent or yellowed by age). Maybe the seller changed it ?
To be sure about authenticity of the lenses, if they were made in the 60’s, you can’t certify them by the etched BL...
So I advise you to :
- Let them under ultraviolet rays (lamp or the sun)
- Make sure the lenses are minerals and not made in polycarbonate
- Compare the size and the form of these lenses with the lenses on an original Aviator sunglasses

Maybe another “expert” here can confirm if you glasses are fake or authentic better than me ??

 

[Metadata]

I'm looking for B&L Aviators with 58mm kalichrome lenses, but the vast majority I find have the bullet hole and brow bar. Ideally I'd like a pair without either, such as these, but that's literally the only pair I can find online. Are these legit but rare, or do y'all think that's an aftermarket lens swap on a standard Aviator frame?

Also: this NYT article from '97 making fun of fashion-focused yuppies for wearing kalichrome Ray Bans in bright daylight. At the very end, it mentions they "now also come in blue and pink", but I can't find any other evidence of kalichrome Ray Bans other than yellow. Anyone know if blue/pink kalichromes were ever made? I'm thinking the reporter was mixing kalichromes with new, unrelated (non-kalichrome) lenses.

 

[Jomoral00]

I'm looking for B&L Aviators with 58mm kalichrome lenses, but the vast majority I find have the bullet hole and brow bar. Ideally I'd like a pair without either, such as these, but that's literally the only pair I can find online. Are these legit but rare, or do y'all think that's an aftermarket lens swap on a standard Aviator frame?

Also: this NYT article from '97 making fun of fashion-focused yuppies for wearing kalichrome Ray Bans in bright daylight. At the very end, it mentions they "now also come in blue and pink", but I can't find any other evidence of kalichrome Ray Bans other than yellow. Anyone know if blue/pink kalichromes were ever made? I'm thinking the reporter was mixing kalichromes with new, unrelated (non-kalichrome) lenses.

I don't think they have pink or blue kalichrome. Blue and pink only exist in the changeables, maybe he was referring to those.

 

[astroboy]

Hello!

I can not get these to sit on my face without slipping down my nose!

To prevent glasses from slipping down you have to adjust both: the temple-ends and the nosepads.
Normally I (I adjust them myself, too) firstly adjust the nosepads. The have to sit pefectly with their entire surface on my nose - that means in all angles! On my face "perfectly" means, that the frame is about 2mm away from my nose - otherwise the glasses can get wet from sweat and skin lipids.
After that I adjust the ends of the classical skull temples, so that they do not press on my head and ears and prevent the glasses from slipping on my nose. Ideally they work like a "hook" on my ears, but don't bend them too much down.

Right now I've got some nonslip silicone pads stuck on the bridge pads to keep them in place,

I don't think that they help. Your optician can change the whole nosepads with some made of silicone.

Any pictures of "properly adjusted" bridge pads to get me in the right direction?

Left picture = good.
Right picture = too high, nosepads and glasses do not fit.
(Picture taken with an old B&L Ray Ban Olympian I DeLuxe L0255).

Or: Maybe 62 lenses are too big and 58 are better for you.

 

[Styles Bitchley]

Very informative. Thanks!

 

[Syntax64]

Hello, can someone ID these? They are my grandfather's, been wearing for a few decades so I cannot read any of the lettering.

 

[astroboy]

Are you really awaiting a good advisory with only one fuzzy and underexposed picture?
Some sharp and well exposed pictures would help!
Are the hinges springy? My guess is that it is a fake. I've never seen a Ray Ban with springy hinges from before 2000 (before Luxottica). And the bridge is a bit too flashy for a Ray Ban.

 

[Racer322]

I've been trying to find some info on these B&L Ray Ban's but haven't been able to figure out what exact model they are. Any thoughts/ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Styles Bitchley]

No idea but they are fantastic!!