The Market For Second Hand Eyeglass Frames & Sunglasses & Where To Get Lens Replacements
The trend toward buying second hand goods has lost its stigmatization, and in the case of luxury brand items, the authentic brands made in France and Italy are very difficult to find anywhere else. Many of the original companies have gone out of business, or have quietly outsourced to China.
As far as eyeglass frames and vintage sunglasses, almost all are now made in China, to include Ray Ban, Oakley, Persol, Oliver Peoples, Coach, Prada, Chanel, and many others. These companies were recently purchased by Luxottica, which is made in China.
Occasionally you will see vintage sunglasses advertised as new dead stock. These websites make the claim that huge numbers of brand new designer sunglasses were found in a warehouse somewhere. If you think about it, how likely is it that a famous brand like Christian Dior or Valentino would have left a warehouse full of sunglasses in a storage room in New York City for fifty years? If it sounds implausible, it probably is. Such claims are most likely promoting and selling mass produced knock-offs.
Even though we have become used to the fact Luxottica now makes most luxury brands of eyeglasses, there is still a niche market for those who want to find the authentic brands made in the original country of origin. For eyeglass frames and sunglasses, the countries with the best reputations for both style and craftsmanship, are Japan, France, USA and Italy. You may also come across upscale brands from Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden.
Therefore the hunt for eyeglass frames made in those countries is part of the vintage niche market of hard to find authentic brands.
One of the most positive directions to help with the reuse and recycling of vintage eyewear is the fact you can now send your frames to online companies who will put the lenses of your choice into the frames. You can choose the lens, send in your prescription, and get various different coatings, including blue light filters, for a fraction of the cost. An example of such a service is called Dr. Lens Change and is located near Vancouver:
This service, as well as many other similar online lens replacement services, offers sunglass replacement lenses, as well as prescription lenses, which means those old eyeglass frames can have the lenses replaced. When this service was first introduced, they were limited to certain types of frames you could have lens replacements put into, but in recent years they have included all types of frames, to include rimless and curved.
I think the most difficult to replace are the lenses with significant curvatures, so if you have frames like that, check with them first. Dr. Lens Change claims they can replace lenses into any shape of frame. They also have an online chat, so you can ask questions if you have any concerns before sending them in.
For those who have sunglasses in designer frames they love, but need prescription lenses, or have a scratch in an old pair, you can now have those lenses replaced. They also offer non prescription replacements and transition lenses. If you wear prescription eyeglasses, you simply send them a copy of your prescription along with the frames. They also offer free shipping, and discounts if you order more than one pair.
Another interesting development in the world of technological advancement, is certain companies will now offer online eye testing, which I am not prone to promote at this stage, because a smart phone or computer simply does not have the diagnostic equipment to fully assess a person’s vision and eye health. However, I do believe they could provide a rudimentary assessment as to whether or not you do need to see an ophthalmologist.
When searching for authentic designer brands, or funky eyeglass frames from the 1950’s or 1960’s, you will not likely find them en masse on a website claiming they are new dead stock. Dead stock means they are no longer in production but remain in inventory.
All famous luxury brands are still in production, therefore it is a contradiction to claim they have massive quantities of dead stock from the mid-century era. The cost of storage alone would be a strong deterrent for any company. If they actually did store rooms full of inventory for fifty years in a major city, the storage costs would be astronomical and impractical over such a long period of time. Although I don’t know for sure what dead stock really means, I am skeptical of their claims.
As with most things vintage and niche market, you will find the unique one of a kind sunglasses and eyeglass frames through sellers who source them out one by one. When I look at eyeglass frames and sunglasses, other than condition, my number one concern is to make sure they are made in Italy, France or Japan.
I do have a pair of Graffix sunglasses, and will probably list them in the near future, even though they are made in China. They were originally made in Germany. In this case, they are an interesting steampunk design, with part tortoise and part wire frame. I do not know if it is possible to carry a wide range of interesting frames without having a few that are made in China.
I realize not all people are as fussy about avoiding the made in China labels as I am, therefore if the frames are unique, I will list the occasional pair, but will always disclose where they were made, and price them accordingly.
Eyeglass frames are fun to look at, and shop for, because they are so distinctive, like an added facial feature, and really reflect the personality and style of an individual. In fact they are so impressive they can change your overall appearance just by switching the frames. Not all current trends suit all face shapes. The wayfarer look may not suit a small face with sharp features. Some people look better in oval or round frames, and others look better in rectangular or square frames. No one should be limited by advertising trends or what’s hot at Costco. There are many more choices, if you are aware of the fact you can now have lens replacements in any style, or any age of eyeglass frames.
We all recall or know about some of the iconic looks created by certain musicians and Hollywood films. John Lennon, Men In Black, Audrey Hepburn, Top Gun, Blues Brothers, Clark Kent, and many others, created a memorable and distinctive persona depicting a certain pizzaz and personal style.
Whether you are drawn toward a sleek cool look, or a funky spirited appearance, or an understated intellectual, or nuanced and nerdy – you can find these fashion statements in the second hand market. Other than in old Hollywood movies, or on vintage album covers, you are not likely to see them everywhere you go. One definite added bonus of the vintage market, is in finding what is unique to your own face and style.
The Quiet West selection is always adding new frames, and various other vintage items. Check out the sunglasses and eyeglass frames with specs from the late 1800’s to date. You will find authentic designers from the obscure to the sublime to include Ray Ban, Oakley, Chanel, Vuarnet, Ferragamo, Thierry Mugler, Roberto Cavalli, and Celine, as well as less known exotic vintage brands like Sun Mode, May, and Matsuda.
https://www.quietwest.com/product-tag/sunglasses-eyewear/
A little bit of interesting history from the Hutchinson News in Kansas tells us about the origin of the oldest pair in the collection, Henry Zinn Jewelers & Optometrist who started making eyeglasses in 1890:
https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/2020/12/31/throwback-thursday-zinn-jewelry/4088870001/