There’s quite a bit of variability inprescriptionglasses prices, bothin terms of theframes and the lenses. It’s not always apparentwhy. We’ll breakdown the differences in frames and lenses so that you can decide what is important to you.
Let’sstart with frames. Four thingsdeterminethe price:where they are made, what materials they are made of, the complexity of the design andwhetherthe eyeglasses company pays a royalty to a“designer.”
Most eyeglasses frames are made in China because the cost of labor is lower there. Just because a frame is made in China, does not mean that it is automatically poor quality.Weonly carry oneChinese made frameline. We use them for our package deal.The verylow-qualityframes, that are very low price are almost all made in China. It’s more expensiveto produce glasses frames in Japan, the United States and the European Union.They all tend to be higher quality.
Most glasses are made of plastic, metal or a combination of the two.The materials have a bigimpact on the price of glasses.
Although there are others, mostplasticglasses are either made frompetroleum-basedplasticsorplant-basedcelluloseacetate. The former is primarily used in a process called injection molding. The very cheapest glasses are made this way. Sadly, evensome Ray Bans are injection molded. We do not carry any frames made in this manner. The quality is far too poor.
Acetatesare superior to petroleum-based plastics, but theyvarywidelyin quality. The best examples are made in Italy and Japan. There are cheaper Chinese acetates, but they tend to be lower density and lose their shape more easily.Warby Parkeruses this Chinese material. It looks nice, far nicer than injection molded options at similar prices, but they are notorious for falling out of adjustment.
Nearly all metal frames are made from an inexpensive nickel alloy calledMonel. When frames react with skin oils, turn green and eventually break, it’s because they are madefrom this material. None of our framesare made from Monel. Our metal frames are made from titanium or stainless steel.Both materials are inert anddon’t react to skin. They are alsovery durable.
Titanium comes inmultiple flavors.The best ones for glasses use are pure titanium, beta titanium and gum titanium. Regardless ofthe home base of a frame manufacturer, most have their titanium frames made in Japan. The Japanesepioneered the use of titanium in glasses and the best examples are still made there.
Both titanium and stainless can bepowder coated for a durable finish, but it is most often seen raw.
Design has a huge impact on price. The simplest frames are made from single layers of acetate. Acetate can be joined though, creating very complex designs. This is very labor intensive. The uniqueness ofthe parts used in assembly also drives up cost. Bulk purchased hinges for example are far less expensive thanmachining a temple with the hinge built in.Examples includeAnne et Valentin’sextremely complexPolychromfamily andMasunagasframes made with gum titanium.
Lastly, “designer” labels on the side of frames drive up the cost substantially. Glasses manufacturing companiespay royaltiesthrough licensing agreementsto companies like Coach,Calvin Klein, Prada, etc.Those companies have little if anything to do with the actual eyeglasses. They do one thing...add cost. None of the framesat Artisan Eyeworks are licensed designer frames. They are glasses for glasses sake.The only Chinese line we carry is made in the same factory as Calvin Klein and cost about $100 less perpair.
Very much like automobiles,in generalthe more you pay, the more you get. Designer labels aside, more expensive frames are more complex, made from better materials, and handcrafted in countries that pay fair labor rates. This translates intoa better quality, longer lasting products.
Next week, Part 2: Lenses.
