Fashion eyewear, NHS glasses, sunglasses and more

Magpie- for a first time wearer I'd recommend going direct debit with specsavers, for that price you will probably get unlimited after care appointments which is important in some wearers for the first year at least. If you buy online be prepared to pay out around £35 per return visit. It generally works out a similar price if you visit the cl fitter every six months or so.

Bit of a dredge but I've just purchased some new glasses for the first time in 4 years, from Eyediology in Spitalfields. Far better selection than most places and reasonable prices, I'd recommend them (although if there are more than four customers in the shop they don't let you in until some have left which is a little annoying).

Obviously when you compare the cost to the amount you wear them they don't seem that unreasonable I did wonder about why the prices of frames are so high for what is essentially plastic and metal fixings. Did a quick google and came across this: Sticker shock: Why are glasses so expensive? - 60 Minutes - CBS News I've never heard of Luxottica before, it is UNBELIEVABLE the monopoly they have going on the personal optics market.

P.s. the interviewer is dreadful.

^^ not watched the vid above, but luxottica are a huge supplier, they're an italian company and distribute Oakley, rayban, prada, Gucci and a metric fucktonne more. They're UK based in st Albans not far north of London. They have an aggressive stock supply policy but produce excellent products that consumers recognise. They are also a pleasure to deal with. A somewhat double edged sword.

I work in an opticians and think Luxottica are very good. They require you to order a minimum amount a year, I think 72 pieces, but the products are very good quality.
Anything that has their name on it is likely to be good build quality.

^ No, build quality is actually shite. Just look at the build quality of Ray Ban when Bauch & Lomb made them. Just so much better. Now it's cheap hinges, fragile acetate and shit lenses. Same with Oliver Peoples after the takeover.

If you want Ray Ban Clubmasters/Wayfarer you need to go vintage B&L. Much better and less expensive.
Oliver Peoples are expensive though but well worth the extra ££.

Well I wish I'd posted it earlier as I've just got a pair of clubmasters. Had a quick search and couldn't seem to find anywhere selling Bausch & Lomb era glasses that weren't sunglasses (unless you can just get prescription lenses put in the same frames?)

If you want Ray Ban Clubmasters, you want Shuron Ronsirs.
Might as well get the original.

^ No, build quality is actually shite. Just look at the build quality of Ray Ban when Bauch & Lomb made them. Just so much better. Now it's cheap hinges, fragile acetate and shit lenses. Same with Oliver Peoples after the takeover.

If you want Ray Ban Clubmasters/Wayfarer you need to go vintage B&L. Much better and less expensive.
Oliver Peoples are expensive though but well worth the extra ££.

I wear wayfarer's as my everyday glasses. Got em about 2 years ago, maybe less. Noticed they are actually decomposing. The acetate is properly dissolving in places.

I bought real ray bans when there was countless cheaper plastic specs, because I thought the quality would be good. But they have dissapointed.

Your post explains why.

If you want Ray Ban Clubmasters, you want Shuron Ronsirs.
Might as well get the original.

Any places stock them in London?

Internets - I'm a thousand miles and a country away from them.
They'll send you a box full of frames to try on with which you can nail down your size and style preferences. (for not too much dosh)

Hmm I did consider ordering online, but they were my first new glasses in 4 years, wanted to make sure they were right, with stuff like PD, etc

I measured my own, dead easy.
http://www.stingyspecs.com.au/what-is-PD.html
Also, when my optometrist found out that I was ordering online, she made sure that my PD was not included in my prescription.

Funny how pre Luxottica Ray Bans are almost indestructible and were pretty cheap, and new ones are flimsy and three or more times the price. The only downside of the older Ray Bans is the weight, the glass lenses aren't light.
I have had a pair of Baloramas for years, and they are still fine, and I bought a new pair of similar ones last year with plastic lenses and they are already scratched, a lens has a crack developing and the hinges have play in the rivet (the originals had 7 leaves and a screw in the hinge, the new ones have 3 and a rivet)
I took the old ones into the opticians at the weekend and they tightened them up and made them fit my head a bit better, they had gone slack over the years. The staff were all having a little look and handling them. They have sent the new ones back to have the crack examined.

Also, when my optometrist found out that I was ordering online, she made sure that my PD was not included in my prescription.

Such cunts, they all do that... I have three pairs of glasses, the PD is out on one pair because of this shit...

True, but stand in front of a well-lit mirror, with a decent well-marked ruler, and you'll be fine. (Or have 3 friends measure your PD < not a euph < separately and average out the numbers)

Tried all that, when I ordered my glasses in store they measured it and my DIY measurement was way out. The option to go back and have alterations/after-care is also more appealing to me. I guess it's like LBS vs. online stores (with some obvious differences)

http://www.warbyparker.com/

Maybe you could get Chain Reaction Cycles to do your PD for you?

^ No, build quality is actually shite. Just look at the build quality of Ray Ban when Bauch & Lomb made them. Just so much better. Now it's cheap hinges, fragile acetate and shit lenses. Same with Oliver Peoples after the takeover.

If you want Ray Ban Clubmasters/Wayfarer you need to go vintage B&L. Much better and less expensive.
Oliver Peoples are expensive though but well worth the extra ££.

I don't deal with Rayban so didn't know that. The ophthalmic frames are good quality and they offer good warranty too.

If you want Ray Ban Clubmasters, you want Shuron Ronsirs.
Might as well get the original.

I've got B&L Wayfarers and the weight difference between mine and my sister's Clubmasters from 2 years ago is phenomenal. My arms are loose though, anyone know how to tighten them up so they don't keep slipping down my nose?

It's what stops me wearing them more often.

As said rayban and Olivers People have sold out, they are terrible quality and shit in general now.

Dita and Thom Browne are pairs that are have heavily invested in and the quality is insane compared to the Raybans I use to wear, plus they are a stack more fashionable.

^^^ Those are Shurons.
^^^^ Can't quite place those.