Sunglasses A-Z

Acetate Material

Acetate—or, more specifically, cellulose acetate—is the caviar of plastics. It’s durable, hypoallergenic, and capable of holding exceptionally rich colors, which makes it an ideal material for eyeglasses and sunglasses. 

Anti-reflective coating

All Colossein sunglasses lenses are coated with high-quality super-hydrophobic treatment. This step is especially important for those who work with computers—and it also keeps your glasses looking so fresh ‘n so clean-clean.

Cat-eye Style Frames

Cat-eye frames are a shape of frame that swoop upwards, like…um…cats' eyes. (You saw that coming.)

A woman named Altina Schinasi Miranda is credited with inventing the first cat-eye-like shape in the 1930s. Miranda was a window display designer in Manhattan who thought most glasses were hideous and unsuitable for fashionable ladies. Inspired by harlequin masks she’d seen in Venice, Miranda got creative and designed a pair of glasses that mimicked the masks. (She snipped the first prototypes out of paper). Fast-forward a few years and the new style of glasses is suddenly in vogue AND in Vogue. Marilyn Monroe wore them, Nina Simone wore them, Brigitte Bardot wore them…all the cool girls. Now we call them cat-eye frames. You can wear them even if you’re more of a dog person. It’s allowed.

 Fit

Do your frames fit? Here’s how to tell.

 

• Pupils should be near the center of the lens
• Lenses shouldn’t extend past the side of your face
• Eyebrows should not be inside the glasses
• When you smile, your cheeks shouldn't push the frames up
• Frames shouldn’t slide down your nose

Mixed Material

Some mixed things are bad (like mixed messages). Some mixed things are good (like mixed nuts). Our Mixed Material frames definitely belong to the second category. These frames include densely-hued acetate and metal flourishes.

 Nose bridge

“Nose bridge” refers to the slope of the nose in between your eyes. (Put your finger there. It’s a nice little area, isn’t it? Definitely an underrated body part.) A low nose bridge is where the bridge of your nose sits level with or below your pupils. People with low nose bridges often have wide faces and/or high cheekbones. (Tip: Low Bridge Fit frames minimize any pinching and prevent frames from sliding down your nose or resting on your cheeks. Which is fantastic, because no one on earth wants to be pinched by a pair of glasses.)

Nose pads

Twin pads that rest on the sides of your nose and ensure a snug fit.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is an über tough transparent plastic with exceptional impact resistance. (It won’t break if you drop it, unlike eggs, crystal vases, fine china, water balloons, etc.). some of standard Colossein sunglasses and all optical lenses are fashioned from polycarbonate.

Polarized lenses

Polarized lenses eliminate glare, making it easier for you to see without straining your eyes. How do they work? Physics, punk! Light waves vibrate in different directions, and most of the light waves that cause “glare”—those shiny reflections off a pool or a highway—are horizontal. Polarized sunglasses have teensy vertical filters that prevent horizontal light waves from entering. Voilà: no glare. It’s so simple, yet so cool.

Readers

Readers (or reading glasses) are glasses with non-prescription lenses that make it easier to read (or do anything that requires really good eyesight at close range). They’re available in various preset magnification strengths, which users can choose from to match their needs.

Temple

Also known as the arm, this is the part of your glasses that runs alongside your head and holds them in place.

Titanium

Titanium is a strong, durable substance that holds up well under force. (Just like you.) We use it to make glasses because it has a high strength-to-weight ratio, which makes it ideal for an item that rests on your nose. Also: Titanium never rusts.

Its symbol is Ti, like the rapper.

Titanium was discovered in 1791. Other fun things that occurred in 1791: Vermont became a state, the guy who invented Morse code was born, and the world’s first Sunday newspaper was published. Yeah, it was a good year.

Tortoise shell

In the 19th century, tortoise shell was a prized material for all sorts of household objects, from combs to cigar boxes to spoons to paper cutters. Fancy people stored champagne in tortoise shell ice buckets. It made sense: Tortoise shell is a beautiful material, with complex marbled hues and a rich glow. Even the ancient Egyptians used it.

The problem is that tortoise shell originally came from an actual animal; specifically, the hawksbill sea turtle. This big guy grows to three feet long, has a cute little beak, and enjoys swimming among coral reefs and lagoons. In 1973 the Endangered Species Act was passed, which officially protected hawksbill sea turtles from being hunted. They’re still endangered though.

Here’s where it is important to note that our tortoise shell is NOT made from actual tortoises. We would never do that. Instead, ours is made of custom cellulose acetate. Our designers have a lot of fun concocting tortoise hues of every shade—with no cruelty involved.

Yes!

This is what you will shout—possibly accompanied by a fist pump—when you put on your first pair of Colossein sunglasses and glasses. Good times.