I'd just like to explain that this is more about the biggest BRANDS than the best glasses necessarily - although I tried to factor quality into my rankings, as well as popularity & influence.
@ADCL369 0 seconds ago @thespectaclefactory could you please share the model name and number of the cazal glasses? I was looking online and it is impossible to fine then
19:05 I Just bought Maui Jim wai wai...light weight titanium frames & superb clarity, quality feel & design look. Thought Persol might have made your list.
I've just discovered this channel yesterday but... I've got my list for the top three eyewear houses in the world. What I love about these three houses is that they are opposite sides of a perfect triangle. Each house is separate and singular. Here they are, my holy trinity: #1 Maison Bonnet #2 Masunaga #3 Reykjavik Eyewear
How do you know that to be the case??....One very very important brand ,and the most significant eyewear designer to end all designers and the pinnacle of hand made frame art and function, has been left out of this little mans little list,.... and that is the inimitable JACQUES MARIE MAGE ,,JMM to you. It is quite possible that this shabby optician has never heard of them in his narrow world, or that JMM paid him to not include them with all these other over commercial and mass produced brands!
@@drkesrf What I am talking about is the fact that this RU-vid 'expert' mentions the name very much in passing and includes them in a list of Japanese brands when of course, they are not ....(although they are manufactured there) Just so that you understand fully , his 'list' consists of 10 brands and Jacques Marie Mage is not one of those 10. Ok?
@@harveythompson1756 no, not ok. You make no sense. You dont seem to be familiar with robert. Hes mentioned JMM in all his rankings videos. The reason he doesnt talk about them in other videos is because he focuses on brands his store sells, which is reasonable. I own a pair of JMM so you dont need to teach me anything thank you.
Great to see you give Masunaga some love, I'd started to think you were avoiding mentioning them on the channel! For me, the brand missing from the list is J.F. Rey - perhaps not the biggest in mainstream awareness but such an influential contribution to the direction of eyewear design over the years
I am very happy with my Oliver Peoples sunglasses. I have to admit I'm surprised you didn't mention Persol. Regardless of your feelings about Luxottica, you can't deny they are an iconic brand. The 649 and Steve McQueen models have been worn by celebrities worldwide.
pretty cool to see Oliver peoples in here. They're the brand that got me into this luxury brand of eyewear and even this channel so that brand will have a special place in my heart. I have O'Malley glasses and Cary Grant Sunglasses. been wearing them for a while now and still holding up well. probably want to upgrade my collection at some point. Been eyeing a pair of Jacques marie Mage Sheridan glasses, really like those.
Matsuda is as good as Masnaga and more well known right now. Just not as influential and has less history. But the quality is on par with Masunaga. World class.
Masunaga frames are unbelievably comfortable to wear. Anyone who hasn’t experienced it is missing out - the materials they use is impeccable and you actually feel it against your skin! Amazing.
Hey Rob! So excited to see my glasses for the first time with the magma orange lenses in them! I cannot wait to hold them in my hands and see through them as well!
Dita should definitely be on the list. It's one of the biggest, most popular, most respected and influential brands of the last 15 years. Yeah yeah, we heard you feel they are derivative of Cazal, but that's really only a few models such as the Grandmaster series and a few others, but most of their body of work don't have any Cazel influence. Besides that its impossible to find any brand that isn't derivative from another. In fact the entire ten brands listed in the video are derivative in one form or another. Its just whether you want to pay attention or not. I was just looking at Chrome Hearts Zelda and Girthquake and they are basically Jacques Marie Mage pairs (or vice versa) from the bold square acetate to the similar arm metal core detail that goes the length of the entire arm. I see Maybach's The Dawn I and I see Dita's Midnight Special from the square lenses to the semi-floating lens to the coin edge detailing. 98% of all eyewear brands are derivative by all using aviator silhouettes. Or other silhouettes. That's just the reality. All brands are derivative, most moreso than Dita. Like I said, it only comes down to whether you wish to pay attention to other brands' derivative-ness or not.
@@m.m4982 Nope, just pointing out the hypocrisy. Dinging Dita for being influenced on a tiny number of models while letting the brands listed in the video slide when a good chunk of their models are derived from previous silhouettes such as aviators or rimless or horn rim, etc. is laughable at best.
DITA is no more and no less derivative than all brands in the list. Well, perhaps less than MOSCOT, since MOSCOT is particularly derivative across the board in their collections. But yeah, most of these brands are on the same playing field.
I am really looking forward to your Massunga review. I get how wonderfully passionate you are about Cartier(I understand that as I’m passionate about Lindberg Spirit rimless). I am watching closely how that brand remains. Despite waxing lyrical about Cartier their eyewear at least are owned by Kering, which is sad.
Robert, you are indeed the expert. I feel so embarrassed to have picked a feud and defended Ray-ban. I've had a Bausch & Lomb Ray-ban since a decade, they are a class of their own. I recently bought a pair of Ray-ban of Luxottica, the tentacled monster which makes almost rubbish. As you rightly say, they took down the iconic legacy of Wayfarer and the Top Gun Aviators to the ground. Luxury doesn't equal quality. Quality glasses might bend but never break, ever. I just bought a J.F. REY, they are new, so I was apprehensive, but like you said, 'Quality and Awesome'. Thank you!
Awesome list. When it comes to glasses brands is there a difference with the western market compared to the asian market? And does that affect the style of glasses like comparing japan and the US glasses wearers?? Many thanks
I've just discovered this channel yesterday but... I've got my list for the top three eyewear houses in the world. What I love about these three houses is that they are opposite sides of a perfect triangle. Each house is separate and singular. Here they are, my holy trinity: #1 Maison Bonnet #2 Masunaga #3 Reykjavik Eyewear
Didn't list Dita, Akoni or Balmain, pretty much all I own these days because the quality is so much better. However Cartier is coming out with a lot of new designs recently
Hi Robert , your Ahlem Frame look Fantastic. but what color did you choose for the base tint (40%)? i know Amber Flash from Zeiss but i dont know Amber as a Tint. I already have the glasses and unfortunately I have to copy them 🙂 look awesome 😍
hi robert, question, has the barton perreira glasses dropped in quality since they’ve been bought from LVMH? wanting to get one of their 007 thunderball. thank you for the quality videos 👍🏻
Interesting and controversial. To make it less controversial and more educational, I suggest splitting it up into at least 2 different rankings listing key players: 1) Past Influencers list. 2) Present influencers list. Also further splitting it into large brands know internationally e.g. Rayban and smaller brands known to connoisseurs e.g. JMM would be useful.
You mentioned Serengeti has good lenses. Is there a particular lense that you favour or is the best. I was looking at the drivers gradient and the Sedona bi mirror ? Thanks
Hey what’s up Robert, I own a few pairs of Cartier frames that’s my go to frames of all times but I’m thinking about getting myself a pair of Chrome Heart Gold ‘See You In Tea’ glasses what are your thoughts on those
Hello Robert, thank you for all the useful information in your videos. I was wondering if you could comment or rate the Vuarnet sunglasses. They really made a difference for me. Maybe though is that specific model. Thank you in advance. Warm regards, Amy.
A comment re: Moscot being made in China...I think (but am not sure) that they've done that for a long time, so I'd like to hear if there has been a demonstrable drop-off in quality ("here is a frame from 2000, and the same from 2020, and here are the differences"). If you want high quality, and also want to keep the price low, then China is likely going to be in the equation. Thanks so much for these videos, they're terrific.
Moscot have been making their frames in China since they became a "big" brand in the 2010's. In fact, they have no visible heritage as a brand. Yes, they've been around for a while but the Lemtosh was copied from the Tart Arnel and is not a frame from their past like they lead you to believe. They saw Johnny Depp wear the style, copied it and got him to wear their version for a short period around 2011. They're quality has actually improved over the years. It's just other brands got better when JMM came on the scene and everyone had to try harder.
@@pato10111 They have been making their frames in China for 50+ years. Not since 2010's, thats ridiculous. And they didn't copy anything from Tart. The Lemtosh was already available before 1960.
@@renegmail Show me a 1960s Lemtosh? You won't find one. It's just good marketing on Moscots part. Trust me, they copied the Tart Arnel and it launched their brand in the 2010s. The brand has very little history. Yes the shops are around a long time but they were doing nothing interesting for most of that time and decided to create a fabricated history once they rebranded in the 2010s.
I have 4 pairs of new Ray-Ban sunglasses (aviators, wayfarer, and two styles of the round metal). I had to spend some time bending them into perfect shape (all were a bit warped out of the box) and even more time adjusting the nose pads for a perfect fit, but after doing that I would say the build quality is still very good. I would just suggest avoiding the special frame finishes, like the 'antique gold' for example. It looks and feels like cheap gold spray paint.
For me, RayBan has to be on top. I absolutely love the Cartier designs but RB's pricing accessibility is the biggest point for me. Every true number 1 consumer product has to be accessible, like Jordans, Nike Dunks, G-Shock etc.
Spot on on the Rayban. Bought the Meta Rayban -- made in China and not the Gast-level quality. Looks cool but doesn't' feel premium, at all... Thanks for this top 10 list and very much looking forward to Masunaga expose!
@The Spectacle Factory - Give some love to TiDou, another Japanese company that has already won a handful awards despite only offering glasses for like 5 years now, if that?
I prefer LAE, but JMM have a far bigger audience and influence on the industry - LAE are still niche even after all these years (which is not a bad thing)
Guys, your videos are insanely good in terms of overall quality and content. But audio is soo off... Do i have do donate somewhere so you can buy a better microphones?:)
@@attilab.2818 yeah I'm aware some of their quality and control on some of their frames as I know "the bird" was infamous for bad quality hopefully they improve on it especially with the acquisition But luckily the 2 of their frames I got luckily been great
What are the glasses you're wearing in this video? I quite like them. For what it's worth, I've got 20+ year old Oliver Peoples Aeros and Victorys along with Maui Jims, so that's really all I wear for now.
Nothing dates faster than style. The reason Cartier “look great” (define), is because they don’t give a shlt about trends, fashion &c. They have so much confidence they win without playing. Good design exists far beyond mere aesthetics. In fact, done properly, “aesthetics” can be little more than a byproduct when everything else is done to perfection. You also need to define “beauty,” and learn to see it in different ways: Functional: Works well = beautiful Environmental: Small footprint = beautiful Religious: Participates in religious ideology = beautiful Cultural: Serves cultural ideals = beautiful Economic: Affordable = beautiful Mechanical: Good construction = beautiful Natural: Emulates nature = beautiful In the 80s we used to call people who tried too hard to look cool “try-hards,” and they were lame. Later in life, you can still see them. It’s as though they never got over Jr. High hump, and they still desperately want to be one of the popular kids. If you want to beat the cool kids at their own game, don’t play. And for the love of god, don’t dump those ideals onto your customers. That’d be cruel.
I saw your video about frameless glasses... I got a pair of Silhouette glasses. They work for me, but you said it's a bad brand. I like mine they're nice and light, but why don't you like Silhouette and are they really that bad?
I have never said they are bad. They are good glasses! I have said there are better options if you like that kind of style, and the long term durability is a problem
I have seen a lovely pair that Frank Azaria wore in a revert tv show that I will not name. I wonder what your thoughts are on the glasses he wore. The glasses are from Thierry lasry, and the glasses are the Victimy
I mostly wear Ray Ban because I enjoy the chromance lenses and they're heavily discounted most of the time. You can easily pick them for half MSRP or even less...I use them as disposable sunglasses is what I'm getting at.
Im actually surprised Ray-Ban made the cut to number 2. I liked what you said about Cartier frames "Its a statement of success". I love the fact that Masunaga made a part of that list. Made me remember about Matsuda!
They are just so completely derivative. All of their best styles borrow heavily from Cazal and Masunaga (who actually make their frames - did you know?)
@@thespectaclefactory I agree their design is influenced by Cazal, but their quality is much better than Cazal and I think they’ve been more innovative in recent years than Cazal IMHO. Dita has had a ton of impact thanks in no small part to Robert Downey Jr., wearing the Flight in his movies. Are you saying that Dita glasses are actually made by Masunaga, not Dita? If so, I wasn’t aware of that but it doesn’t change the fact that Dita’s had an enormous impact on the industry over the past 15 years, derivative or not, similarly Ray Bans quality is clearly trash but their past impact is also undeniable.
@@snuffles7314I completely agree with you on everything. I think a lot of people mistaken being influenced by something is the same as being a copy of it. I mean, the whole industry is could be considered derivative since it’s made up of offshoots of aviators, navigators, browlines, Wayfarers, etc. and styles they had no hand in creating. If taking a previous idea as inspiration to springboard into something else is derivative, then most brands on the list are crazy derivative including JMM, Cartier, Oliver Peoples with their aviator/navigator-inspired frames. Other brands such as Garrett Leight and Barton Perreira are offensively derivative based on that criteria. It’s just a shame DITA is called out for something other brands do much more egregiously. DITA did take inspiration from Cazal since their collaboration back in 2006/2007, but they made it their own thing. I haven’t met anyone that would mix up the brands. They are very distinct in styling, and that is one of many reasons saying DITA is derivative is categorically incorrect for most people, I reckon. Masunaga did indeed provide manufacturing services for DITA eyewear. They may still manufacture some of their styles and Thom Browne as well. Most companies outsource production of eyewear to these manufacturing houses after they finalize the design…which is why many Japan-made eyewear have similar styling cues to each other (especially titanium). Setting up a factory is cost-prohibitive for most brands. That said, DITA did indeed invest in their own factory years back, which is why they are a step above most brands in the industry.
If you like them go for them but I would look at a Lesca, Monc or Cubitts before parting with your cash as the quality would be marginally higher from those brands. 325GB is a lot of money for a Moscot frame considering they use Chinese acetate.
well how could you miss persols, Iconoc Steve Mcqueens, they are one of my favorites, very comfortable to wear frames, more so than OPs, I wear a bearnado & a 647,
The ‘coolest’ sunglasses I like wearing are Chrome Hearts. 10? Pairs of those maybe. Oliver People’s sunglasses are the most practical. Perfect for travel. The most comfortable, stylish and just oozes classic are Cartier’s. 5…no 7 pairs of those. Just the best.
Do you think Ray Ban models that are still made in Italy could be considered good quality ? Seeing many models have moved to being manufactered in China or similar
