Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Quality of Frames

There are many things to look for when judging quality, whether is it a posh name brand or little guy trying to start his own line. Dollars don't necessarily translate into quality. Next time you look at some eyewear, judge it and see how they compare to what you have or what you would like to have. Comparing the following details will help you determine if the eyewear is going to be worth your hard earned dollars.

1. Material
Metals
-Stainless is the least expensive, then monel, then Aluminum, then Titanium being the most expensive (Other than gold and so on).
-Keep in mind there are many in between that I have not mentioned, but those are the most that you'll see.

Plastic
-There are cheap reading glasses made out of polycarbonate and plastic injection which are by far the worst. They have no flexibility and adjustability.
-Acetate is the best because it is adjustable making them more comfortable.

2. Color/Paint
-How uniform is the paint? Does it have thick and thin parts? Make sure it is smooth.
-Did they paint the undersides? the insides? The more painted parts on the frame the better.
-How easily does it scratch? can you take a nail and rip through it? The difference between a good paint job and bad is that a good one will be painted in 11+ layers and a bad will be painted 7 times. That is not all that much difference considering how thin it is.
-How fine is the paint? The finer the better. Is it chunky or can you see drip marks?

3. Edges
-How square are the edges? Are they cut clean or are they rounded? Make sure if it is a corner, that it is cut like a corner and not rounded off.
-Do the lines meet up well? Are there gaps when you look at the temple and front from the side?
-Does the paint run off of it or is it painted well off the edges?

4. Demo Lenses (the lenses in the display)
-Are the demo lenses cut well? Are there gaps between the frame and lens? Are the lenses warped?
-Do they have an anti-reflection coating? If they do, it cost them more to make it, its good! The demo lenses reflect the quality control in the manufacture.

5. Printing
-How is the printing on the lenses and the frame? Is it clear and clean or is it smudged on?
-It's small details, but usually copies/fakes are smudged a bit. They basically produce it faster and cheaper than the original companies.

All of the above reflects the quality control of the manufacture. Sure some could be defects, but if the whole line looks like that, you know what you are buying. Paying big bucks doesn't necessarily mean good quality. Sometimes it's more about the quality than price. Hope this helps you guys judging frames. Now you can compare frames while having a "scale" on which you can judge, instead of being a "I like" or "I dislike". Questions why you like it and if it is worth your dollars to pay for that brand. Good luck and happy shopping!!!

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