Drift glasses: Feel good and look good in wood

Wooden glasses are really taking off. They began mainly in the luxury end of the spectacles market but prices are increasingly reasonable.

These latest timber offerings are from Drift Eyewear.

If you think these wooden temples – the fronts are acetate – are simply jigsawed out of some large plank and sanded down, think again. They are actually steel-reinforced, layered with hardwood on the outside another wood like maple on the inside. They're waterproof and UV-proof. Woods used include wenge, maple, bamboo and, like the one below, walnut... More interesting design info here.

All wood is sourced from FSC-certified suppliers and Drift, as well ensuring that its manufacturing is ecologically sound, is also a member of 1% for the Planet, where said percentage of sales helps environmental groups around the world.

So as well as feeling good in your face, they wooden spectacles will give you a warm glow inside.

Anne et Valentin: handmade glasses matured for 21 days...

It takes 21 days to create a pair of Anne et Valentin handmade glasses, and judging by these pictures, you can tell.

Anne et Valentin began in Toulouse in 1981 and I'm rather pleased it did. Its collection is one of the broadest and best around. Above are just a few the acetates and if you thought that was all A&V does, think again...

Mario Testino wearing L.G.R Tripoli sunglasses

Here's a man who knows a thing or two about good lenses - fashion photographer Mario Testino wears L.G.R sunglasses - the Tripoli model to be precise.

Read my previous post on L.G.R sunglasses here, including a video on the great glass lenses and the malleable temple tips.

L.G.R for Antonio Marras - women's sunglasses for 2010

L.G.R is a new brand for me, and what I've seen so far is mighty impressive. Here LGR collaborates with Antonio Marras for in a 2010 women's collection inspired by Africa and the colours of the desert. The lens-frame contrast reminds me a little of my find in Antarctica a week or two back.

Handmade in Italy and like all LGR sunglasses, the lenses are made of anti-reflective, anti-scratch, tempered mineral glass (always a sign of quality) and the frames use a clever material called cellulose acetate which is a little like memory metals but for plastic (as demonstrated impressively in the clip below).

Luca Gnecchi Ruscone started the company in 2007. It has a great optical collection and are definitely one to watch. Much more including an optical collection on the LGR Sunglasses website