Buying Designer Eyewear Online

ACCESSORIES · UNITED KINGDOM

Buying Designer Eyewear Online

Authenticity checks, the three frame numbers, lens options and returns

Designer frames cost substantially less online than in a boutique, and the saving is real when the source is genuine. A few checks establish whether it is.

Where frames come from

Most designer eyewear is made under licence by a small number of large manufacturers. Authorised retailers buy from those manufacturers or their distributors, which is what makes a warranty valid.

Ask whether the seller is an authorised stockist and whether the manufacturer's warranty applies, since grey-market stock frequently carries neither.

What genuine frames come with

A branded case, a cleaning cloth, a booklet and a model code printed inside one arm. That code, together with the three size numbers, identifies the exact frame and can be checked against the brand's own catalogue.

Check hinges, finish quality and the printed markings, since counterfeits are usually let down by the detail rather than the shape.

The three numbers

Lens width, bridge width and temple length are printed inside one arm. If you own frames that fit well, those figures are the most useful information you have.

Bridge width decides whether glasses slide down your nose all day, and it is the measurement most people ignore.

Frames only or with lenses

Buying frames online and having your own optician glaze them is a common route and is frequently cheaper overall. Ask first, since some opticians decline to fit lenses into frames bought elsewhere.

For prescription lenses ordered online you need the prescription and your pupillary distance, which is not always printed on it.

Returns

Check the window and who pays postage, and keep all packaging until you have worn them. Frames are frequently non-returnable once glazed.

Sunglasses

Ultraviolet protection is separate from how dark a lens is, and a dark lens without it is worse than none because the pupil dilates. Look for UV400 or an equivalent marking.

Polarised lenses cut glare from water and roads considerably, and they also make some phone and dashboard screens difficult to read.

Care

Rinse before wiping, store in a hard case and never rest glasses lens-down. Use both hands to take them off, since one-handed removal is what bends frames.

Prescription lenses in designer frames

Very shallow frames cannot accommodate varifocals, which need depth for the reading zone. Stronger prescriptions look better in smaller frames, since lens thickness increases towards the edge.

Ask about high-index lenses if your prescription is a strong one, which reduce edge thickness noticeably at extra cost.

Adjustment

Most opticians will adjust frames bought elsewhere for a small fee, and five minutes transforms how a pair sits.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Otticanet UK? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Otticanet UK — official site

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