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Bespoke, unreplicable glasses and sunglasses
The Fall of 2016 is set to see the high-end eyewear industry take an intriguing turn with the launch of an exclusive new range of products made from a novel material. Combining advanced technology with Italian flair and style, these eyeglasses are set to chisel out a distinctive niche in the fashion world.
Northern Italy has long been recognized as a world center of high quality marble production, and long-established precision engineering company Polimate Group, based in Modena, have announced that they are soon to release the Mora Eyewear range of bespoke, unreplicable glasses and sunglasses using this most luxurious of stones for their frames.
If the thought of wearing heavy stone eyewear all day sounds a little impractical, then there’s no need to worry, as the innovative new manufacturing technology the range will employ means that the marble-finished frames weigh in at just 1.5oz (32g), and yet with their strong carbon fiber under-frame they will hold their own against the rigors of daily wear.
Mora is not the first design house to attempt this kind of product. Italian marble specialists Budri released tentative plans to employ their stoneware expertise in the eyeglasses field, but were not ultimately successful. Mora are the first and so far only brand nowadays on sale to master the intricate fabrication techniques needed to bring the idea to life.
Each piece of eyewear takes 18 days to construct, with a highly involved process including 35 robotically controlled production phases and a full 76 rounds of careful hand-finishing. All this results in a beautifully crafted item of eyewear that combines both unique and exclusive style with the durability of carbon fiber and the wow-factor of that singular marble finish. The inserts and fixings are made from titanium for strength, before being coated with a variety of precious metals including gold and palladium for appearance.
These eyeglasses and sunglasses are far more than impressive technical curiosities though. Each piece is truly unique to the customer, and an expression of their taste and personality. The initial catalog will feature a choice of six distinct frame styles, three for females and three for males, while the design can be tailored with 36 varieties of marble finishing and eight types of semi-precious stones for ornamentation. The natural variations in textures and patterns provided by the marble will ensure a unique appearance each time.
If even this extensive scope for customization isn’t enough, Mora will be happy upon request to use materials not featured in the launch catalog if it proves practical. Also, each item will be engraved with the customer’s name as a standard feature, adding further to the personalization, but for ultimate exclusivity it is also possible to have a copy of the customer’s signature engraved on the inner temple.
There’s no doubt that the products in the Mora range are aspirational, fashion-based pieces of eyewear aimed at people who value exclusivity and style, and it’s likely that they will have serious price tags to match. However, in a global eyewear market worth an estimated $90bn each year, Mora are hoping that their bespoke marble frames will carve out a profitable niche in this highly exclusive, luxury end of the market.
