Ray Ban, glasses and sunglasses | Vintage Sunglasses

Genuine vintage Raybans

In 1937, the American eyewear brand Ray-Ban was founded in Rochester by Bausch&Lomb and sold to the Italian eyewear manufacturer Luxottica in 1999. Many glorious years of sunglasses history, with numerous patents and many famous spectacle wearers, lie in-between.

The difference between an old pair of USA Ray-Ban vintage sunglasses from Bausch&Lomb and a new pair of Luxottica Ray-Ban sunglasses from Italy is no longer known only to connoisseurs and collectors. Meanwhile, more and more glasses lovers are interested in the exciting history of the old Ray-Ban sunglasses.

The Ray Ban Aviator

Bausch&Lomb, a manufacturer of medical-optical products, was originally commissioned by the US Air Force to develop aviator goggles. Quality, functionality, and design were adapted to the needs of the pilots, which led to the first "Aviator sunglasses" in 1937. As it was initially exclusively a military product and not a fashion accessory, the name "Ray-Ban" (stands for "radiation protection") originated incidentally at this time.

Ray Ban Outdoorsman and Sharpshooter

Other models followed in the 40's and 50's, like the Ray-Ban sunglasses "Outdoorsman" or the Ray-Ban sunglasses "Shooter", which were manufactured strictly according to military specifications. The names of the glasses explain themselves accordingly. “Shooter" is self-explanatory (later, there was even the model "Sharpshooter") and is characterized by the characteristic "Bullethole".

The unique variety and fabulous quality of the old US Ray-Ban sunglasses can still be explained today for, as a consequence of the high investments of the military, real research was carried out on how to optimally protect pilots’ eyes.

The famous Ray-Ban Wayfarer

Later, thanks in particular to some prominent sunglass wearers in the 1960s, the actual military sunglasses came increasingly into public focus. For example, John F. Kennedy wore Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses during the 1962 "missile crisis", which have since become the best-selling model in the world.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Bausch&Lomb recognized the commercial value of the pilot sunglasses which had been developed and succeeded in making a niche product world-famous with an unprecedented product placement.

The Blues Brothers made the Ray-Ban Wayfarer their trademark in 1980, as did Don Johnson in "Miami Vice" and Tom Cruise in "Risky Business".

Peter Fonda wore Ray-Ban Olympian I Deluxe glasses in the movie "Easy Rider" (1969), Clint Eastwood wore Ray-Ban Balorama sunglasses in the movie "Dirty Harry" (1971). Not to forget the legendary Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses from the 1986 film "Top Gun".

All these product placements led to the annual sales figures skyrocketing from a few thousand to several million units.

Ray-Ban since 1999: Luxottica

At the beginning of the 1990s, Bausch&Lomb, like many other renowned eyewear manufacturers at that time, experienced a dramatic drop in sales. Consumers were suddenly no longer prepared to spend a lot of money on quality sunglasses, but preferred cheap Asian goods.

Although Bausch&Lomb rebelled with new Ray-Ban sunglasses models and Olympic collections, in 1999 they decided to sell the "Ray-Ban" brand to the Italian eyewear manufacturer Luxottica.

Only years later did the US realize which child of the country it had given up. Luxottica masterfully combined the American image of Ray-Ban with modern production processes and made Ray-Ban the number one sunglasses brand.

Differences between the original „B&L” USA (“Bausch&Lomb“) sunglasses and the new Luxottica models

Optically, an old pair of USA Ray-Ban sunglasses hardly differs at first sight from a new Luxottica-Ray-Ban, but the differences become clear at second glance.

All old original Ray-Ban sunglasses have "B&L USA Bausch&Lomb" engraved in the frame as well as the legendary "B&L" engraving on the lenses. In addition, the glass lenses of the old Ray-Ban Bausch&Lomb sunglasses are made of hardened mineral glass, which makes the entire model heavier and more valuable than the new reproductions.

There are some other, further differences in the individual model series.

For these reasons, there is still a large fan base of sunglasses lovers who pay close attention to these differences and almost adore the quality of the old USA Ray-Ban glasses from Bausch&Lomb.

B&L USA

Ray-Ban invented the pilot glasses and the Wayfarer-design. Countless movies have made Ray-Ban sunglasses like the “Wayfarer” immortal. The US brand sponsors selected sports events with special editions of its classic sunglasses. Our stock of glasses only includes the old Ray-Ban originals from Bausch & Lomb, USA.