Can You Change Vintage Sunglasses into Vintage Glasses?
The old eyewear collections of the 60s, 70s and 80s were designed in such a way that sunglasses could also be optically glazed and frames could be fitted with sunglasses as desired. This means that almost every pair of vintage sunglasses can also be converted into vintage glasses.
As some manufacturers, such as Ray-Ban, Persol or Zeiss, invested an enormous amount of money into the development of extremely high-quality sunglasses, this is sometimes a pity. As some customers used to have actual pairs of sunglasses made into glasses with their own prescription lenses, it is, for example, still possible to frequently find dismantled sunglass lenses in the warehouses of older opticians’ shops.
The marketing of sunglasses didn’t really change until the mid-1990s. Then, it wasn't unusual to see sunglasses on offer in fashion shops or designer boutiques as pure fashion accessories. These models were often designed in such a way that it was no longer possible to change the sunglass lenses. Or the quality of the frame was simply not sufficient for the grinding needed in prescription lenses.
But none of this applies to our vintage sunglasses ranging from the 60s to the 90s. These are of outstanding quality and offer not only 100% UV protection but also the option of optical glazing. However, there are a few exceptions, such as the old designer sunglasses with continuous lenses (e.g. Porsche 5620, Alpina Goldwing or Boeing 5703), which were developed purely as sports eyewear and therefore cannot be fitted with prescription lenses.
If you are unsure, we recommend that you contact us before making a purchase. We will tell you immediately which vintage sunglasses can also be used as vintage glasses - and vice versa.