Eyewear with Nanyang Optical – Part 3: Eyelet

I have grown addicted to eyewear from Nanyang Optical lately and will be sharing a series of blog posts on their different eyewear brands:

My thee frames from Nanyang Optical – from top to bottom: Eyelet, Urband, Glossi

Top view from the side to illustrate how slim all the frames are

This post is on their Eyelet range of eyewear and is the last part in my Eyewear with Nanyang Optical blog series.

Eyelet is the world’s first soft-lock system using nylon string to lock the lenses within the rims of the frame. Yes, you read correctly, nylon string!

It is eco-friendly with no soldering involved, and the temples are made of recycled polymer. The full rim frame looks like a rimless frame, and its wearing comfort and weight are also comparable to a rimless frame. It is more sturdy and durable than rimless frame, and balance well on the face unlike most thin rimless frame.

It’s unique design has won a slew of international design awards since launch:

• 2011 IOFT Eyewear of the Year 2012 Functions and Technologies Category
• 2010 Nominated for the German Design Award 2011 [Designpreis Deutschland]
• 2009 iF Material Award 2009 Gold [iF International Forum Design, Germany]

Here’s my pair of Eyelet spectacles with lenses from Crizal by Essilor (read here to find out more about the benefits of Crizal lenses over other brands):

My pair of Eyelet spectacles

Super slim rims and frame

The frame for Eyelet can be bent and kept this way

Really unique spectacles case for Eyelet eyewear

The use of nylon string keeps the frame ultra slim and sleek, without the need for protruding screws.

I have been wearing my Eyelet spectacles for about a month now. The rim is so thin a lot of people initially thought it was a rimless pair of spectacles. I am a very clumsy and rough person with my stuff and it is good to know that my pair of Eyelet spectacles are definitely sturdier than they are designed to look.

Eyelet is perfect for those seeking a delicate look, but wants the frame to be tough at the same time.

If you are interested to find out more about the Eyelet brand, visit their official website  or facebook page for details. Eyelet eyewear is available at all Nanyang Optical stores. 

Eyewear with Nanyang Optical – Part 2: Urband

I have grown addicted to eyewear from Nanyang Optical lately and will be sharing a series of blog posts on their different eyewear brands.

This post is on their Urband range of eyewear and is part 2 in my Eyewear with Nanyang Optical blog series:

Urband is a global and cosmopolitan brand fused with innovative and technological breakthroughs. No kidding, it has collected a slew of international design awards since its launch:

• 2009 President’s Design Award Singapore 2009
• 2009 Red Dot Design Award 2009 [Red Dot Design, Germany]
• 2009 iF Material Award 2009 Gold [iF International Forum Design, Germany]
• 2009 Nominated for the German Design Award 2010 [Designpreis Deutschland]
• 2006 iF Material Award 2006 [iF International Forum Design, Germany

What is so special about the design?

Urband frames are constructed without soldering, screws or hinges. The conventional frame uses screws at the temple hinges to attach the temples to the frame front. Urband is a new invention utilizing an S-clip to attach the temples to the frame front.

Assorted eyewear from Urband

Here’s my full titanium Urband frame with with lenses from Crizal by Essilor (read here to find out more about the benefits of Crizal lenses over other brands):

My Urband frame

Edgy modern oriental motif

Close-up of the S-clip

Full side view

I have been wearing them for over a month now. The frame is very light weight and the design is strong, formal, but with a touch of style.

The frames are not exactly cheap, but you pay for quality. Considering most of us who wear spectacles don them all the time except when we are sleeping, it is worth investing in something that shares such an intimate bond us daily.

If you are interested to find out more about the Urband brand, visit their official website for details. Urband eyewear is available at all Nanyang Optical stores. 

Eyewear with Nanyang Optical – Part 1: Glossi

I am fussy about my eyewear.

I have been wearing spectacles since I was seven, a good 26 years now. I tried contact lenses for a while, but I never really got used to them. Moreover, I have a large, round face which I like to downplay by accessorizing with eyewear.

My first contact with Nanyang Optical was through Get Singapore, a non-profit organisation set up to collectively market some quality Singapore brands under a major “Singapore brand” umbrella.

Nanyang Optical at Bishan Junction 8

Nanyang Optical is more than just a spectacle store chain, they have invested much money and effort in R&D on eyewear designs and have launched a number of their own eyewear brands over the years.

Inside the store

Nanyang Optical is also the first eco-friendly eyewear chain in Singapore, launching eco-friendly eyewear made of recycled materials and implementing a full circle recycling system.

I buy about two new frames each year, so I can safely claim to have bought at least 52 frames over the years. The issue I have with spectacle designs are that they are mostly boring and uninspiring.

Two decades have passed and yet frame designs generally stayed the same – boring. Large plastic frames were the in thing a few years ago, followed by round tortoise-shell designs with gold trimming currently. These were the same stuff that were in many years ago. It is just a revisit of yesteryears’ designs. Uninspiring.

This is why I am pleasantly surprised by the good work a home-grown company, Nanyang Optical has done for eyewear, setting it sights to capture the world market with snazzier and unique designs.

Glossi is one of the eyewear brands under Nanyang Optical. I will blog about another two of their brands, Urband and Eyelet in subsequent posts for my Eyewear with Nanyang Optical series.

Glossi emphasizes on vibrant and bright colours:

Assorted colour frames by Glossi

The eyewear is made of a strong, flexible translucent plastic polymer that is glossy (mirror effect), light weight, durable and comfortable to wear. The two temples are joined to the top bar, and a frame front of a different color is joined to the top bar by nylon string stitching. The two-color combination creates a third visual dimension to the whole glossi eyewear with a unique see-through overlapping color effect at the top bar.

The frames are immediately recongisable because of these unique design features:

What I like about Glossi is that the frame looks simple and elegant from far, but upon a closer look, you discover the playful and fun part of it with the glossy effect at different angles. It is small design detailing like this that gets me excited.

I also like the functionality in the use of nylon string stitching for the joints. No more unsightly screws that tend to get loose or rusty over time. The thin nylon string allows for a slimmer overall design, without protrusion at the joints. Practical, yet aesthetically satisfying.

Here’s my pair of red Glossi spectacles which I got earlier this year, with lenses from Crizal by Essilor (read here to find out more about the benefits of Crizal lenses over other brands):

My new Glossi frame in Ironman colours

Glossy frame that gives a different colour from different angles

Nylon stitching at the joints

Slim and elegant

I have been wearing them for over a month now and loving them more because of the chic design, slim build and weightlessness.

If you are interested to find out more about the Glossi brand, visit their official facebook page or website for details. Glossi eyewear is available at all Nanyang Optical stores. 🙂