Material Matter — Understanding glasses’ material importance & use
It’s very rare when we pay enough attention to glasses’ material than their design and style. Though beauty is a preeminent part of the glasses, material plays a significant role. Many a time, the material type dictates the design and appearance your frames would be in.
There’s more to glasses material than just plastic and metals, once you explore your options, you’ll be surprised to see the existing diversity. Today, we took the step by compiling the material of the well-known frame known for their importance in creating a statement.
1. Acrylics Frame
Acrylic material is identified with durability, strength and versatility. This material is no longer in use today.
Key Properties
Acrylics frames were known for the following properties:
- Extremely rigid
- Lightweight
- Brittle
- Long-lasting polish
Acrylic material is made out of acetone, methanol, sodium cyanide and sulphuric acid. By looking at acrylics frames, you’d think of it as heavy and thick plastic but it’s extremely weightless. The colours of acrylic frames are what made these glasses a unique and go-to choice for eyewear. The glasses colours are flamboyant, bright and bold.
2. Aluminum Frame
One of the most abundant metals on earth was also made into eyewear.
Key Properties
A typical aluminium frame is known for its stellar characterises, such as:
- Hardness
- Low density
- Heat dissipation
- High compression-resistant
It is coated to produce frames in different ranges of colors. Aluminums frames can’t be brazed so all other parts of glasses are attached by screws. It’s extremely difficult to adjust the other parts together in aluminum frames as a result, these glasses took too long to process. It is also a little cold to touch if left to rest for a while.
3. Cellulose Acetate
The material that makes up more than 50% of glasses now is none other than cellulose acetate.
Key Features
Each form of acetate is made out these vital properties -
- Toughness
- Transparent
- Durability
- Excellent elasticity
- Hypoallergenic
- Environmentally-friendly
Considered as the best alternative to plastic, acetate is made out of processed wood pulp thereby making it a renewable source and a biodegradable product. To understand it’s manufacturing, we’ll have to get a bit scientific. The cellulose from the cotton or wood pulp is refined to make purified collusion that is used to make sheets of acetate. From which glasses or sunglasses are cut out. Acetate glasses have deep gloss texture, steer clear transparency and are available in rich colours.
4. Gold (Pure)
Material that belonged to only the rich, frames made out of gold were an option for eyewear. Priced at £816 per ounce as of Feb 16, 2016. Though wearing gold glasses can give oneself airs but it is too soft and delicate to carry lenses in it or work as regular glasses. Not just the high price but also the incompetence of strength led to the decline in the use of gold glasses.
5. Horn glasses
Horn or horn-rimmed glasses were a popular trend of the ’90s. Now, they are extremely rare, almost non-existence, for all good reasons.
Key features
Horn-rimmed glasses were differentiated on the following features:
- Natural colour
- High polished
- Prone to easy breakage
- Difficult to adjust
Originally, these glasses were made of either horn (buffalo) or tortoiseshell creating bold and bulky natural frames. Contrary to the ’90s most prevalent style — metals, the horn frame distinct, vivid and more pronounced style became a popular fashion item.
A part of horn frames’ huge success was led by comedian Harold Lloyd who started wearing the round frame in his films. It turned out to be the major fashion accessory popular through the 20th century, starting from 1920 — the 1930s and in the 1950s — 1960s in particular. This trend also led to the popularisation of hipster fashion.
The cease of horn glasses was initiated by disbanding animal-based products while the glasses would instantly break when exposed to heat or sunlight, often causing them to instal new lenses.
6. Monel
A material made out of a mixture of metals, constituting 29% copper, 68% nickel, 1.25% manganese, and 1.25% iron.
Key features
Monel glasses are for the following features -
- Flexible
- Robust
- Easy to adjust
- Sturdy
- Corrosion-resistant
- Not skin-friendly
The higher proportion of nickel content and other metals often leads to an allergic reaction in most people with sensitive skin, hence it is not used in the UK anymore.
7. Stainless steel Frames
Made by a wire drawing technique, stainless steel glasses are lightweight and strong.
Key features -
- Flexible
- Weightless
- Elegant
- Strong
- Minimal design
Stainless steel glasses are the result of a very sprint and flexible material that’s easily affordable than the other metals. Fashionably speaking, stainless steel is ideal for the rimless style. They are hesitant to corrosion and difficult to be soldered. It offers flexibility like no other metals, without breaking or causing any damage.
8. Titanium Frames
The strongest of all. Titanium frames are used in making aerospace, engines, aircraft.
Key Features:
- Strong
- Lightweight
- Hypoallergenic
- Temperature-resistant
Originally, these frames exist in silver grey colour but to allow them in different other colours, plating it using an ion plating technique is done. Titanium is quite thin in comparison than the rest of the metals resulting in 20% more elasticity.
Though titanium is easily found on the earth due to its relative abundance, refining the material is extremely tough and costly.
Conclusion
These were the most common materials used in making glasses, from past to the present. Understanding each of the materials strength and weakness helps to identify which frames you’d want to go with based on your needs and condition of the lenses. Many times, the aesthetic is less significant than the material as it remains in contact with your skin and can cause an unknown reaction if you have less knowledge about it. Understanding a frame’s material characteristics and properties is equally essential to the design and colours.
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