Rimless glasses are the ideal choice for anyone looking for subtle eyewear style. With the right lens shape, they can almost disappear on the face – although there is a new trend of more striking shapes which can really stand out. Rimless glasses tend to be very lightweight, and therefore extremely comfortable.
You can watch us making a pair of rimless glasses here:
Unfortunately, rimless glasses do have their downsides. They are usually more fragile and generally require more maintenance than other types of eyewear. However, by choosing good quality rimless frames, the chance that you’ll have a problem with your glasses can be reduced significantly – in fact, some rimless glasses can actually be very strong. But what are the best rimless glasses in 2019?
Lindberg or Silhouette??
Both of these brands make exceptional eyewear, and are the most popular with opticians (particularly in the UK), but I think the best rimless glasses come from a company called Flair. Flair are an independent German company who manufacture all of their frames from start to finish under one roof to the highest standards.
The following is taken from Flair’s website:
“Following the pioneering work of Dr. Beck, the company developed lightweight glasses with floating beams, ultra-lightweight rimless spectacles and patented technologies that captured the international market. Manufacturers and opticians then launched their first joint advertising campaign, initiated by Dr. Beck, and glasses went from being a simple, functional object to a stylish fashion accessory. Ever since then, FLAIR eyewear frames have combined tradition, innovation and modernity.”
Flair frames are made from either titanium or bio-steel (Flair claims bio-steel to be even more resistant to breaking then titanium) and then coated which gold, white gold or rhodium, or coloured by hand. But that’s not all that goes into them. The aspect which particularly makes Flair rimless glasses better than the rest is the way the frame is bonded to the lens. This is typically the weak point in rimless eyewear, but not with Flair eyewear.
Here’s a video which shows how a Flair frame is assembled. This system is patented by Flair.
Jewellery for your Eyes
For those looking for eyewear which is that little bit more special (aren’t we all), certain rimless glasses can be subtle from the front but stand out much more from the side. Flair’s latest releases feature beautiful details and intricate metal work on the arms.
Flair partner with Swarovski to include their crystals on many of their models. These range from single, small crystals to clusters of coloured jewels, to large, ornate decorations.
The result is a range of frames Flair refers to as ‘Art Couture’ – beautifully made works of art which not only look stunning, but have all the comfort and durability of the simpler Flair models.
A final note: on the importance of selecting the right lenses
It’s crucial when buying rimless glasses to pay attention to the lens material as well as the frames. Some lenses are far tougher than others.
According to Wikipedia, “consumers are two to ten times more likely to require new lenses in (rimless) frames than any other eyeglass design. This is nominally a result of the material used to produce the lenses”.
We recommend PNX (otherwise known as Trivex) lenses for most rimless frames – although sometimes we suggest other options based on your prescription during a consultation. Check out our video below where we put the strength of PNX lenses to the ultimate test.
I hope you’ve found this blog post interesting. As with all eyewear, there can be a huge difference in quality from one frame to another. However, it’s arguably most crucial with rimless glasses to choose the very best – you don’t want your glasses falling apart when you least expect it and you don’t want to be having them tightened constantly. However, by choosing the right pair (such as Flair rimless glasses), you can enjoy wearing your ultra-lightweight glasses without having to worry about any problems.
