Ray Ban RB2140 Original Wayfarer
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Ray Ban Sunglasses
Ray-Ban sunglasses have been around forever, it seems like. And actually, they HAVE been around since 1937, when Bausch and Lomb created them for the U. S. Army Air Corps. B & L were asked to create sunglasses that would prevent damage to the eyes but that would also look stylish. General Douglas MacArthur made the Aviator line famous when he was photographed wearing them in the Philippines in World War II.
Celebrities like Audrey Hepburn, Tom Cruise (in Top Gun), and, of course, the Blues Brothers cinched Ray-Ban's acceptance as the ultimate in chic fashion. Don Henley mentions them (specifically, Wayfarers) in his song: The Boys of Summer. The original Wayfarer is Model RB2140, which are very popular unisex sunglasses, as popular with women as men. They have an iconic look and generally thought to suit every face.
But Ray-Bans are not just fashionable - they are quite functional and practical. Ray-Ban carries out extensive testing on their glasses to ensure that they are protective, light-weight, and provide optimum protection from the sun. Their Tech range products go through even more extreme testing before production such as:
- Cass Test - Testing resistance to chemical and physical damage.
- Surface Coatings Test - Lenses are coated using a galvanic bath, their thickness is tested using X-rays.
- Accelerated Aging Test - Checking resistance to temperature, humidity and radiation.
- Dimensional Stability Test - Checking the opening stability by applying a weight of 500 grams to each side.
- Side Stress Test - Checking the durability of hinges by simulating a lifetimes opening and closing.
- Drop Ball Test - Dropping a 1.6cm steel ball from a height of 1.3m onto all lenses.
- Abrasion and Scratch Test - Applying graphite pencil leads of increasing hardness.
- Optical Bench Test - Laser testing of lenses to ensure perfect optical performance. (Sunglasses Shop)
Ray-Bans are pricey, but a lot of people seem to think they are worth the extra cost. Now Ray-Ban Sun Optics (the company that now owns Ray-Ban) is offering prescription sunglasses, and the company shows no signs of slowing down.