Fine Finishes
From horns to precious stones, luxurious materials heat up business
by marcy bruch

photography by rick guidotti
hair/make-up joseph bogges
styling lori upbin
model emmanuel fremin for elite.men

Culture Club: Soaking up the scene at the National Arts Club, New York City, in Sama style Rush-88. Jacket: Hart Schaffner Marx

Buffalo horn. Ebony. Diamonds. Think of how the burnished sheen and delightful sparkle of these materials can raise the level of eyewear from a necessary accessory to wearable art. What's more, thanks to new technology in manufacturing, these rare finishes have become more durable and easier to maintain when they are incorporated into frames--thereby allowing them to withstand day-to-day wear and tear.

"Hair products can dull the finish of buffalo horn frames, so we tell our customers to periodically rub the frames down with extra-extra virgin olive oil and a chamois cloth to maintain the horn's rich sheen and keep them from becoming brittle. This also helps prevent them from breaking," says Nancy DiCosmo, president of Au Courant, which has locations in Troy, Mich., Princeton, N.J., and Bal Harbour, Fla. Buffalo horn frames generally retail from $700 to $800, and DiCosmo says they are currently selling well at all three locations. "Right now my three best-selling frames lines are Robert Marc's buffalo horn collection, EBX Optik's Gold & Wood line, which is comprised of wood frames and frames made with gold and precious stones, and the Cartier line, which also has gold plating and precious stones. The wood frames incorporate ebony and rosewood and start at $575 retail, while the Cartier frames have an average retail of about $1,275."

Flying High: Ready for takeoff in Chrome Hearts style Red for Optical Shop of Aspen. Shirt, jacket, and sweater: Hickey Freeman

Artistic Affluence: Finding inspiration in Alain Mikli style A0210-14. Shirt and sweater: Ted Baker London

Offering eyewear in rare materials such as bubinga wood helps reinforce the aura of exclusivity that is so important to driving a high-end business. "Our retail frame prices range from $475 to $7,000, so when someone is looking to spend that kind of money on eyewear, they have gone beyond looking for a designer label. They want their eyewear to reflect their success, and that means they want it to look luxurious," says Edward Beiner, president of Edward Beiner: Purveyors of Fine Eyewear, with five high-end dispensaries in Florida. "They are less concerned about what's trendy and more interested in getting customized eyewear that they won't see on anyone else."

	Tree Chic: A naturallyluxurious look in Gold & Wood style C814 for EBX Optik. Shirt and sweater: Bobby Jones

HELLO MAGNESIUM

The quest continues to find materials that stand apart from what's in the mass market. "Three years ago titanium was considered a high-end material, but now it's prevalent in frame lines from major manufacturers, so we don't carry many of them," notes Beiner.

However, he adds that there are new up-and-coming luxury materials to choose from such as magnesium and carbon fiber. Magnesium is touted as being half the weight of titanium with superior hypoallergenic characteristics. Carbon fiber is a plastic used on the dashboards of luxury automobiles such as the Porsche Carrera and on watch faces thanks to its lightweight durability.

FRESH COMBOS

Still, since there are only so many ways to reinvent a frame, some manufacturers are simply taking the materials everyone knows and loves and combining them in new ways.

"At Silmo, one of my vendors showed me a collection of frames that combined titanium at the bottom and side temples with zyl brow bars in contrasting colors that was delightful," says Alissa Fields, owner of Eye Spy Optical in Chicago, Ill. "We are known for our colorful, double-laminated eyewear from French manufacturers, so the titanium-zyl combo offers a similar look with a bit of a twist."

Timeless and Timely: Mixing buffalo horn and titanium in Robi horn style 496/3-T for Robert Marc. Jacket: Andrew Marc

Since Eye Spy Optical's average retails run around $325, Fields admits that she's been gun-shy about bringing in frames that retail for more than $750. "Right now, my existing customers are willing to pay about $300 for a frame in a fun, funky color and pay $325 for a second style in a more neutral shade."

ALL THAT GLITTERS

Any eyewear that incorporates the elements of fine jewelry says luxury loud and clear. "I tell my customers that a gold-plated frame at around $1,000 is probably the most reasonably priced jewelry they will ever buy and it's functional besides," says Jon Gruen, president of the seven-store chain Gruen Optika with locations in Manhattan, East Hampton, N.Y., and Greenwich, Conn.

Some of the customized treatments he offers are diamond chips inset at the top of the frame front or along the temple. "Austrian crystals, semi-precious stones, and precious stones are all great accents that make frames look more like jewelry for the eyes," he says.

	Playboy Prowl: Hitting the A-list spots in Neo-Navdic Icon 808 for Neostyle. Leather shirt: Andrew Marc

Smaller but better has been the lifesaver for high-end optical sales. The wealthy still treat themselves, but with items that have some practical purpose and less wallet pinch.

"Even though the shaky stock market has given those in the upper income brackets a major hit financially, they still crave instant gratification so they are getting it by buying smaller things. They've gotten more practical with their splurges by spending on eyewear that's opulent yet functional," says Dan Deutsch, owner of seven Dan Deutsch Optical Outlook dispensaries in the greater Los Angeles area.

Indeed, when it comes to selling high-end eyewear, volume is a moot point. "Last year, we may have only sold 14 pieces in the Gold & Wood jewelry collection, but each piece retailed between $4,000 to $7,000. Do the math and you'll realize that those 14 pieces more than paid for the rent," Deutsch says.

ADDING LUXE LENSES AND TREATMENTS

What's more, DiCosmo of Au Courant is quick to point out that luxurious materials don't stop at the frame board. The array of AR coatings, gradient finishes, and cosmetic tints can play off the textures and colors of unusual frame materials, while beveled and faceted lenses can add an elegance to three-piece rimless mounts.

"The biggest change I've seen over the past year in luxury eyewear is the vast availability of top quality lenses, finishes, and treatments. Now we can outfit people who were previously stuck wearing Coke-bottle lenses with thin, high-index lenses, which is the perfect finishing touch to a pair of beautifully crafted frames," she says.

These are the times that inspire new thinking, says Beiner. "When times are good, business just sails along and we can all spend more time on the golf course. It's during tougher times when we are challenged to be creative and come up with new frame materials that are unusual enough to create a buzz."