The Evolution of the Spectacle Glasses |
Posted: May 16, 2017 |
The origin of eyewear is interesting to say the least. The earliest known design of the eyeglass in the late 13th century were crude and rudimentary and the first recorded fabrication were those of make-shift glasses meant to block the glaring rays of the sun. Some of these primitive designs were made of flattened walrus ivory or polished emeralds placed in the eyes. There are even accounts that the first set of corrective glasses was actually inspired by the Roman Seneca who read books through water in a glass filled with water. From these, the magnifying glass or “reading stones were developed and grew in use even among monks and scholars who did a lot of reading and writing. The modern eyeglasses evolved from the 12th century design of smoky quartz crystals in leather-framed spectacles or monocles that were held in front of the eye or balanced in the nose which were used in both Asia and Europe. Arguably the more sophisticated design was recorded in Italy, a centre of glass production of the period, where crystal stones were held up to the eyes using a handle. At around the 1700, magnification technology developed convex lenses that enlarged objects. But arguably the most important development of the century however was the invention and integration of the side or temple pieces that allowed the glasses to be placed firmly over the ear. This architecture became the template of the modern eyewear now generically referred to as the spectacle glasses or spectacle eyewear. The improved and now relatively stable design of the frame facilitated various uses for the eyeglass which in turn drove technological discoveries none more significant than the development of the bi-focal lens, concave cylindrical glasses which had different grades and therefore allowed magnification of both objects near and far a fusion of near and distance vision lenses before it. By the 19th century too, the utility of the spectacle glasses was no longer limited to reading or correcting vision. Around the time the ultra-violet protective lenses were invented. These lenses polarized sunlight and therefore became a public necessity. World War II further boosted the popularity of the sunglasses and influenced one of the more iconic designs today. Made up of wire-frame and over-sized gray lenses, these sunglasses were designed for aviator pilots but also became fashionable to a broad mass base across generations. The period also saw the growth of glasswear shops that made custom designing of eyewear more accessible. The spectacle eyewear today is a result of these developments. The market and design of these spectacle glasses seem limitless and with geometric designs of all shapes and sizes ranging from round to edged all communicating a specific personality. Round shaped glasses communicate edgy non-conformist spirit which fit the younger generation while the edge or square type convey a strong, dignified personality which appeals to professionals. The temples of spectacle glasses, now come in assorted materials—plastic, metal, titanium, carbon fibre—which and suits any kind of lifestyle and purposes. Modern aesthetic design has also expanded the symbolic and fashion value of sunglasses as frames of spectacle glasses now come in classic flat colours like gray and black as well as psychedelic prints like tortoiseshell, leopard or zebra and other characters and emblems. Even the louder designs are now becoming popular among professionals in conservative Asian centres like Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand.
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