Sunglasses have a dark history, but a brilliant future. The history of sunglasses can be tracked back to Roman Emperor Nero who observed the gladiator competitions through polished light emerald green gems held up to his eyes.
The invention of sunglasses was somewhere between 1268 and 1289. A visible historical recording of early sunglasses is a painting done by Tommaso da Modena in 1352. The person in the painting was wearing sunglasses. This was the 1st painting of a subject in sunglasses and a lot more were to follow as it became a fashionable symbol of distinction or respect.
Around the 12th century and before 1430, sunglasses (Spanish: gafas de sol baratas) were worn by Judges in the Courts of China. The hazy quartz, flat-glassed panes were not used as protection from the sun. They were used to hide any expression in their eyes to keep from giving away the outcome of their decisions. Prescription sunglasses were developed in Italy in 1430 and were later used by the Chinese Judges.
By the 1600's folk began to realize the benefits of prescription glasses as helping the old to see better and the motto "A Blessing to the Old" came into being in 1629. It was actually the motto of a British glasses manufacturer, Vision Makers Company.
In the mid 18th Century, James Ayscough developed blue and green correcting lenses which started the employment of sunglasses for applying amendments to optical impairments.
The development of glasses and sunglasses continued through the years. Issues in keeping glasses on the face or propped on the nose led straight to experiments. Glasses frames had been made of leather, bones and metal and were propped on the nose. Sidepieces began as silk strips of ribbon that looped around the ears. Instead of loops, the Chinese added ceramic weights to the ends of the ribbons. Solid sidepieces were finally invented by Edward Scarlett in 1730. Benjamen Franklin's invention of bifocal lenses followed in 1780.
By the 20th Century, sunglasses were used to protect the eyes from the sun. In 1929 Sam Foster began selling his protective sunglasses at Woolworth stores on the boardwalk at the beaches in Atlantic Town and New Jersey. His Foster Grants were the first industrially produced sunglasses and they began the trend of sunglasses for fashion.
In the 1930's the Regiment Air Corps asked Bausch & Lomb to develop sunglasses that would efficiently reduce high-altitude sun glare for pilots. Bausch & Lomb invented sunglasses that had a dark green hint that absorbed light thru the yellow range.
Edward H. Land had invented the Polaroid filter and by 1936 he was using it in the making of sunglasses and shortly, sunglasses became "cool." Films stars commenced wearing sunglasses as a statement and to cover behind. Aviator glasses became favored by the movie stars and the common public in 1937 after Ray Ban developed the anti-glare sunglasses using polarization. The longer lens was made to give more protection to pilots ' eyes from the light reflecting off their control panels.
By the 1970's Hollywood movie celebrities and fashion designers made a big effect on the sunglasses market. Clothing designers and stars put their names on glasses and sunglasses and everyone had to have them.
In 2007, stars are still hiding behind their outsized designer sunglasses, making fashion statements and protecting their eyes from the damaging consequences of the Ultra Violet (UV) rays of the sun. With modern technology and enhancements, sunglasses continue to develop. We have gone from holding green gems up to our eyes to watch Gladiator sports to Oakley's 2004 sunglasses with digital audio players built in.
What is next?
The invention of sunglasses was somewhere between 1268 and 1289. A visible historical recording of early sunglasses is a painting done by Tommaso da Modena in 1352. The person in the painting was wearing sunglasses. This was the 1st painting of a subject in sunglasses and a lot more were to follow as it became a fashionable symbol of distinction or respect.
Around the 12th century and before 1430, sunglasses (Spanish: gafas de sol baratas) were worn by Judges in the Courts of China. The hazy quartz, flat-glassed panes were not used as protection from the sun. They were used to hide any expression in their eyes to keep from giving away the outcome of their decisions. Prescription sunglasses were developed in Italy in 1430 and were later used by the Chinese Judges.
By the 1600's folk began to realize the benefits of prescription glasses as helping the old to see better and the motto "A Blessing to the Old" came into being in 1629. It was actually the motto of a British glasses manufacturer, Vision Makers Company.
In the mid 18th Century, James Ayscough developed blue and green correcting lenses which started the employment of sunglasses for applying amendments to optical impairments.
The development of glasses and sunglasses continued through the years. Issues in keeping glasses on the face or propped on the nose led straight to experiments. Glasses frames had been made of leather, bones and metal and were propped on the nose. Sidepieces began as silk strips of ribbon that looped around the ears. Instead of loops, the Chinese added ceramic weights to the ends of the ribbons. Solid sidepieces were finally invented by Edward Scarlett in 1730. Benjamen Franklin's invention of bifocal lenses followed in 1780.
By the 20th Century, sunglasses were used to protect the eyes from the sun. In 1929 Sam Foster began selling his protective sunglasses at Woolworth stores on the boardwalk at the beaches in Atlantic Town and New Jersey. His Foster Grants were the first industrially produced sunglasses and they began the trend of sunglasses for fashion.
In the 1930's the Regiment Air Corps asked Bausch & Lomb to develop sunglasses that would efficiently reduce high-altitude sun glare for pilots. Bausch & Lomb invented sunglasses that had a dark green hint that absorbed light thru the yellow range.
Edward H. Land had invented the Polaroid filter and by 1936 he was using it in the making of sunglasses and shortly, sunglasses became "cool." Films stars commenced wearing sunglasses as a statement and to cover behind. Aviator glasses became favored by the movie stars and the common public in 1937 after Ray Ban developed the anti-glare sunglasses using polarization. The longer lens was made to give more protection to pilots ' eyes from the light reflecting off their control panels.
By the 1970's Hollywood movie celebrities and fashion designers made a big effect on the sunglasses market. Clothing designers and stars put their names on glasses and sunglasses and everyone had to have them.
In 2007, stars are still hiding behind their outsized designer sunglasses, making fashion statements and protecting their eyes from the damaging consequences of the Ultra Violet (UV) rays of the sun. With modern technology and enhancements, sunglasses continue to develop. We have gone from holding green gems up to our eyes to watch Gladiator sports to Oakley's 2004 sunglasses with digital audio players built in.
What is next?
About the Author:
Jorge Kayham has been writing about fashion, sunglasses and eyeglasses for more than 10 years. To get more information on Gucci Sunglasses (Spanish: gafas Gucci) and Hugo Boss Sunglasses (Spanish: gafas Hugo Boss) please visit our site.
