CRAFTSMANSHIP
LAMINATION
The creation of a single frame is a laborious process and a feat of engineering. The inner and outer silhouettes are milled as separate pieces and go through an arduous two month proprietary lamination process. Then, another six months is required to mill, polish, and produce each frame.
SCULPTING AND MILLING
Every frame goes through a complex series of cuts and polishing steps to give the outer and inner contours nuance and dimension. It’s not just how it looks but how it feels in the hand.
LAMINATED NOSE PADS
Our acetate nose pads are 11 mm in height (standard is 7.0 mm). This additional height plus our fitting inclination provides more surface area for a more universal and comfortable fit.
HAND FINISHES
Texture is created on the front of the frame by using a metal brush. For added dimension, color is then rubbed by hand onto the surface. Texture on the top of the eye rim is created by using a small drill— all done by hand.
HINGE
Our Blake Kuwahara signature hinges are custom made by the premier German hinge manufacturer, OBE, and are each laser engraved with our logo. Nylon coated stainless steel screws are used to keep the frames in adjustment.
45-DEGREE MITRE
Our acetate end pieces are mitred at a precise 45-degree angle to hide the break in the temple and end piece. It’s a trick taken from finely crafted furniture and not easy to accomplish. Each end piece and temple needs to be precisely cut at the correct angle and polished to get a perfect match.
TEMPLE TIP
We add an additional 1.0 mm of crystal acetate to our tips to provide more support and proper ballast for the most comfortable fit. Our logo is laser cut from metal and is countersunk into the base of the tip, filled with epoxy, and then finely polished. The logo is based on Blake Kuwahara’s Japanese family crest (“kamon”).
NEGATIVE SPACE
The architectural detail of negative space is created by laser cutting sheets of surgical grade stainless steel and carefully concealing the break in the end piece for a seamless construction.
CASTING
Made by using the same techniques as fine jewelry making, the end piece and temples from our Grey Label Collection are cast. Both the hinge and the end piece are cast in one piece (no soldering) to create a thinner and more robust hinge.
SILICONE NOSE PADS
Our metal frames are outfitted with sleek, hypoallergenic silicone nose pads for a more secure, slip-resistant, and comfortable fit.
