Faster. Higher. Further.
The year was 1920 and the "Wild Twenties" were a golden age of aviation technology. But this also gave rise to new problems. The higher the pilots steered their machines, the more their eyes were exposed to the sun. As a result, the US Air Force complained of headaches and nausea. Glaring sunlight was quickly identified as the culprit, and as a solution Lieutenant General John MacCready commissioned eyewear company Bausch & Lomb to make a pair of glasses to protect the pilots' eyesight.
In 1936, the prototype of the RB3025 was created and, with the practical name Anti-Glare, it consisted of a plastic frame into which green G-15 lenses were inserted. A year after the prototype was developed, it was revised. The green lenses remained, but the plastic frame was replaced by a metal frame and the Ray-Ban Aviator was born. Today, other popular models such as the Wayfarer (RB2140) and the Clubmaster (RB3016) share the stage, but you can never go wrong with a pair of Aviators.
Although the Ray-Ban sunglasses were originally developed for the US Army, Aviators soon became THE sunglasses on the market. Especially in the post-war period, the glasses embodied a new attitude to life and became a symbol of the American Dream and the economic miracle.
In the 2005 action-love comedy Mr & Mrs Smith, stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt wore Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses. This helped the frame to become even more popular, even though the model was already a big seller. The two leading actors not only fell in love with each other during the filming of the movie, but also with the classic sunglass model, so from that point on you could often catch them wearing this frame. Although the love between the two actors has since faded, their love for aviator sunglasses remains unbroken.
One of the most famous wearers of the classic sunglasses is Jack Nicholson, who has declared them his trademark and once said of them: "When I wear my sunglasses, I'm Jack Nicholson - without them, I'm just a fat septuagenarian." Nothing less is expected of sunglasses: they make us a different, more glamorous person.
You can see the Aviator in gold, tortoiseshell or all other imaginable colour variations flashing on the noses of Ben Affleck, Alicia Keys, Johnny Depp and many other famous personalities.
Whether with a suit, jeans or swimming trunks, you can put together any outfit perfectly with the Ray-Ban Aviator metal sunglasses. In the meantime, the glasses have already achieved the status of the little black dress: timeless in all situations. The success of the model did not remain a well-kept secret for long, of course, and so the classic shape is still copied by numerous other brands. But why should you opt for a copy when you can have an original Ray Ban Aviator?
The design of the frame was of course originally aimed at gentlemen, but is today a unisex model popular for all genders and suits both men and women. The clear lines and teardrop shape of this full rim frame are instantly recognisable. This epitome of pilot's glasses is characterised by the large lenses and the thin frame. The metal frame is particularly light and therefore very comfortable to wear without losing any of its robustness or elegance. Other similar variations of the Aviator include:
If you can't decide on lens colour, gold-coloured lenses always look classy and never go out of fashion. The original G-15 green is a popular tint for sunglasses lenses. It only slightly distorts vision and is therefore also well suited for road traffic. The original Ray-Ban lenses also include UV400 protection and blue light filter. For those who want polarised lenses to reduce glare off shiny surfaces (useful near water or snowy areas), look out for the P symbol on the product image or use the filter on the left to narrow down your search.
If you want to buy a pair of Ray-Ban Aviator glasses online, then you've come to the right place. In our online shop we offer all the top Ray-Ban sunglasses and glasses, all including the original glasses case and cleaning cloth as well as FREE delivery and returns within 30 days. Only glasses with prescription are excluded from returns unless they are faulty. Simply use our 3D Virtual Try-On or order your favourite models without prescription for at-home try-on. You can then send your frames back to our expert opticians for glazing using a free returns label. So what are you waiting for? Choose your favourite pair of aviators and get ready to SEE AND BE SEEN!