Hi I just noticed this thread and could not resit the urge to post, I am willing to admit I have a weak spot for a great pair of sunnies. There is a real feel good factor about seeing the world through a quality set of lenses each and every time you put them on.
Both work and play sees me spending time on the water which can be hard on your eyes and good protection is essential. I have enjoyed owning many of the well known brands in the past. But am getting more particular over the years and have come to really value quality mineral glass optics rather than the polycarbonate lenses most sunglasses seem to be today.
Some of the best polycarbonate sunglasses that I have owned have been Serengeti the Drivers, Polarmax and life through the Sedona with the rose lens made me smile again and again. All excellent and lightweight to wear but all WAY to fragile and prone to scratch and damage easily. I don't think any of them lasted me longer than a year and I am quiet careful. Maui Jims I cant remember which model (but I remember the cafe table I left them on) were alsovery nice and mourned over at the time.
If your on a budget less than say $50 some of Serengeti's vintage sunglasses with the corning photochromic mineral glass optics are nice and good value for the quality of the optics the only drawback is they are getting hard to find now in anything other than very retro looking frames but can be fun.
A favourite make of mine for over 25 years now which I coming back to buy has been Vuarnet particularly the Skilynx, Polarlynx and Nautilux mineral glass lenses.
These lenses in the latest style frames cost around $400 to $500. However if you value the quality of the optics you are looking through, more than the latest frame style then these same lenses can be found listed as new old stock, on auction sites with frames styles spanning several decades from under $100 and ever upwards. The Skilynx lens has been in manufacture for over 50 years!
I have found the three Vuarnet mineral lenses above through personal use to have outstanding optics for sunglasses and a joy to wear fwiw.
My current Vuarnet sunnies with the Nautilux lenses see below.
"Yellow base, brown & anti-reflective interior coatings. Double gradient blue exterior filters. A very technical all weather lens conceived to protect against the strong reflection of the sea and against the tiring glare of hazy conditions. Especially effective for water sports, hydrophobic coating makes sea spray flow off more easily"
