I was skeptical of the authenticity because of the huge price difference between local vendors and
Amazon ($195 vs. $115, respectively). I've always trusted
Amazon, but thought I'd dig deeper. I emailed
Ray-Ban corporate, and here's the response I got:
Hello Brian,
Thanks for your email; we appreciate your interest in
RayBan.
Please note that
Amazon.com is an authorized online dealer of
Ray-ban if the purchase is being made directly from
Amazon. If the purchase is made by a 3rd party dealer on
Amazon then we cannot guarantee if the product will be authentic. In your case you stated it was a direct purchase so you can be assured that the product you received is 100% authentic.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask us. Again we thank you for your business and loyalty to
RayBan.
Regards,
Alex
Customer Care Specialist |
Ray-Ban.comI hope this information helps with your decision! It did with mine! I received the sunglasses today and couldn't be happier!
Thank you
Amazon for a great product at a great price!
Ray-Ban History
The Ray-Ban Timeline
1936 The Birth of Ray-Ban Eyewear
For aviation the 1920s was a decade of remarkable advances. But with the development of new aeroplanes that could fly higher and higher came altitude-related problems. Pilots were suffering from headaches and nausea because of intense amounts of glare. In 1929, US army services asked Ray-Ban for a new type of eyewear that would protect pilots from glare at high altitudes. The company succeeded and the Ray-Ban green-lens and anti-glare eyewear was born. The first model went on sale to the public in 1936, a plastic frame with the classic Aviator shape.
1937 Ray-Ban Trademark Registered
The name anti-glare was too generic. It did not distinguish the new eyewear clearly from rival products. In 1937, the Ray-Ban trademark was registered and marketed, gracing a new model with a metal frame. The name Ray-Ban was chosen for the new product to emphasise that the eyewear could block out glare and protect the user's eyes from the sun's rays. The Large Metal model immediately leapt to fame with the name Ray-Ban Aviator.
1938 Early Ray-Ban Models
During the early years, Ray-Ban strove to foreground the functional aspect of the new eyewear, targeting sports enthusiasts and lovers of the outdoor life. In 1938, the first Shooters were launched. These were available in two types of lens, Ray-Ban Green and Kalichrome, a pale yellow lens for use in misty or foggy conditions. Shortly afterwards, a third, ground-breaking, metal-frame model hit the market. This was Outdoorsman, originally called 'Skeet Glass' and designed for specific user groups such as hunting, shooting and fishing enthusiasts.
1939-1940
Ray-Ban eyewear became increasingly popular among pilots, police officers, hunters, anglers and all those involved in outdoor activities. Hollywood was just beginning to have an impact on the world of fashion.
1940s
Ray-Ban went to war. American air force pilots used Ray-Bans on their missions because of the brand's outstanding lenses. In the 1940s, a new kind of lens was developed for commercial use, despite the huge commitment to research and development for military purposes. This was the gradient mirror lens. It featured a special coating on the upper part of the lens for enhanced protection, and no coating lower down for a clear view of instrumentation and other objects.
1950s
In a certain sense, the 1950s was a decade of profound change, or at least of development, because fashion was becoming increasingly important. Consumers were beginning to perceive eyewear as a fashion accessory, probably under the influence of the film industry. Glasses were no longer just objects to be worn for practical reasons.
1952
This was the year when Ray-Ban launched a new model, the Wayfarer. Like many other Ray-Ban models, Wayfarer glasses had a simple design and were easy to wear. Destined to become classics, they immediately attracted the attention of the film industry.
1957
In 1957, Ray-Ban launched its fourth metal-frame model, Caravan, which introduced a square shaped lens as an alternative to the now celebrated Aviator eye shape.
1958
For the first time, the Ray-Ban catalogue included two pages of plastic frames for women, offering a wider choice of products. This was the launch year for Smart Set, a model featuring coloured 'wings'. New motifs, colours and even rhinestones were used to create ever more imaginative eyewear that kept pace with the fashion of the day.
1960s
The 1960s witnessed an authentic boom in sunglasses. Ray-Ban became world leader by concentrating on product quality and durability, then communicating these concepts to the end user. In this period, Ray-Ban also had a wider range of products than its competitors growing from 30 models to the 50 models of 1969.
1961- Ray-Ban took an important step in 1961 by moving into Hollywood. Their Wayfarer glasses were used during the shooting of the Audrey Hepburn film, Breakfast at Tiffany's. Ray-Ban also provided customers with a protective case to make sure their glasses remained in good condition.
1965 - 1965 saw the launch of another two important models in the Wayfarer range, Olympian I and Olympian II.
1967 - The celebrated Balorama model appeared on the market for the first time.
1968 - Launch of Olympian I Deluxe. Ray-Ban glasses continued to have model-specific holders. Ray-Ban developed new display units to hold twelve, fifteen or more items, as well as display cases, the first single-item display units, and Ray-Ban clocks.
1970s
A new colour used for metal eyewear, specially treated chrome could yield an intense black that became known as Black Chrome. A small collection of golf eyewear was also introduced. It comprised four Ray-Ban models that were endorsed by Arnold Palmer, the most famous golfer of the day.
In the 1970s, Ray-Ban launched a Sports Collection. There were two models, Vagabond and Stateside, with two types of lens, the G-31 mirror lenses and standard G-15 lenses. Another type of eyewear launched in the 1970s was mountaineering glasses.
1974 - The range of Ray-Ban lenses was expanded even further in 1974, with the creation of the grey, light-sensitive photochromic lens. A special lens that can change colour - depending on light conditions - and highlights outlines and shapes, even on snow. When the light is especially intense and the temperature is low, Ambermatic lenses darken to block glare and offer excellent UV protection. Glasses with Ambermatic lenses are sold in a special plastic holder with its own distinctive styling and colour scheme.
1979 - A new seven-model women's collection was launched in 1979, Ray-Ban Naturals.
1980s
The success of Ray-Ban keeps on growing, thanks to the enlargement of the line and to the attention received from the press and the cinema. These are the years of Blues Brother's, Risky Business and later Top Gun. These years are also signed by the launch of the Wings Collection, the first shields in sunglasses history.
21st Century Ray-Ban
2003
The Ray-Ban Optical Collection has enjoyed since the launch in 2003 an extremely positive reaction from eyewear users. Ray-Ban optical models are the product of meticulous, original styling and reflect the unique Ray-Ban lifestyle. Also in 2003, Ray-Ban introduced their first sun collection dedicated exclusively to kids aged from 8 to 12 years. The Ray-Ban Junior models are designed to meet the needs of younger eyewear users, ensuring functionality, comfort and fit, as well as maximum eye protection. Innovative contemporary design characterises the materials and colours used and the styling of the frames themselves.
2006
For the new spring/summer 2007 collection, Ray-Ban designed and crafted the original Ray-Ban Wayfarer version from every point of view: the materials and attention to style details, the dimension of the profile, the structure of the circle, the proportions of the arms and hinges, the geometry of the lenses and the distinctive Ray-Ban signature in metal on the arms and silkscreen printed on the lenses. The sophistication of the aesthetic detail and very high quality materials make the new Wayfarer - an authentic reproduction of the original, down to the tiniest detail - a tribute to the model that became the icon of the anti-conformist rock spirit from its launch in 1952.
2007
Ray-Ban presents the new strategy and the worldwide communication plan: Never Hide. Aiming at refreshing and making the brand more compelling, especially towards the younger target, Ray-Ban presents a very strong communication plan and an extremely innovative media plan. Never Hide is the claim of the new campaign which effectively represents the Ray-Ban core, sunglasses that place you at the centre of attention beyond trends, transcending time and strongly customizing whoever wears them.
2008
Ray-Ban presents Ray-Ban Remasters: a communication program to consolidate Ray-Ban's strong bond with music and its positioning an iconic global brand. Ray-Ban Remasters consists of a partnership with eight international music artists who recorded and remastered a song of their choice from the fifties and sixties exclusively for Ray-Ban, as well as performing in events in North America, China and Europe. The Ray-Ban style associated to this program - Clubmaster - was officially introduced in 1986 and is one of the most popular icons from the Ray-Ban collection.
