Saffron
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Saffron
A double-bridge aviator with the curve taken out of it. Flat brow, squared corners, and a gold-tone rim thin enough to read as a line.
Polarised lenses with UV400 filtering, on a lightweight metal frame for both colourways.
An aviator with straight edges
The classic aviator is all curve — a teardrop that widens and falls away. This one keeps the double bridge and the thin wire construction but squares the lens off: a flat brow line, a straight lower edge, corners that meet rather than sweep. The result is closer to a shape than to a shortcut.
Shown here in gold / black. The brown lens uses the same frame.
Two bars across the top
The brow bar runs straight across both lenses and a second bar sits below it at the bridge. That pair of lines is what holds a thin-wire frame square — a single bridge on a lens this wide would let the front flex every time the arms are opened.
Nose pads sit on short arms between the bars. The temples are flat gold-tone metal, straight for most of their length and bent only at the very end, which is why the frame lifts on and off without catching in hair.
Where it sits
- A wide, shallow lens that covers the eye without reaching the cheekbone
- The flat brow follows the eyebrow line instead of cutting across it
- Adjustable nose pads set the height and keep the bars off the brow
- Thin wire and flat temples keep the weight low across the nose
- Straight arms slide on easily and sit close to the head
Polarised, which you notice in a car
The lenses are polarised. Polarisation removes the flat white glare that bounces off horizontal surfaces — a wet road, a bonnet, water, sand. It is the difference between a lens that makes everything darker and one that makes everything clearer.
Two tints: a near-black grey that keeps colours true, and a warm brown that lifts contrast in flat light.
Two lenses, one frame
Both use the same gold-tone frame. Only the lens colour changes.
Why it costs what it costs
A polarised lens is a laminate, not a tint — a filter film bonded between layers, which is a slower and more expensive lens to make than one that has simply been dyed. The double-bridge wire front adds more soldered joints than a single-bar frame. Neither of those is where the usual price comes from.
We sell direct. There is no shop floor and no distributor taking a cut on the way, so the retail margin that normally sits on top of a frame like this is not in the price. What that pays for is the lens: polarised on both colourways, rather than kept for the one that costs more.
- Sold direct — no retail margin stacked on the frame
- Polarised lenses on both finishes, not a plain tint
- UV400 filtering, blocking 100% of UVA and UVB
- Metal frame and metal hinges instead of moulded plastic joints
- Double bridge, which is what keeps a thin front from flexing
- Adjustable pads, so one frame fits a range of nose bridges
| Frame | Lightweight metal, gold-tone finish |
|---|---|
| Rim | Full rim, flat-top aviator |
| Bridge | Double bar with adjustable nose pads |
| Temples | Flat metal, straight with a bent tip |
| Lens | Polarised |
|---|---|
| UV protection | UV400 — 100% of UVA and UVB |
| Lens colours | Near-black grey, warm brown |
| Frame colour | Gold-tone, both colourways |
Is this a men’s or a women’s frame?
Neither, in shape. The flat-top aviator is cut wide and shallow, which reads as unisex; the gold finish is what pushes it one way or the other. It is photographed here on a woman and sized to suit.
What is the second bar for?
Structure. A thin wire front with one bridge flexes every time the arms are opened; the lower bar triangulates it and keeps the two lenses in the same plane. It is a functional part that happens to look good.
Does polarisation affect phone screens?
It can. Some screens go dark or show a rainbow when viewed at certain angles through a polarised lens. Tilting the head or the phone usually clears it, and it is the trade-off for losing the glare everywhere else.
Do the lenses block UV?
Yes. They carry UV400 filtering, across UVA and UVB, which is separate from the polarisation.
Black or brown?
Black for strong midday sun and true colour. Brown for flat or overcast light, where it lifts contrast and warms everything slightly. Both are polarised, so the difference is how the light reads, not how much is blocked.
Will the gold finish wear?
It is a gold plating, and it keeps its finish best when the pair goes back into its case rather than loose into a bag.
How should it be cleaned?
Rinse under cool water to lift grit, then dry with a soft cloth. Dry-wiping a dusty lens is what causes the fine scratching people blame on the coating.
Two colourways, small runs of each
This frame is held in small numbers and the brown lens goes first each season. When a run sells through it is not always repeated — the shape returns, the tint does not always come with it.
Pick your lens above and add it to the bag. If it is not right on your face, send it back — the only thing you risk is missing the one you wanted.