For most people, sunglasses are an accessory. An often essential and handy accessory, but an accessory, nonetheless. For others, however, they are something worth spending vast fortunes on. Some pairs of sunglasses are valued in the multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars. Wholesale sunglasses distributor Olympic Eyewear sells sunglasses by the bulk to retailers, and an assorted dozen pairs of sunglasses are available for $30. This is a far cry from some of the outrageous prices that these sunglasses have sold for:
CliC Gold 18 Carat Gold Sport – $75,000
CliC Gold had previously manufactured the most expensive reading glasses in the world. Collaborating with Hugh Power, as the name suggests, they are made of 18-carat gold. This includes the extendable arms and the expandable back. The sunglasses feature a magnetic front connection system, giving them a unique look and fit. Each pair is custom made to the buyer, and it takes the manufacturer between 40-50 hours to make each; there have only been 300 pairs made. They are sports sunglasses, and as such have hand-cut, polarized water-resistant lenses.
Cartier Panthere Glasses – $159,000
Cartier is a French luxury brand, most famous for its jewelry and watches. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, is a fan of Cartier, as are various other members of royal families across the world. The eyewear that Cartier offer are of a high quality and therefore a high price. Their most expensive pair is a special edition of the Panthere sunglasses. The name is French for panther, and this is certainly fitting. There are 18-carat white gold panthers embedded on each arm. To add to the luxury, there are over 550 diamonds and 640 blue sapphires fitted onto a pair of Panthere sunglasses.
Shiels Emerald Sunglasses – $200,000
Shiels Jewellers are based in Adelaide, Australia, and were founded by Jack Shiels in 1945. According to Managing Director Albert Bensimon, their sunglasses are inspired by Roman Emperor Nero, who took his place to watch gladiatorial battles while apparently wearing emeralds over his eyes. It took the company five years to source the emeralds for their glasses and three more months thereafter to polish and cut them. The frames are thin and made of gold, and they have diamonds embellished into them. They are a passion project for Shiels and are literally one of a kind.
Dolce & Gabbana DG2027B – $383,609
Dolce & Gabbana were founded in 1985 by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, going on to become one of the world’s most famous luxury brands. The DG2027B sunglasses have gold in the frames that surround their brown tinted lenses. On the arms, there are the words DOLCE and GABBANA spelled out in diamonds. The name of D&G carries with it a certain reputation for luxury and they have been associated with celebrities and their lifestyle. Stars such as Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, and Demi Moore all own a pair of the DG2027B sunglasses.
Chopard De Rigo Vision – $408,000
Chopard is a Swiss jewelry house, and they partnered with high-end eyewear company De Rigo Vision to make the most expensive pair of sunglasses ever. The frames were made with sixty grams of 24-carat gold. In addition to the gold, there are fifty-one full-cut diamonds around the Chopin ‘C’ engraved on the side. The diamonds were fitted using a special technique by De Rigo; a technique in which the diamonds are set closer together. The effect of this is a much brighter light emitted by the shine of the diamonds. The likes of Elton John and Gwyneth Paltrow have been seen sporting these sunglasses.
