Archive for January, 2010
ic! Berlin Eyewear
Sunday, January 31st, 2010Alain Milki Eyewear
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Eyewear designer Alain Mikli has created a line of new eyewear for the gentleman who’s budget is still wide open. As they put it, Even in the midst of economic crisis… with elegance and provocation, Mikli makes a statement that now is the time for businessmen to make a safe investment that will last a lifetime.
That investment is a pair of eyeglass frames made from 18-carat pink or 14-carat yellow gold. The water-buffalo horn was selected carefully, cut into sheets, shaped and polished to create a smooth exterior.
Boz Eyewear
Friday, January 29th, 2010
Between day-dreaming, poetry and extravagance, the Boz product environment explores the fairy-like of a fantastic garden. Extravagant and imaginary, the organic mingle are outlined through effects of reflection and transparency. The graphic design is inspired by multiple blossom fragrances, a sparkling floral spirit, reminding the designer of the optical frames from Boz Eyewear.
Lafont Eyewear
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
Lafont is one of the premier French lines of eyewear. Far from the world of licensed-brand names and mass-market products, Lafont is a top designer of unique and stylish frames.
Tag Heuer – The Knights of Time
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010TAG Heuer’s inspiring advertising campaign focuses on the personal journeys and achievements of four extraordinary individuals: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tiger Woods, Lewis Hamilton and Maria Sharapova.
In a time of economic challenge, while other brands choose to stand back and cautiously focus on the short-term, TAG Heuer, the world leader in sports-inspired luxury watches and chronographs since 1860, is extending its bold vision of the avant-garde with a brand new, emotionally charged ad campaign that challenges the very rules of endorsement marketing.
The famous challenge of TAG Heuer, “What are you made of?”is the common thread linking the past campaign to this daring new one. Now, however, the confrontational claim expresses the unique drive and passion of these super-achieving Knights of Time.
Forget awards and trophies, what pushes these people to greatness are not recognition and laurels but something inside and unseen and deeply personal.
At certain times, it’s tangible. Think of Tiger Woods dropping a long putt, or Lewis Hamilton slicing out of the slipstream and accelerating through a curve. Think of the kinetic beauty of Maria Sharapova as she shifts direction in mid-stride and hits an impossible forehand out of her backhand corner.
On the screen, it’s even more apparent. What an actor like Leonardo DiCaprio is made of is visible in every frame.
But it’s not just the clutch moment or the key scene. It’s not just the victories and celebrity status. It’s the entire arc of exceptional lives. Every dream. Every obstacle. Every sacrifice. To power past the mundane and the mediocre towards an ever-new conception of perfection, to overcome, reinvent, challenge, and evolve – these values, as much as the remarkable men and women who live by them, are the stars of TAG Heuer’s inspirational new campaign.
“What is the new TAG Heuer Knights of Time campaign made of? Way more passion, prestige and performance than ever before,” says Jean-Christophe Babin, TAG Heuer President and CEO.
The visually stunning campaign coincides with the signing of new TAG Heuer ambassador Leonardo DiCaprio, who is partnering with the Swiss watchmaking legend to support two of the world’s most important environmental charities: the Natural Resources Defense Council and Green Cross International.
The Hollywood superstar and committed environmental activist will appear in the new campaign endorsements of TAG Heuer’s new ultra-masculine Aquaracer 500. Other visuals will feature world number one golfer Tiger Woods for Link, 2008 F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton for TAG Heuer’s bestselling CARRERA line and tennis superstar Maria Sharapova for women’s expression of Aquaracer and Link.
“TAG Heuer’s 2009 ad campaign is an inspirational tale of personal achievement,” said Jean-Christophe Babin. “It tells the story of extraordinary individuals who transcend obstacles to realize dreams and attain the unreachable – and then keep going, setting their sights even higher, on horizons not yet dreamed of.
These incredible men and women are champions who never stop thinking of themselves as challengers. This is why, in their stunning portraits by Tom Munro, they don’t wear the watches on their wrists but brandish them in their fists – as public declaration of their determination. The timepieces aren’t accessories; they are talismans – lucky charms accompanying heroes on a perennial quest to be better, stronger, and faster.”
TAG Heuer’s campaigns Past, Present and Future
When TAG Heuer first issued its challenge “What Are You Made Of?” in 2002, the campaign defied all advertising convention. Confrontational and direct, it went toe to toe with the public. It is this spirit of challenge that has sparked TAG Heuer’s most memorable ad campaigns. From “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” (early 1990s) with racecar legends Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher to the era-defining “Success, It’s a Mind Game” (1995) to “Another Side of Me” (2001-02), inner strength and the relentless pursuit of perfection have been the message, reflecting values at the very core of the brand’s sports-inspired DNA.
TAG Heuer followed its “What Are You Made Of?” print debut with “Who Can Beat Tiger Woods?” in 2003, a riveting, kinetically-edited television ad that pit the formidable precision and mental concentration of Tiger Woods’ golf game against the technological power of Formula 1.
Early campaigns celebrated hard-won athletic achievement. Later campaigns turned to another ultra-competitive arena: film. With Steve McQueen since 1970, TAG Heuer has created a unique link with the glamorous world of cinema. The 2005 revamped version of “What Are You Made Of?” strengthened this bond by spotlighting Hollywood high achievers Uma Thurman and Brad Pitt. This was further reinforced through the brand’s ties to the best of Bollywood, including the Great Khan himself – superstar actor, producer and TV personality Shah Rukh Khan, a TAG Heuer Ambassador since 2003.
With the addition of newest ambassador Leonardo DiCaprio in this year’s campaign, TAG Heuer has a leading man who personifies both the glamour and prestige of the TAG Heuer name, and its passionate belief that success comes to those that never stop demanding more.
From a small workshop in the Swiss Alps to one of the most prestigious brands in the world…
Like the personal journeys of these exceptional individuals, the TAG Heuer story is one of ceaseless reinvention. For a century and half, the Swiss brand has drawn inspiration from the world of sports to master time to its most infinitesimal fraction. It has done so by challenging conventions and pushing forward with ever-more innovative technology and aesthetics.
In the process, its engineers and designers have revolutionized the watchmaking world, producing some of its most innovative and breathtaking timepieces ever created. But the work never ends. There is no finish line. There is always a new barrier to crack. A new movement, in a new design, in a new material. A new level of precision and excellence. TAG Heuer’s vision opens onto the horizon of all dreams.
Rimless Eyewear
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010Nowadays your prescription glasses are as big a fashion accessory as your purse, your shoes or the perfect hat. They serve more of a purpose than just being able to see (although that is an integral part); they serve to let the world know just a little bit more about your personality. Rimless glasses can do wonders for you in terms of both fashion and function, but how do you decide if rimless glasses are the right fit for you?
Properly fitting any pair of eyeglasses is more of a challenge than those who have the pleasure of being born with twenty-twenty vision may think. It takes a lot more than just throwing on the first pair of frames that you come across on the spinner and calling it a day. You want you glasses to bring out and accent certain features of your face, while potentially hiding others that may not be so flattering – glasses arent just about your prescription, if youre going to be wearing them every single day for several hours a day, they need to look good, be durable and be comfortable.
Rimless glasses arent perfect for everyone, but improvements in design have made them a much more viable option for some. The absence of the bulky material that makes up heavier frames makes them ultra lightweight which makes them much more comfortable than some more traditional frames.
Many rimless glasses only consist of the lenses themselves, the nosepiece and very thin support arms. In most new rimless glasses, the limited frame material used is made of titanium – an expensive but very lightweight and very durable material. The use of titanium has made rimless glasses an option for those who need their glasses for everyday activities – rimless glasses made with a less resilient metal would be far too easily damaged to be considered for everyday use. Rimless glasses are, without question, some of the most comfortable styles that anyone can wear. The weight alone makes them easy to wear, whereas older styles of frames would have been cumbersome and would have grown exceedingly more uncomfortable throughout the day, the rimless glasses give the wearer the feeling of almost no glasses at all.
Appearance could be the biggest asset or the biggest determent depending on what the wearer is hoping to achieve with his or her glasses. If you want to show as much of your face as possible and highlight, rather than hide your beautiful eyes and cheekbones, then rimless glasses are the perfect choice for you. Rimless glasses are the closest possible thing to wearing no glasses at all, which means they will work well to show off every single feature of your face, plus add an heir of elegance in the process.
This “freedom from frames” while wearing glasses could potentially be a downside though, if you had been using your old glasses to mask features or hide flaws in the appearance of your face. Some glasses wearers like the fact that they can use their glasses to either add to or take away from a particular feature or to take away the focus from the natural shape of their face. If you are in the market of giving your face the illusion of having a different shape or if you have unflattering cheekbones or other problems that youd like to mask with heavy framed glasses, than rimless eyeglasses obviously wouldnt be the best option for your situation.
Many people grew up hating the fact that they had to use any type of headgear to be able to see properly, if you feel that your face was meant to be out there for the world to see and havent been able to show it off due to bulky frames in the past then rimless glasses might not only be a perfect fit, they may be the answer to all your eyewear problems.
Chrome Hearts
Monday, January 25th, 2010Each pair of Chrome Hearts Eyeglasses and Sunglasses is meticulously crafted using exotic woods, genuine leather, precious metals and gemstones.
The eyewear is hand-finished and assembled and then put through rigorous quality control inspections to ensure a flawless product. The end result is eyewear that you have to see, touch and feel to truly appreciate.
Wood
Chrome Heart’s distinctive wood temples are manufactured using a special process where seven ultra-thin layers of wood are laminated together producing an extremely strong sheet.
The temples are then cut from the sheet-stock and finished by hand. In the final step, the temples are coated with non-allergenic lacquer and once again polished by hand. The finishing process is repeated six times to ensure the highest quality wood temples. This is the most elaborate finishing process available on the market today.
Once the temples have been finished, Chrome Hearts adds their trademark engravings to the sides of the wood temples. The engraving is done using an ultra-sensitive laser that carves the intricate designs one temple at a time.
Sterling Silver
All of the Chrome Hearts motifs (crosses, fleur de lis, daggers, etc.) are made of cast .925 sterling silver.
These amazing pieces require intricate tooling (made by Chrome Hearts’ silversmiths) for each individual model.
The individual parts are cast in rough form, then polished by hand and antiqued one piece at a time. This painstaking process is performed on each of the many small motifs you’ll find across the different eyeglass and sunglass lines.
This attention to detail and hand-tooling is what makes each pair of Chrome Hearts a unique and stunning piece of “optical jewelry.”
Leather
All leather featured on Chrome Hearts eyewear is authentic, hand-stitched Italian leather. Each temple is stitched one piece at a time.
Gemstones
Select Chrome Hearts styles can be customized with diamonds, rubies and other precious stones, creating the ultimate eyewear statement. Based on your specifications, Chrome Hearts master jewelers hand-set each stone into the frame, creating eyewear that is a unique, one-of-a-kind expression of you.
Chrome Hearts Wood Selections
Chrome Hearts uses two types of exotic wood on their eyeglass and sunglass frames: Macassar Ebony and Brazilian Mahogany. Each of these rare and beautiful woods contribute to the distinctive look of Chrome Hearts eyewear.
Macassar EbonyThis deep, rich exotic wood is the rarest and most expensive ebony available. This native African wood is typically used in manufacturing expensive humidors, jewelry and high-end furniture. Ebony is one of the most dense, durable and rare exotic woods available. In fact, Ebony is so dense that it is the only wood that will sink in water. Macassar Ebony is unique in that it’s not uniformly black, but rather has beautiful striping. The exceptional qualities of Macassar Ebony make it ideal for eyewear temples.
Brazilian MahoganyChrome Hearts uses only Brazilian “Bigleaf” Mahogany — the highest quality Mahogany available. A rare, tropical hardwood, it takes approximately 60 years for Brazilian Mahogany to mature. Key features of the wood are its beautiful graining and exceptional, golden color. Brazilian Mahogany is also known as “Green Gold” because a single tree can net up to $130,000 in wood.
Chrome Hearts Eyewear Cases
Each pair of Chrome Hearts eyeglasses and sunglasses comes with it’s own high-quality Chrome Hearts eyewear case made from hand-tooled Italian leather. The Chrome Hearts eyewear cases are made one-at-a-time in the Chrome Hearts factories by skilled craftspeople who maintain the highest level of quality standards. Depending on the frame, your case will either be black or white leather. All cases come with certificates of authenticity and Chrome Hearts polishing cloths.
Chrome Hearts Eyewear Lenses
Chrome Hearts utilizes only the highest quality CR-39 NXT and polarized lenses (both resin and glass) available. The use of specific lenses is determined based upon careful consideration of your specific optical requirements for the frame in which it’s intended. All sun lenses are UV400, providing maximum ocular protection from damaging UV rays. Lenses are available in a wide-range of tints.
Plastics
Chrome Hearts Eyewear utilizes a combination of Japanese and Italian Zyl in making their handmade plastic styles. Some of the the plastic frames also feature laser etched Chrome Hearts motifs on the temples. The process is performed by a highly-sensitive laser that uses a relief cutting process to etch the intricate Chrome Hearts motifs into the temples.
Metals
Chrome Hearts Eyewear is titanium on most metal frames and most trims are in sterling silver.
Ocular Nutrition
Sunday, January 24th, 2010Based on information provided by the U.S. National Eye Institute, results of nutrition and eye health food studies have shown that consuming certain foods provides ocular nutrition. In other words, using food to improve eyesight and nutrition to improve eye health has been proven by studies. Here is a list of food to improve eyesight:
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Ocular nutrition with collard greens, kale and spinach.
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Ocular nutrition with green vegetables and corn.
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Ocular nutrition with blueberries, apricots and bilberries.
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Ocular nutrition with cold water fish and Omega 3 fish oil.
Studies show that eating foods rich in carotenoids is associated with reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Foods rich in carotenoids are leafy green vegetables such as spinach, collard greens and kale. Macular eye nutrition becomes increasingly important as we age.
Another study on ocular nutrition has shown a reduced likehood of developing cataracts for persons with diets higher in lutein and zeaxanthin. Foods high in these two carotenoids are broccoli, collard greens, corn, green peas, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens and zucchini. Lutein is also found in egg yolks.
Persons with diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin were also less likely to need cataract surgery. In another study, persons ages 40-59 with macular eye nutrition diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin may experience reduced risk of developing adult macular degeneration.
Besides the studies reported by the National Eye Institute above, other studies exist on ocular nutrition and foods that improve eye sight.
Eating blueberries has been associated with the reduction of eye fatigue. Blueberries are related to cranberries, and both also help the body resist urinary tract infections.
Apricots are rich in nutrients such as beta carotene and lycopene that help promote good vision. Beta carotene is converted as needed by the body to vitamin A, an important antioxidant that resists oxidative stress damage to cells and tissues, including the eye lenses. Continued oxidative stress may result in the development of cataracts or damage the blood supply to the eyes and lead to macular degeneration.
Bilberries grow on small bushes and were used by British pilots to improve their night vision and eye health night vision. Fresh bilberries and bilberry jams would be sources of this ocular nutrition food. Bilberry seems to improve eye health by increasing the blood supply to the eyes (smoking, for example, decreases the blood supply to the eyes). The substance in bilberry that nourishes eye tissue is called anthocyanosides.
Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, cod, haddock as well as sardines are rich in the healthy Omega 3 oils. For example, Eskimos have almost no incidence of open-angle glaucoma with their diet rich in Omega 3 cold-water fish which maybe is the best foods for optic nerve. Omega 3 is also associated with numerous other health benefits relating to improving heart health, arthritis symptoms relief and lowering chosterol. It is certainly one of the best foods for clear eyesight and eye health.
Kate Beckinsale in Oliver Peoples Elsie
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
Kate Beckinsale seen wearing Oliver Peoples Elsie Sunglasses.
3D Vision
Friday, January 22nd, 2010Are you or your kid wondering what everyone is oohing and aahing about when watching 3D movies? Or does 3D viewing cause you or someone you know to experience headaches, stomachaches, motion sickness, confusion, or boredom…? In order to view 3D stereo images (in 3-D movies, 3-D posters, pictures, books, etc.) you must have two eyes that work together as a coordinated team. Two working eyes are definitely required! If you are having trouble seeing 3D, this might mean that you have problems with your binocular (two-eyed) vision or stereo vision (3D vision).
Take the frame test to check your 3D vision.
In order to see 3D your brain has to use the visual information from both eyes. If the two eye views are too different and cannot be matched up, the brain will be forced to make a choice. It will reject all or part of the information from one eye. The brain can suppress or turn off visual information it cannot use. The Framing Game can tell you whether both your eyes are TURNED ON at the same time. The illustration to the left demonstrates what should happen.
- Center your nose over the brown eye below.
- Focus your eyes on the single brown eye.
- Put your free thumb in front of your nose.
- Continue to focus on the eye. If both eyes are on, you will see two thumbs framing one eye.
- Now, switch your focus to your thumb. You should see two eyes framing one thumb.
SUCCESSFUL?
Both your eyes are ON and you are an excellent candidate for 3D viewing fun. Continue with this guide and enjoy!
PROBLEMS?
- Follow the instructions again and pay close attention to where you’re focusing your eyes.
- If you wear lenses, try it without them.
- Can’t see two thumbs (or two eyes)? Or does one thumb disappear and reappear? Or does one thumb appear faint — like a ghost image? You may want to consider having a comprehensive eye examination which includes the testing of binocular vision.