Reviews & Guides
What Do the Sizes Mean on An EyeGlass Frame
Show Guide... Each frame has a series of 3 numbers imprinted either on the inside of
the temple, inside the bridge(across the nose piece) or in a plastic
frame it is sometimes stamped on the nose piece.
These numbers are always in millimeters so we can get a more accurate measurement, since we are measuring a very small area.
The numbers are usually written as: 49-19-135
1. The first number is the distance across one lens ( does not include the frame)
2.The second number is the distance across the bridge or sometimes refered to as the DBL(distance between lenses)
3.The third number is the length of the temple(arm piece) from the
front of the frame to the end of the temple, which goes behind the ear.
If you are looking for a frame on Ebay and you already wear glasses, I
would suggest you check the numbers in your exsisting frame and and
find a frame with similar sizes on Ebay. The other thing you can
do is go to an optical store, try on some frames and copy down the size
of the frame that is most comfortable. This would be the set of 3
numbers we talked about above. Use this as a guide for finding a frame
on Ebay.
Buying eyeglass frames on the internet is easy!
Show Guide... Want to buy your next pair of eyeglasses over the internet and not sure how to go about it? Please have a look at our guide to buying frames and some of the information that may make your next purchase of glasses easier and cheaper!
How to buy frames online
It is quite simple and not at all unusual to buy frames from someone other than the optometrist who would have tested your eyes. These days about 30% of eyeglasses presented to optometrists for fitting of lenses, haven't been bought in that optometrists retail shop. These glasses are either old frames people want fitted with new lenses or, increasingly, frames that people have purchased elsewhere, either overseas or on the internet. There is no rule that says you must buy glasses from the person who tests your eyes, this decision is yours alone. Buy your frames where you can, pay what YOU want to pay, and just see how much you can actually save!
What the measurements quoted in a listing for eyeglasses mean
You will notice when going through listings for eyeglass frames, sometimes measurements are given. Lens width, lens depth, bridge, temple width or, as some listings put it, arm to arm measurement. Below is an indication of what these frame
antique Lorgnette
Show Guide... Antique Lorgnettes are fun to own but if you are buying one for pragmatic purposes there are a few things to be aware of. The first is condition. Make sure to ask the seller about the springs--are they working, how easy is the clasp to open, does it spring open easily or is the mechanism complex and difficult to latch and unlatch. Does it require any special knowledge. Very often people will tell you it works easily and when you get it you'll find that you have to be extra careful. If it is advertised as sterling silver, 14 K gold, gold filled etc. make sure to get that in writing or some sort of certification from the seller. Very often people think what they have is sterling or gold and it is plated or gold filled. Seeing is not believing. Make sure the seller has checked out the glasses to see if they are perscription. If you are planning on using these even for decoration or as an accessory or conversation piece you are going to want to know this. Some perscriptions will work fine others will be impossible. If the glasses have a nose piece make sure it is in good shape. Ask the seller if it is tight and in good shape because they are near next to impossible to replace and repairs are expensive.
Finally, and most importantly--if you are planning on using them for yourself make sure to find out how the glasses close. The reason is that contemporary glass lenses (and plastic too) have curved surfaces and may not fit into your antique Lorgnette. It is expensive to retro-fit these antiques and this is especially so if you have a complex eye problem. Even when you just want magnification it isn't cheap. So if you do buy just be aware of these considerations and then enjoy your bargin.
Vintage Eyeglasses
Show Guide... Tips on purchasing vintage eyeglasses online from a family who has been in the eyeglass business for over 50 years. We have run optical shops here in New York City for the past 50 years and have tons of experience in dealing with eyeglasses from any era. The following are some tips on purchasing the right pair for you.
Buy from a respected seller - vintage eyeglasses are very hit or miss. Quality can be extremely poor in many cases, making the frames unwearable and unuseable. Find a respected seller with tons of feedback and experience to help insure that you will receive frames in wearable condition. Our selection of vintage eyeglasses has been in our temperature controlled storage facility for the past 50 years, so we are able to guarantee the quality of the items we sell, regardless of when they were made.
Check the size of the frames against a pair of your own glasses - eyeglasses have many sizes. Probably the best one to check is the width across the top of the frame from point to point. Measure your current eyeglasses and see how they compare to those you are looking at online. All vintage eyeglasses sold in our ebay store http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-1751-2978-71/1?AID=5463217&PID=2364470&mpre=http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Optical-by-bmiles33 include this measurement which should help make your purchase more successful.
Take a chance - Vintage eyeglasses are rare and hard to find. If you see something you like, take a chance, buy it and try it out. Worst case you can give it as a gift to a friend or resell it on eBay yourself. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee at http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-1751-2978-71/1?AID=5463217&PID=2364470&mpre=http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Optical-by-bmiles33 on all our items.
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The right eyeglasses for YOUR face
Show Guide... Although these are general guidelines, there is ONE rule that I always follow, no exceptions and that is:
Sometimes you have to ignore the rules and go by what you see. In other words, just like that mole on Cindy Crawford's face was the slight imperfecton that made her a Supermodel, a frame may be the "wrong" shape for you but look right on your face because of the way it tapers at a certain part of the front or because of some other quality.
So, trust your instincts (but take along a couple of good friends who will be honest about whether a frame looks right on you): .
Also, don't go just on the glasses that are right for your face shape but keep in mind the colors of clothing you prefer and your hair color and skin tones. The right frame can compliment all of those or stand out in glaring contrast.
Having said that, here is a general guide of which sort of frame is recommended for different face shapes:
OVAL: If you face is basically long and your height is generally longer than the width of your face, then you are lucky, lucky, lucky when it comes to choosing eyewear because you can wear nearly any style you like.
SQUARE: If you have a very strong jawline and a generally broad forehead, ask someone you trust if they'd call your face square-shaped. Another way to figure this out is to look in the mirror and outline the shape of your face on the mirror, using a light touch, with a lipliner or lipstick. If the shape you see looks squarish, then you can assume that is your face shape (this trick works for ot...
How to choose eyeglass frames for your face shape.
Show Guide... What shape of eyeglasses is best for my face shape?
Facial colouring and face shape are two very important factors to consider when choosing appropriate frames. The first step is to determine your face shape (oval, round or rectangular).Eyeglass shapes are chosen to decrease or de-accentuate the roundness of a round face, the squareness of a rectangular face, or the length or shortness of a face. To do this we recommend rectangular glasses for round faced people (avoid round frames) and oval or round glasses for rectangular faced people (avoid rectangular frames). Long faces should avoid narrow glasses, short faces should avoid high glasses. Those with oval faces are not restricted.
  
Frame colouring should be chosen to match skin and hair tone, eye colour, jewellery and clothing colours. The degree to which you deviate from this rule will show your interest in dressing "outside the box". For example, black plastic frames on a very light skinned and fair haired person makes much more of an impact than silver frames
DO NOT BUY PRESCRIPTION EYEGLASSES ON HERE !
Show Guide... The seller who sold them to me wouldn't make good on selling me defective, supposedly "authentic" Boucheron eyeglasses because by the time I had the prescription filled, was outside of the "week" they take items back.
These seems to be plastic covered in metal, not nearly as "rich" looking as in the photo... the "stones" are made out of plastic as well, i.e. these are VERY cheaply made glasses.
After having the scrip filled (and that can cost a lot as we all know), the glasses broke right by the cheap imitation stone. I wore them TWICE. Took them to my eye doctor who couldn't repair them, took them to a jeweler who couldn't repair them.... Moral of the story.... with my scrip filled and the frames broken, I am out $600.
Do not buy glasses for your prescription on here... Maybe the glasses are cheaper than retail (if they are real at all, which I now doubt... second pair I bought that fell apart within a month)... and you will be out the cost of the frames, as well as your scrip, unless you buy the same frames again, which will break again, etc. etc.
Fake Eyeglasses - DO NOT BUY!
Show Guide... The seller who sold them to me wouldn't make good on selling me defective glasses because by the time I had the prescription filled, was outside of the "week" they take items back.
These seems to be plastic covered in metal, not nearly as "rich" looking as in the photo... the "stones" are made out of plastic as well, i.e. these are VERY cheaply made glasses.
After having the scrip filled (and that can cost a lot as we all know), the glasses broke right by the cheap imitation stone. I wore them TWICE. Took them to my eye doctor who couldn't repair them, took them to a jeweler who couldn't repair them.... Moral of the story.... with my scrip filled and the frames broken, I am out $600.
Do not buy glasses for your prescription on here... Maybe the glasses are cheaper than retail (if they are real at all, which I now doubt... second pair I bought that fell apart within a month)... and you will be out the cost of the frames, as well as your scrip, unless you buy the same frames again, which will break again, etc. etc.
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