| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1937 |
| Founder(s) | Lester Belisario |
| Headquarters | Milan, Italy, Formerly Rochester, NY |
| Products | High End Eyewear and Sunglasses |
| Owner(s) | Luxottica Group S.p.A. |
| Employees | 55000 |
| Website | www.ray-ban.com |
Ray-Ban is an American high end manufacturer of sunglasses, founded in 1937 by Bausch & Lomb.[1] They were introduced for the United States Army Air Corps. In 1999, Bausch & Lomb sold the brand to the Italian Luxottica Group for a reported $640 million.[2]
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Ray-Bans were first created in 1936. The idea of Ray Bans began some years earlier when Lieutenant John A. Macready returned from a balloon flying adventure and complained that the sun had permanently damaged his eyes. He contacted Bausch & Lomb asking them to create sunglasses that would provide protection and also look elegant. On May 7, 1937, Bausch & Lomb took out the patent.[3] The prototype, known as Anti-Glare, had an extremely light frame weighing 150 grams. They were made of gold-plated metal with green lenses made of mineral glass to filter out infrared and ultraviolet rays. Pilots in the United States Army Air Corps immediately adopted the sunglasses.[3] The army had intentions to have sunglasses that would protect the soldiers from the rays of the sun but yet still have an elegant look. [4] The Ray-Ban Aviator became a well-known style of sunglasses when General Douglas MacArthur landed on the beach in the Philippines in World War II, and photographers snapped several pictures of him wearing them. Ray Bans were quickly seen outside of just the army. In 1937, Ray Ban made their first patent on the Ray Ban Aviator sunglasses. Ray Bans quickly gained popularity through other wars and even made a debut in the movies. In 1952, Ray Ban created another style, the Ray Ban Wayfarer. The difference with these sunglasses were the plastic frames. This design of the wafer glasses became very popular with the normal everyday socio-economic crowd. The wafer sunglasses were seen on movie stars, TV stars, and musicians. [5] Ray Ban still remains a top designer in the sunglasses industry with their constant change in color, frames, and lenses.
Ray Ban has created a number of different lenses for each of their glasses. Each of the lenses are equipped with their own form of technology to suit every life style. The High Contrast Brown Lenses are made for a military design that allows for the maximum amount of clarity and protection. These lenses are made to block out blue light and most commonly used for driving and action sports. The Neutral Grey lenses are recommended for reduced eye strain and to see color as it truly is. Polarized lenses were created to reduce the amount of reflected light into your eyes. Lastly, Light Adaptive lenses are designed to adjust to all different amounts of light. The lenses will turn dark when excessive light is present and lighter when there is not as much light. [6]
Ray Ban has two primary types of frames available. The first is a titanium frame that is comfortable and flexible to wear. Secondly, there is the Memo-Ray frame. This frame is sturdier and more durable. It is designed for all types of activity. [6]