My Oakley collection

[curtsr]

Back when the economy took it's first dump I stopped buying stocks and started buying things that I could enjoy owning, touching and using rather than watching declining numbers in an account somewhere upstream. And preferably things that would hold their value and appreciate somewhat since nothing else was.

So I focused on metals: guns, ammo and Oakley X Metals, starting innocently enough. I had a couple pair of SPY GT aluminums that I liked then saw a pair of Oakley X Metal XX 24K's... A little pricey I thought but I figured that I would treat myself to one pair of really nice sunglasses so I bought them. As I learned more about them and Oakley valuations, I picked up a pair here and a pair there. Over time I've wound up where I am.

Ekin95 put his sneaks out there and Motegi contributed some watches so I'll contribute and accessorize with some Oaks. I hope that you enjoy them!

 

[scorp965]

That's pretty intense, I thought I was obsessive with five pairs and a small display stand, but you've got the entire cabinet. :tongue:

Mine are mostly customized frogskins and holbrooks.

 

[IsR]

You got your own store! That's a lot of Oakleys

You bought the cabinets too?

 

[jonas1jp]

That is GREAT!! I thought I was bad. There is an Oakley Store connected to my office building in Indianapolis. I've got backpacks, computer bags, iPhone cases, shirts, etc. It's an obsession. Every time I walk out of there I've bought more than I expected. It's just all so damn cool!

 

[Khanvict]

wow! thats impressive ... nice setup

 

[docjohn]

well the market did come back:wink:.....does oakley make thier own lenses,or are they someone elses? Are they all polarized?

 

[Kyras]

well the market did come back:wink:.....does oakley make thier own lenses,or are they someone elses? Are they all polarized?

I live a mile from the Foothill Ranch, CA, Oakley factory. They make their own lenses. They make exactly what you order.

I have one pair with polarized, transition (clear to dark depending on sunlight) prescription lenses.

I have another pair that I have two sets of lenses for, since I can remove the lenses to change them. One set is transitions with prescription lenses. The other set is prescription with dark reflective lenses. If I'm riding my bike as the sun sets I'll use the transitions so they'll be clear when I finish in the dark.

 

[curtsr]

You bought the cabinets too?

I didn't just buy them really. You can't go to a website and click "buy" for most of that stuff but over the years by trolling CL and eBay I found a couple close enough to go pick-up. Those are the "core" cases- most of the X Metal era displays are a bright aluminum but the "core" cases are steel, age with a nice patina and are the rarest. I've heard maybe 80 or so produced.

That is GREAT!! I thought I was bad. There is an Oakley Store connected to my office building in Indianapolis. I've got backpacks, computer bags, iPhone cases, shirts, etc. It's an obsession. Every time I walk out of there I've bought more than I expected. It's just all so damn cool!

Thanks! Most folks think of Oakley as a sunglass company but they are more of a design/ plastics company. They make a hell of a lot more than just sunnies- as your wallet is aware.

well the market did come back:wink:.....does oakley make thier own lenses,or are they someone elses? Are they all polarized?

The market did indeed rebound but by that time the infection was terminal. Oakley does make their own lenses and almost everyone but BatmanS thinks that they are of good quality.

Lenses come in polarized, standard and transitions as Kyra pointed out. Through changing the rubber nosepieces and rubber temple shocks you can tailor the X Metal family to an individual's head. The lenses are removed with T-6 screws and can be exchanged with any color and type of lenses including prescription.

 

[Sennansx81]

Beautiful!!!

 

[robr]

That's insane! I do like Oakley myself (I only have one pair, purchased at a steep discount) but view sunglasses in general, Oakly included, as overpriced... in the same category as expensive shoes, purses, automatic watches where you are paying for the brand. Yes they are good quality, but it probably costs them $5-10 to manufacture a pair of glasses.

 

[SUNEDAZ]

need Re-Hab? :wink:

Great collection and nice display, I think your great, great grand-kids will have a blast showing their friends what crazy looking glasses we wore back in 2012

 

[BATMANs]

anyone know kaenon subglasses?

better than oakleys.

i have revo, oakley and kaenon

 

[robr]

What makes them better? When it comes to eye protection and improved visibility I'm sure there are a ton of far cheaper brands than Oakley that would fare just as well in side by side testing.

 

[L_RAO]

robr: I would have to disagree with you on the high-end shoes, though I will agree with you on the watches.

Really nice shoes are timeless, and assuming you're taking care of them "properly", will last 5-10x longer than those $90-150 shoes you buy at the mall (which look like crap after 3-6 months of normal use).

A great entry level shoe is Allen Edmunds, and be sure to buy a high-quality shoe tree.

 

[SaleenS7Rs]

Thats some collection. The fact that you have a real display case is really cool. I only have 3 pairs oakleys but I would love to get an Oakley sunglasses holder like you have for the Ducati sunglasses. I always thought the only way you could ever get any type of display items was if the business was closing up shop. Ebay here I come lol.

 

[scorp965]

Really nice shoes are timeless, and assuming you're taking care of them "properly", will last 5-10x longer than those $90-150 shoes you buy at the mall (which look like crap after 3-6 months of normal use).

You could say the same about watches, or any other craftsmanship-focused hobby.

From personal experience, timepieces make an excellent hedge against inflation, and market unpredictability - it's just somewhat trying to have to liquidate one's collection.

 

[BATMANs]

What makes them better? When it comes to eye protection and improved visibility I'm sure there are a ton of far cheaper brands than Oakley that would fare just as well in side by side testing.

POLARIZED LENSES - REINVENTED AND PERFECTED THROUGH SR-91®

Glass wasn’t strong enough. Polycarbonate wasn’t clear enough. Neither material allowed for adequate customization of tints and Light Transmission Levels. So we set out to develop our own, completely new polarized lens material. Kaenon’s proprietary SR-91 is the only polarized lens that combines the superior optical quality of the finest glass and the lightest weight, strength and impact resistance of polycarbonate. Only the best properties. No compromises. No short-cuts.

SR-91 was created with performance in mind – requiring extreme light weight and impact-resistance, for the ultimate protection from more than the sun. SR-91 exceeds ANSI Z.87.1 standards for high impact resistance. Paired with Glare 86®, Kaenon’s exclusive and proprietary polarizing element, our proprietary lens technology reduces glare up to 99.9% and provides complete protection against all harmful UV rays. At an incredible 30 microns thin, Glare 86 is completely encapsulated inside the lens. Ultra-lightweight and thin, SR-91 material has a naturally high strength-to-weight ratio. This translates into comfort, when worn for extended periods of time. Not stopping there, SR-91, despite its lightweight properties, is an extremely durable lens material which features superior scratch-resistance as compared to polycarbonate lenses, providing razor-sharp clarity.

Prior to founding Kaenon Polarized, Darren Rosenberg was a litigation attorney for nearly 7 years. During the time he practiced law, Darren continued to sail competitively and surf frequently. It wasn’t long before Darren realized his calling wasn’t law, so began his search for a different career path, one that would merge his personal interest in outdoor sports with his professional goals. Meanwhile, Darren’s brother, Steve, was enjoying success at Oakley as a sports marketer and helping them to grow in a variety of ways. Steve started thinking about how to improve eyewear beyond what was being considered at his former employer – particularly polarized sunglasses which were such an important piece of equipment for competitive sailors like himself and his brother. It was only a matter of time before Darren and Steve began sharing future entrepreneurial concepts. They quickly found a common gravity forming around the concept that became Kaenon Polarized. In 2001, the Rosenbergs’ dream was realized in Kaenon Polarized – a premium sunglass brand featuring superior technology in polarized lenses. Kaenon was born from intense passion and a clear desire to never compromise: SR-91,® the world’s first non-compromising polarized lens, became a reality because they made the commitment to stay true to their values and to make possible what others said was impossible. But that was just the beginning. After experiencing the superior clarity of SR-91 lenses, Darren and Steve knew they had to introduce industry-altering SR-91 polarized corrective lenses so everyone could enjoy its benefits. So they pioneered cutting-edge, computer-aided lens processing techniques and production methods which were years ahead of the larger industry players. Today, all of Kaenon’s eyewear products are produced to rigorous quality control specifications, supported by excellent customer service, and promptly delivered. All this to ensure a better experience with Kaenon than with any other brand.

 

[NSXRguy]

the "over the top" would make a nice statement in your cabinet

crazy collection

 

[curtsr]

the "over the top" would make a nice statement in your cabinet

Yeah, but I gotta be able to wear them too. A fifty year old grey-haired dude would look strange in an OTT. But I respect the ba**s to put the OTT out there as with the Medusa.

Oakley does make their own lenses and almost everyone but BatmanS thinks that they are of good quality.

See, I was expecting a visit from our resident thread-bomber:

anyone know kaenon subglasses?

better than oakleys.

i have revo, oakley and kaenon

... but it probably costs them $5-10 to manufacture a pair of glasses.

You might think so but these- like your car- are hand made. Each pair required 20 man hours to complete from investment casting to plating (depending on finish) and assembly in an old golf club factory in Nevada. 75 pair of hands from beginning to finish.

Once Luxottica bought Oakley these were killed because they cost too much to make. Insufficient margin...

Some cool videos and if someone wants to help me embed them I'd apprecite the tutoring:

Background
http://vimeo.com/oakleyinc/xmetal

Final pour:
http://vimeo.com/39514792
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[robr]

Each what is hand made? Every pair of Oakleys? Or just one product line? I can't imagine that my flak jackets don't roll off an assembly line with 10,000 other pairs a day. These are probably more the civic of Oakley rather than the NSX.

 

[Hugh]

So I focused on metals: guns, ammo and Oakley X Metals

The sunglasses are cute but I'm more interested in which weapons you decided to buy.

 

[BATMANs]

..... but it probably costs them $5-10 to manufacture a pair of glasses.

Although I feel that Revos and Kaenon "tunes" their lens so that you can see better than Oakleys I will say that Oakley frames are pretty solid and their technology of embedding their lens colors, UV protectant, etc. in the lens is something that I heard was unique to them.

Since Oakley and Revos (amongst the other brands) are now under the same company I heard that Revo's now have this lens technology.

 

[BATMANs]

I've got a "special edition" powder coated Juliet.

 

[curtsr]

Although I feel that Revos and Kaenon "tunes" their lens so that you can see better than Oakleys I will say that Oakley frames are pretty solid and their technology of embedding their lens colors, UV protectant, etc. in the lens is something that I heard was unique to them.

Since Oakley and Revos (amongst the other brands) are now under the same company I heard that Revo's now have this lens technology.

Ah, a little BATMANs love. Meager food for souls forgot and an interesting custom Juliet to boot!

The sunglasses are cute but I'm more interested in which weapons you decided to buy.

Swing through Cincy on your 300,000 mile world tour and we'll blow some stuff up while listening to some Bruce Dickenson & Co. Cincinnati is not far from the center of the Zombie Apocalypse. Deal?

Each what is hand made? Every pair of Oakleys? Or just one product line? I can't imagine that my flak jackets don't roll off an assembly line with 10,000 other pairs a day. These are probably more the civic of Oakley rather than the NSX.

LOL, just the X Metals family that used a titanium alloy are hand made, check out the video links. Oakley couldn't manufacture this metalurgy in California so they bought an old golf club factory next door in Nevada and manufactured there. Cost killed it because you can imagine 10,000 Flak Jackets rolling off an assembly line but not 1,000 X Metals. Whole different deal when real people touch stuff.

I guess you can say the same for sneakers- only smaller hands.

 

[Jin1976]

Nice collections. Myself also a big fan of Oakley. Got three pairs of customize prescriptions sunglasses (Fuel Cell, Gascan and Pitbull) and one normal reading glasses (Mortar). I wish they make an adapter for us asian so we can wear anyone of them. Yesterday I received my Bathroom Sink backpack replacing the customized Flak XL.

Btw the Polarized lens really make the colours pop out.