Ray-Bans are the epitome of old-school cool when it comes to a pair of shades.There is no need to settle for anything less than the best, from the classic Wayfarer look to the refined elegance of a pair of Clubmasters.Be a smart consumer and don't let yourself get robbed.You can wear your Ray-Bans with confidence if you know how to tell the difference between real and cheap imitations.
Step 1: Take a look at the plastic.
All genuine Ray-Ban products are made from high-quality materials.The plastic body of Ray-Ban sunglasses are hand polished.You shouldn't be able to detect nicks, rough spots, or seams on your glasses because of this.A pair of "Ray-Bans" aren't what they are being billed as, because these are after-products from cheap manufacturing processes.Seams can be anywhere on a fake pair of Ray-Bans, but they're especially likely to be on the places where the mold used to create the plastic closed.
Step 2: Feel for a light weight.
Take your Ray-Bans with you.They should be turned over a few times.If you catch them with an inch or two, they should feel solid and substantial.They should not feel light, thin, or fragile.If your glasses don't seem heavy enough to keep a few pieces of loose paper from blowing away, there's a good chance they're not real.Real Ray-Bans have metal support on their arms that sit on your ears and are responsible for much of their weight.If you have a model with transparent arms, you should be able to see this metal.You will know you have been wearing fakes if you can't.
Step 3: The non-glass lens should be checked.
Take your glasses off and look at them.The lens should be given a few gentle flicks with your finger.If they have the look, feel, and "clinking" sound of genuine glass, this is a good sign.Unless they're cheap-looking, cloudy, or poor-quality, non-glass glasses don't necessarily mean that your glasses are fake.Some models of Ray-Bans have non-glass lens but are still made from the highest quality materials.Glass lens are a sign that your glasses are real, but not necessarily.
Step 4: Look for hinges made of metal.
Look at the back of the glasses.Good quality metal construction is what the hinges in the corners of the glasses should be.They should be bolted to the glasses and not held in place with cheap plastic, which is a sign of cheap manufacturing processes.Many Ray-Bans have a distinctive metal hinge that contains seven interlocking metal "teeth", but it shouldn't be cause for concern, as other types of high-quality metal hinges are sometimes used.
Step 5: There are low-quality engravings in the corners of the glasses.
From the front, look at your glasses.You should see small, silver, horizontal diamond or oval-shaped marks in the corners of the eyes if you wear most models of Wayfarers of Clubmasters.These should be well-made.The shiny material shouldn't seem like they can be easily removed if you scratch them off.There's a good chance that the glasses and engravings aren't very well-made.
Step 6: There is a poor "RB" etching on one of the lens.
Most Ray-Ban glasses have a small, almost-imperceptible "RB" written on one of the lens.It will be small and near the edge of the lens, but it may be easier to see if you shine a light at the glasses from an angle.If your glasses are fakes, you may not be able to see it at all, or it may appear smudged or sloppily-etched.Some pre-2000 models may have aBL etching.This is the company that owned Ray-Ban.In 1999, Ray-Ban was sold to an Italian company.Modern Ray-Bans have a new ownership reflected on their packaging.
Step 7: The quality of the nose pads can be checked.
Every part of a genuine pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses is made from high-quality materials, even the little pads that sit on your nose when you wear the glasses.These should be made of rubber.They should not feel fragile, slick, slimy, or easy to remove.There are small "RB" logos on the metal centers of the nose pads.Many Ray-Bans include these as a sign of quality.
Step 8: The temple logo needs to be flushed.
Look at your glasses from the side.The temple portion of the glasses should have a "Ray-Ban" logo.It should be professionally attached and sitting flush against the "arm" of the glasses.If the logo is stuck onto the side of the glasses with glue or pins, they are probably not genuine.There is no logo for Ray-Ban models with thin temple arms.
Step 9: The model number is inside the arms of the glasses.
Look at the inside of the glasses that are on your ears.White text can be seen inside the arms of the Clubmasters.You can see the serial and manufacturing numbers on the left arm.The Ray-Ban logo, "Made in Italy", and a stylized "CE" are on the right arm.Your glasses are almost certainly fakes if this text is missing, smudged or poorly printed.If you still have your original Ray-Bans' packaging, make sure the serial numbers on the glasses match the ones in the box.This is a sign of foul play if they don't.The arms of the Aviators are so thin that there is no text in them.
Step 10: The glasses have serial numbers on the box.
If you bought new glasses, they should be in a box with a white shipping label.If the label doesn't contain important identifying information for your glasses, they're probably fake.The Ray-Ban boxes should be labeled with the model number, followed by four numbers.The model number starts with a letter.One letter/one number combination is the lens type code."2N"The two-digit number is the lens width.
Step 11: The carrying case should be inspected for high-quality construction.
If your Ray-Ban glasses came in a plastic bag, this is cause for concern, unless you bought them after-market.There is a gold logo on the front left side of the carrying case.The logo needs to read " 100% UV Protection - Ray-Ban - sunglasses by luxottica".There is a logo on a snap.The material feels like real leather.The front portion is hard.Clean stitching.
Step 12: Check the booklet for errors.
Real Ray-Bans are usually packaged with a small booklet that contains information about the product, promotional images, and more.The booklet should be printed on good-quality paper.Ray-Ban booklets are thoroughly reviewed and edited before publication.This is a sign of trouble if the booklet contains any errors.
Step 13: A high-quality cleaning cloth is what you should look for.
Most Ray-Bans come with a small felt cloth to keep the glasses clean.If this isn't included with the glasses in its own clear plastic envelope, they may not be genuine.It can also be a sign of a fake if the glasses come with a cleaning cloth.Thin, coarse, or ratty texture are examples of defects in the cloth.
Step 14: There is a good quality lens sticker.
A cling-on sticker on the lens is a sign of quality.The sticker should be black and gold and have the Ray-Ban logo in the middle of a black shape." 100% UV Protection" and "Sunglasses by Luxottica" should be written on the edge.There are some defects that can be cause for concern, such as missing or poorly-spelled text Off-center logo or starburst shape Glue under the sticker.
Step 15: Only licensed retailers can buy from.
Not all sellers are created equal when it comes to buying Ray-Bans.Pawnbrokers may be indifferent to fakes in their inventory if they make a practice of selling them.To ensure that you only buy fine, high-quality Ray-Bans, only make purchases from officially licensed sellers.If you live in the U.S., you can use the store locator on the official Ray-Ban site to find licensed sellers near you.
Step 16: Beware of deals that are too good to be true.
If your Ray-Bans seem to be a steal, they probably are.Ray-Bans are not cheap because of their make and model.Being hand-made from the finest materials available, Ray-Bans are a premium good.Even if the vendor has a convenient excuse for the discount, be very skeptical of Ray-Bans being sold under their market price.You can expect new Ray-Bans to cost between $60 and $300, but within the Wayfarer group of models, new glasses can cost as much as $300.
Step 17: Purchase directly from Ray-Ban when unsure.
Why take a risk if you don't know a seller's truth?You can buy real Ray-Bans from the official website, ray-ban.com.The Ray-Ban site allows you to easily browse the entire catalog, making it preferable to any sort of shady seller you might otherwise use.
Step 18: It's a bad idea to wear fakes.
The fake Ray-Bans aren't nearly as good as the real thing.They're more likely to break than they are to be good looking.There are other compelling things that may make fakes less appealing to you as a buyer.You may want to avoid buying and wearing fake Ray-Bans because they may not provide adequate protection from the sun's UV rays.Wearing sunglasses without UV protection can be worse for your eyes than wearing no sunglasses at all.If a fake Ray-Ban breaks, you're out of luck because it's almost always more likely than a real one.It is possible that fakes are made in factories that exploit their workers.Making a habit of buying fakes can support unfair labor practices in other parts of the world.