Choosing the right lens for your reading glasses is the first priority to consider. Factors such as grading (the magnification of the lens required for each eye) and weight of the lens, and of your spectacles overall, are also key. But reading glasses have come a long way since they first came into existence. Now, style is as much as of a selling point as substance.

Fortunately, there are any number of eyewear specialists in Hong Kong that can give you both great advice on what you need to see clearly, as well as look great. Read on, as Gafencu takes a closer squiz at some of Hong Kong’s most promising eyewear specialists.

The Right Optics

Before you go picking out your next fashion statement, it’s important to feel comfortable with your glasses as well as ensuring your choice of eyewear is as much functional as fashionable. To ensure you choose the right lens for your eyes, it’s essential to make an appointment with a reputable optometrist to test and assess both your eyesight and the overall health of your eyes – determining if you are short sighted, long sighted or have some other issue that impairs your vision.

A tip to picking the right optics is to note that each eye requires a different level of magnification. Choosing the right lens is essential to enable clear vision but to avoid health issues such as squinting, eye strain and headaches. Another factor to consider is the composition, and weight, of your lens. Generally, durable, high-quality, scratch-resistant plastic (also referred to as acrylic) lenses have the advantage over those made from glass, as the latter tends to be heavier and is easily cracked. In modern optometry, plastic lenses are preferred – ensuring the wearer has the most lightweight and comfortable experience when wearing their eyewear.

3D and Customised

One of Hong Kong’s up-and-coming bespoke eyewear providers is Blackzsmith Optical – making a name for itself by applying cutting-edge technology to its spectacle-making process via 3D printing.

By obtaining facial data with 3D-scanning technology, the bespoke eyewear is created based on customers’ facial 3D models. The process identifies 72 key points on the face and with the data obtained providing a professional basis for the frame design. In excess of 20 different parameters of the 3D eyewear that can be adjusted, including frame size, nose bridge width and temple length and more – with all these parameters coming together to ensure the perfect fit and wearability of the frame.

This label also prides itself on creating spectacles that are handcrafted by the technician with an eye for design and a passion for creativity. The luxurious sensibility of the brand’s collections focuses on traditional skills and immaculate craftsmanship. Blackzsmith is gaining appeal among local Hong Kong pop stars as well as key opinion leaders. Some of the eyewear brands it stocks include Matsuda – which is a favourite of the Japanese imperial family no less. As well as rising eyewear brand Ahlem – creating a buzz among the likes of Beyoncé and Kate Moss, who are apparently two of the French brands most ardent admirers.

Horny Eyewear

For a spectacle specialist with a point of difference, look no further than Smith & Norbu. One of the key parts of a pair of the brand’s glasses design is the yak horn.

To tease out how this unlikely turn of events came about, we need to go back to 2007. This was when Belgian entrepreneur Benoit Ams – on a trip to Tibet – was transfixed by craft works made from yak horn. The germ of an idea was sown and from there the concept of creating high-end spectacle frames using this fit-for-purpose material was born and eventually found its place in modern eyewear designs.

The manufacturer explains that natural yak horn is not only a lightweight and highly resistant material, it’s also a surprisingly vibrant natural product with subtle colour nuances that make genuine horn superior to other man-made materials. The use of natural horn makes the frame more comfortable to wear than synthetic alternatives and is also an anti-allergic product.

Manufacturing a piece of spectacles involves as many as 50 separate operations to create a single pair of frames and it takes meticulous attention to detail to produce durable, high-quality eyewear. The process of horn-based spectacle manufacturing is even more precise. First, the horn is cut and pressed into horn plates. Then, individual plates are carefully selected based on their colour pattern. Each finished product is then assembled with the brand’s signature rivet.

Vintage Chic

But if you prefer to stick with a classic look, or something that’s a little on the edgy retro side, look no further than Absolute Vintage. Since becoming established in 2010, it’s a brand that prided itself on creating bespoke spectacles that are designed specifically to fit the contours of Asian faces. Absolute Vintage also incorporates unique Hong Kong themes and characteristics into its designs. So much so that it has even been featured as as a highlight on the Hong Kong Tourism Board website.

Bengogh, the eyewear specialist’s chief designer, draws inspiration from the city’s surroundings in each of the brand’s designs, with many named after the streets of Hong Kong – capturing the essence of local culture in each pair of spectacles created. The brand also challenges the notion that reading glasses are just an optical aid, but rather promotes the idea that eyewear are a personalised accessory – and form an essential part of the wearer’s daily attire.

Focusing on classic spectacles and frames with an iconic visage, Absolute Vintage does away with cumbersome glasses by producing personalised, top-notch frames with a vintage aesthetic, while incorporating a range of styles, including round, cat’s eye and square, in a variety of bold colours and, of course, tortoiseshell.