Persol

Persol frames are made in Italy from cellulose acetate, a material that has to be cut and hand-polished, which is slow work with a lot of waste. Add the brand's patented Meflecto flexible-stem hinge system and you are paying for genuine craft rather than a logo. For a sunglass that can be worn and serviced for years, many buyers find the premium justified.

The 714 is the folding version of Persol's classic design and the frame famously associated with Steve McQueen, and it carries the same build quality as the standard model with extra character. The folding mechanism is what makes it special, so the 714 is most worth it if you love the idea of a sunglass that tucks neatly away and the heritage that comes with it.

The Meflecto system is the flexible stem Persol developed, one of the first spring hinges in eyewear, and it lets the temple arms flex to the shape of your head for a more comfortable, secure fit. It is one of the brand's defining innovations and a big reason the frames feel so settled once they are on.

The silver arrow is Persol's trademark, the small metal motif you see on the temples of its frames. It is the quickest way to recognise the brand and a signature that has run through its designs for decades, so it doubles as a mark of authenticity.

The name is derived from the Italian per il sole, meaning "for the sun." It is a fitting origin for one of the oldest eyewear companies in the world, a brand that began by making lenses to protect the eyes of pilots and sports drivers.

Persol was formed in 1917 by Giuseppe Ratti, the owner of Berry optical, who started producing glasses and lenses for athletes and aviators. That aviator-and-driver heritage still informs the brand's durable, function-first character more than a century later.

All of Persol's plastic spectacles are currently made in Italy using cellulose acetate. That Italian manufacturing is central to the brand's appeal and to the hand-finishing that distinguishes its frames, so it is worth confirming when you buy.

Persol is owned by the Luxottica group, the major eyewear company. The brand keeps its own distinct identity and Italian production within that ownership, so buying Persol still means buying into its specific heritage rather than a generic house style.

Look for the signature silver arrow on the temples, check that the acetate feels dense and well-finished, and confirm the Meflecto flexible stems actually flex as they should. Buy from the brand's own channels or authorised opticians, since counterfeits typically fall down on these construction details and on the quality of the hinges.

Clean the lenses with a microfibre cloth and mild soap rather than abrasive sprays, keep the frames in a hard case to protect the acetate and the spring hinges, and avoid leaving them in a hot car, where heat can stress the material. Looked after, a well-made Italian acetate frame is built to last for many years.