Sunglasses! (Non-prescription)

[Saule]

I know that folks here are not as impressed by brand names as perhaps is the average consumer, but I thought you'd find this information from the Wall Street Journal to be interesting.

Most sunglasses are made by the same company: Luxotica, an Italian manufacturer makes all of the following sunglasses: Ray-Ban, Oakley, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry, Chanel, Polo Ralph Lauren, Paul Smith, Stella McCartney, Versace, tiffany, Vogue, Miu Miu, Persol, Tory Burch, Donna Karan. (I have to admit half these names mean absolutely nothing to me!)

And, Luxotica also owns all of these places where you might be buying your sunglasses : LensCragters, Sunglass Hut, Pearle Vision.

Once you get past $70, there is no increased medical benefit to sunglasses - you are paying a markup for the perceived value of the name, perhaps something for the style, materials of the frame. An inexpensive drug store pair or sunglasses will probably block most, if not all, UV rays.

Saw this in the paper this weekend.

[2ndGenGranola]

You mean those $500 that Mr X keeps bragging to me about are in fact the same as my only $$ ones? I hope he reads that!!