What is Affordable Luxury Eyewear?
November 2024: We coined the term about 10 years ago to help define how we market our eyewear. But what is affordable luxury eyewear? It simply means that we use high-quality acetates and metals to create our eyewear. The term “high quality” is often overused, and depending on who you ask, it can mean something entirely different. For Nerdy Frames, high quality generally means acetate and metals typically found in boutique eyeglasses stores. Your local LensCrafters or Warby Parker, for example, do not offer boutique-quality materials. Affordable luxury is all about giving you more value for your money.
How Can I Tell the Difference?
That’s a great question. It’s all about feel and weight. Well-made eyewear feels dense without being heavy. Have you ever touched a leather bag from a generic mall store and compared it to one from Gucci or another high-end brand? There’s a noticeable difference. You might say the Gucci bag is overpriced—and you’d have a point—but it does feel well-made and luxurious. At Nerdy Frames, we use high-quality materials and craftsmanship, but we don’t charge you an arm and a leg for it. That’s what we call Affordable Luxury Eyewear.
Is Nerdy Frames Affordable Luxury Eyewear?
Absolutely. As mentioned above, we use premium acetate and metal, and we don’t use a material called CP (cellulose propionate). Cellulose propionate is common on many sites selling “high-quality” but cheap eyeglasses. If that’s what you’re looking for, we won’t stop you, but we don’t use it. CP doesn’t last and isn’t something we’d recommend for eyewear. Instead, we use cellulose acetate—the real deal. Our cellulose acetate is sourced from Japan, which is known for producing the highest quality acetate. Although it’s generally more expensive, we offer it at wholesale prices and include lenses. We operate on a volume-based model, so you get a luxury product for less, while we pay our staff, cover costs, and remain profitable. Fourteen years in the business is our proof that affordable luxury eyewear is here to stay.