10 eyevan, which AFTER handles alongside EYEVAN 7285, is a brand that started with a collection of special parts. While avoiding excessive design overall, it has achieved a smart and modern collection by thoroughly pursuing the form of the lens shapes and the natural harmony between parts.
From 10 eyevan comes a new series, sheet metal, after a two-year hiatus. This approach, which might seem unexpected given 10 eyevan's previous image, nonetheless reflects the brand's enduring philosophy since its inception.
As someone who was the store manager at EYEVAN 7285 Tokyo, I was privy to the designer of 10 eyevan, Mr. Nakagawa's, particularities, and I'd like to share them with you.
— Titanium Sheet Metal
What makes this new series particularly special is undoubtedly the titanium sheet metal used as the material. Most people likely associate sheet metal primarily with the thin, sharp material used by German manufacturers.
However, 10 eyevan has adopted a titanium sheet metal with substantial thickness. This material is repeatedly rolled through a complex process to increase its density, bringing it to its optimal state for use.
The surface of this optimally processed sheet metal is so exquisite that its quality is evident even when photographed with an iPhone camera. It boasts a remarkably smooth texture and not only possesses high intrinsic material strength but also allows for an exceptionally beautiful paint finish.
Furthermore, its sufficient density and substantial thickness enable the creation of rounded edges and dynamic bridge designs.
As a result, a design with rich undulations, significantly different from the flat impression usually associated with the term "sheet metal," has become possible.
From its very first metal collection, 10 eyevan has been a brand consistently dedicated to material quality. For their metal frames, they relied on skilled artisan Mr. Maruyama to provide the finest titanium wire, and for this current collection, the sheet metal can be considered its equivalent.
— New Classic
When designer Mr. Nakagawa first entered the eyewear industry, he reportedly wasn't particularly fond of sheet metal glasses. He explained that just as some people are quick to embrace electric cars while others prefer classic cars, sheet metal, a cutting-edge technology in the 2000s, appeared to him in a similar light at the time.
However, a quarter-century after its birth, sheet metal can now be considered a classic technology in its own right, and it was at this juncture that he embarked on this new series.
It's akin to how a digital watch from 20 or 30 years ago, beyond its initial novelty, can evoke a sense of enduring charm.
— Attention to Detail
Of course, this sheet metal series, like all previous 10 eyevan collections, meticulously reflects thorough attention to every detail, even those that are not immediately apparent.
Only rivets were used to secure the hinges to the front and temples. During the development phase, the use of both brazing and rivets was considered, but due to technical constraints that would have required the hinges and frame to be the same color if brazing were used, they opted to use only rivets for fastening.
The new beige coloring (14S) in the lineup is inspired by vintage Mercedes cars. The painting process, which involves spraying paint mixed with metal particles and then applying a top coat, is identical to that used for automobiles, resulting in exceptional durability and a distinctive metallic luster.
Because of such a strong commitment to the painting method, they wanted to incorporate an element like the chrome-plated grille seen on vintage Mercedes, which was the original inspiration, somewhere. To achieve this, they deliberately chose to use the hinges in their original material color, insisting on a distinct color separation.
— Silver 925
The material used for the rivets is Silver 925, a material that has been used in various capacities since the inception of the 10 eyevan brand.
When polishing these rivets, if polished conventionally, the polishing buff would abrade the surrounding temples, causing the paint to peel off. Therefore, a plastic plate with a hole precisely sized for the rivet is applied to protect the surrounding area before polishing.
Even this polishing process takes significantly longer than usual, truly embodying the meaning of handmade craftsmanship.
Additionally, the temple ends are fitted with Silver 925 end tips. This is one of the details that has been adopted since the brand's inception to reduce slippage during wear by shifting the overall center of gravity of the glasses slightly backward.
— Nose pads for acetate frames
The thorough craftsmanship is also evident on the underside of the front, which only the wearer sees.
In the case of metal frames, the nose pad arms are fixed to the front by brazing. The smaller the contact area, the more precise the brazing can be.
However, for this 10 eyevan model, nose pad arms with a large contact area, typically used for acetate frames, are employed. Despite being considerably more labor-intensive than using arms for metal frames, they specifically chose these arms because the usual narrow-contact arms would result in a stark impression.
After careful brazing, the brand's logo is then laser-engraved. In addition, around the lenses, intricate patterns stylized from the brand logo are precisely engraved, consistent with previous 10 eyevan designs.
— Special Ordinary
I've heard that the development of this new model involved various challenges beyond what I've described here. It was the antithesis of efficiency, full of what might seem like unnecessary steps. The Silver 925 rivets I mentioned earlier must have been a real headache for the factory responsible for production.
But without these efforts, it would simply be ordinary. Instead, aiming for a "special ordinary"—something that is ordinary yet not ordinary—meant that all these particularities were unavoidable.
There is no other brand that tackles these challenges with such integrity. In a world where it's common to make things look expensive without spending much, they invest in details that are not immediately apparent. Yet, as a tool, eyewear, nothing is superfluous—it is truly a rare brand.
— 10 eyevan's unique sheet metal
This sheet metal was created through an approach that sought to find a middle ground between existing sheet metal images, differing from both the so-called German style and the somewhat rustic ones still produced by some Japanese manufacturers.
The reality is that there are various types of sheet metal, and it's not simply the case that one is confined to existing images just because it's sheet metal. Rather, there might be room to propose new value in directions where many people haven't yet discovered a wide range of possibilities.
What should have been a rational approach, sheet metal, has been endowed with irrational details such as natural materials and artisanal craftsmanship, making it something that can be readily accepted by all customers, including classic enthusiasts.
This is 10 eyevan's new proposal for sheet metal, created within the context of their long-standing commitment to producing "special ordinary" through various approaches. We invite you to visit our store.
Hiroki Makino
2011 Joined Eyevan Retail Co., Ltd.
2012 Store Manager, EYEVAN Osaka Gallery & EYEVAN Barneys New York Kobe
2016 Store Manager, Oliver Peoples Osaka
2017 Store Manager, EYEVAN 7285 Tokyo. Handled numerous Flagship and bespoke projects for EYEVAN 7285 & 10 eyevan.
2023 Established AFTER independently.
