Visit at Persol's factory

Last week team Otticanet headed out to visit one of the subsidaries of Luxottica specialized in Persol frames and lenses. This plant produces all acetate Persol glasses on the market.

This brand is known for its incredible quality and touch and when you see the “Handcrafted in Italy” writing you can be sure that it is all true.

 At the entrance

The glasses start out as acetate sheets that are cut roughly into the form of the selected style. Then the classic Persol hinge is applied by heating the frame. The arms go through a similar process and the metal core and hinge is inserted.

Cut acetate sheets

Once all parts have been cut and the hinges added it’s time for tumbling! Tumbling means that the glasses are put in wooden barrels filled with wood pieces in precise sizes and an abrasive material. The glasses start in the barrels with the largest pieces of wood for one day to get rid of the roughest edges, then another barrel with smaller wood to make it smoother. The last two days a polish is added to the wood to make the glasses shiny and sleek.

 
Tumbling of Persol frames

The glasses are now ready to be assembled and as all Persol enthusiast may know the Arrow hinge is completely without edges when opened. This is all made by hand as the worker smoothens the edges so that frame and arms are one.

The Persol logo is added as well as the writings on the inside of the arms and the last touches are made.

All that is missing are the fine crystal lenses that many Persol glasses come with. The lenses are made in this factory as well and arrive as precut coloured glass circles but it’s impossible to see anything in the lenses yet! They are first made thinner through the use of a diamond grinder. Then it’s time to temper the glass in order to avoid that the glass breakes or get shattered. The lenses are put high-temperature ovens for days to get a safe product.

Once cooled down it’s time cut the lenses and add a treatment, if requested, such as mirroring or a shade effect. The lenses are now lacking the last touch: the logo which is added just before they are packed and shipped away to other factories or to the assembling line for Persol glasses.

 
Part of team Otticanet

We really had a blast during our visit at the Luxottica factory. The quality of Persol, and Luxottica, glasses is just top of the line!