For the Sun, from Turin: Persol Sunglasses
What defines the brand and why choose it
In 1917, Giuseppe Ratti, owner of Berry Opticians in Turin, began making lenses for First World War pilots who complained that reflections compromised their vision in flight. It was not fashion. It was a technical problem requiring a technical solution. That logic — that glasses exist to solve a real problem of vision and comfort, and that elegance is a consequence of precision, not the other way around — is the foundation on which Persol has built more than a century of history.
The brand took its name from the Italian per il sole, for the sun, and did not choose that name as a branding exercise: it chose it because it described exactly what it did. When Persol sunglasses reached international markets in the 1960s, they did so with three patents no other manufacturer possessed: the Meflecto® System, the Silver Arrow and mineral glass lenses. These three innovations, developed in the Turin workshop over decades, made Persol the technical reference of luxury eyewear before fashion brands discovered the sector.
The Meflecto® System is the most important patent in the history of luxury eyewear. Invented in the 1930s by Persol artisans, it is a system of metal cylinders integrated into the internal structure of the temple that allows it to flex and adapt to the shape of the wearer's skull without applying pressure at the temporal points. A Persol frame with Meflecto adjusts without tightening, stays stable without pinching, and remains comfortable even through prolonged wear. No other manufacturer has been able to replicate this patent with the same effectiveness in over eighty years. Victor Flex — the three-notch bridge — completes the comfort system.
The Silver Arrow, present on both temples of every Persol model, was created in the 1930s inspired by the swords of ancient warriors. It is not a logo: it is a structural element that covers the temple hinge, and its form and finish are so precise that any connoisseur of the brand identifies a Persol model from several metres away without any other indicator. The arrow is discreet but unequivocal: the signature of someone who knows what they are wearing.
The third pillar is the lens. While the mass eyewear industry migrated to polycarbonate and plastic glass, Persol maintained Barberini® mineral glass lenses as standard in its principal models. Mineral glass offers optical clarity and chromatic fidelity that polycarbonate cannot match, and far superior scratch resistance. It is heavier and more expensive to produce, but it is the correct material for those who understand that in a luxury pair of glasses, the lens is not an accessory: it is the heart of the product.
Styles and uses: icons and the contemporary collection
The Persol sunglasses collection is organised around two poles: the iconic models — some of the most influential eyewear designs in history — and the contemporary collection, which applies the same principles to more current silhouettes.
The PO0649 — known simply as the 649 — is the most imitated model in eyewear history. Designed in 1957 for Turin's tram drivers, it gained its mythical dimension when Marcello Mastroianni wore it in Pietro Germi's Divorce, Italian Style (1961). It has been reinvented in dozens of frame and lens combinations but maintains its original silhouette: slightly oversized, with Persol's characteristic temples, the silver arrow on both hinges and mineral glass lenses. Available in the 649 Original version and in the PO9649S variant with a slightly more angular contemporary profile.
The PO0714 is the most famous folding sunglasses in history. Introduced in the 1960s as a folding version of the 649, it requires ten additional manufacturing processes compared to a standard model to integrate the double-hinge system that allows it to fold flat. Steve McQueen wore it in The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). The 714SM Steve McQueen™ edition — with the Supreme Arrow on temple and bridge — is one of the most sought-after models in the entire Persol collection.
The contemporary sun collection includes models such as the PO3269S — modern rectangular with great line clarity, one of the best-sellers in the current collection —, the PO3019S — round with keyhole bridge and vintage silhouette — and the special editions Typewriter Edition and Calligrapher Edition, which translate typewriter and calligraphy pen motifs from the brand's historical archive into acetate and metal.
Practical details: materials, lenses and finishes
The acetate Persol uses in its frames is vegetable-based cellulose acetate, cut, milled, polished and buffed by hand in the Italian workshop. The most representative colours — havana, tortoise, black and caffe — result from lamination and dyeing processes that produce unique variations in each pair.
Barberini® mineral glass lenses are available in solid, gradient, polarised and photochromic configurations depending on the model. 100% UV protection with CE certification across all variants. The Meflecto® System is present in all Icons collection models and in most contemporary models — the visible metal cylinders in the temple section are the most reliable indicator of authentic Persol.
Buying online at Visual-Click
Visual-Click is an authorised Persol dealer and offers the complete Persol sunglasses collection with official manufacturer warranty and international shipping. Each order includes the original Persol case, branded cleaning cloth and authenticity documentation. The Visual-Click team can advise on the differences between the iconic models — 649, 714, 714SM — and the contemporary models, and on polarised lens and prescription options.
Explore the collection
The Persol sunglasses collection at Visual-Click includes the iconic models — PO0649, PO0714, 714SM Steve McQueen™ — and the most representative contemporary models. Italian craftsmanship, more than a century of history, unrivalled technical innovation. Discover your Persol model at Visual-Click.
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