ArticleOne2018FullSpreads

January 2018
How they're crafted and
who crafts them:
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MADE
It all starts with beautifully rich
Mazzuchelli Acetate. The sheet of
acetate is cut into rectangles about
15cm x 7cm. Small blocks of clear
acetate are glued to the sheet using
acetone - to be used for nose pads.
The fronts are heated and then pressed
on a mold to create the base curve. A
machine called a “temple core shooter”
heats the temple and shoots a metal
temple core into the temple.
Our CR39 lenses are edged to the
shape of the frame, and popped into
place.
BY
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The rectangle of acetate is placed in
the CNC machine at Morgana Optical.
The CNC machine mills the eye holes,
lens grooves, nose pads, and the outer
shape and edges of the front. The
temples are punched from the sheet of
acetate.
The hinges are made at Visottica
Comotec, just one town over from
where the frames are cut and
assembled. e hinge is riveted by hand
to the front of the frame.
Our custom Logo Plaque, made by
Fotomeccanica, is inserted by hand.
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Eyeglasses and Sunglasses
HAND
Considered and diligent sourcing of
materials and labor has been a priority for
AO since day one. From the grinding of the
cellulose to the screwing of the final hinge,
every step of our process takes place in a
few neighboring towns in Northern Italy.
A craftsman files and sands the surface
and edges of the acetate fronts and
temples. Holes are drilled into the front
and temples for the hinge rivets that
will be inserted later.
The fronts and temples are placed in
tumblers for 12-18 hours to smooth
and polish the surface.
The temple hinge is attached and
screws tightened.
The frames are hand polished one last
time by Paulo, and his team at Lupa
Finitura Occhiali di Luciani Paolo, and
sent to our headquarters in Michigan.
Manufacturing
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