American Optical has been around for nearly 200 years (since 1833), and was the first company to make aviators for the U.S. military after being contracted in 1935 by the U.S. Army Air Corps. They also outfitted some astronauts with the legendary sunglasses, making them the first shades worn on the moon. Yet, with a résumé this impressive, there’s still one pair of glasses from the company that can go toe-to-toe with the aviators: the Saratogas, famously worn by President John F. Kennedy. Dating back to his time as a senator in Massachusetts, if you saw a picture of JFK wearing sunglasses, it’s a good chance they were Saratogas. To celebrate the history and timeless design of the specs, Huckberry and American Optical teamed up on the JFK Saratoga Sunglasses, a modern redesign of Jack’s favorite shades.
Taking inspiration from the original Saratoga design, this redesign stays faithful to the blueprint while adding some exclusive touches. There’s custom etching found inside the temple with the duo’s logos, and the glasses themselves have been redesigned to be lighter without sacrificing durability. You also get an anti-reflective and oleophobic coating to cut down on glare and smudges, respectively, with lenses providing 100% UVA/UVB protection.
As for the specs, these shades are handcrafted with an acetate frame, AOLite non-polarized Calobar lenses, and stainless steel German seven-barrel hinges. They also come with an exclusive microfiber cloth and box sleeve commemorating the collab between Huck and American Optical. On top of that, each pair is made with care right here in the States.
The Huckberry x American Optical JFK Saratoga Sunglasses are available now in one size and one colorway (tortoise) for $245 and come with a lifetime warranty in case any defects arise. This is also a Huckberry exclusive, and you can head on over to their site to grab a pair.
