AO Eyewear, formerly American Optical, is considered the oldest sunglasses manufacturer in the world and is still one of the largest manufacturers of optical instruments today. William Beecher gave the company the go-ahead back in 1826.

As a jeweler, he came into contact with glasses imported from Europe that did not convince the perfectionist.

Under the motto & ldquo; I can do it better & ldquo; He founded the eyewear manufacturer American Optical, which made it its business to produce high-quality glasses by hand.

In 1876, the production of sunglasses followed, which a short time later could be equipped with lenses that protected against UV radiation. This made the American military aware of the exclusive manufacture and so American Optical equipped the US Army with glasses as early as 1917.

The production of polarizing sunglasses, which provide excellent protection against light reflections, allows don't wait long.

The most famous model & ldquo; Pilot & ldquo; by & nbsp; AO Eyewear & nbsp; was also developed for military use. Introduced in 1958 as sunglasses with an extremely resistant steel frame, they became the standard glasses for US pilots and NASA astronauts. This model is still an indispensable companion for pilots today.

The sunglasses can also be seen in numerous Hollywood films, from Johnny Depp to Robert de Niro & ldquo; Taxi Driver & ldquo ;. The pieces by American Optical & nbsp; & nbsp; have lost none of their topicality to this day.

& ldquo; Exclusive & ldquo; Fashion companies go to great lengths to design new models and to do sophisticated marketing.

But American Optical has remained true to its principle of producing classic sunglasses of the highest quality.

This makes the models durable enough to never be replaced. The history and the unmistakable character of the models still stand for themselves today, without sparing on innovative technologies to protect the eyes from radiation.

A pair of sunglasses from & nbsp; AO Eyewear is and will remain a handcrafted product, then as now, made in the United States.