Abbe
White light can split into color fringes as it passes through a lens. A higher Abbe number means less material dispersion. We will measure the finished nylon lens rather than assume a grade's value.
02 / The lens standard
The lens
is the point.
A striking frame means little if the view disappoints. We are choosing the optics first, then building the experience around them.
Our material direction
Clarity you
can feel.
We are targeting bio-based nylon lenses across the collection, sourced as certified finished lenses from a specialist manufacturer in China. The nylon grade, tint, polarizer, coatings, shape, and manufacturing quality will determine the view. Here is the science behind the brief.
One material direction01bio-based nylon
Glare
Polarization tackles light reflected from roads and water. A coating on the back surface tackles reflections arriving from behind your face.
UV
Dark tint and glare reduction do not tell us how much ultraviolet light passes through. That needs a separate measurement on the finished lens.
Nylon is our chosen base-material direction. The exact resin, supplier, construction, and measured performance remain to be confirmed for each finished model.
The nylon brief / 01
One material.
Many decisions.
Our performance targets belong to the finished lens. The published resin figures below are research notes that help us evaluate a supplier's proposed grade.
Finished lensOur sourcing targets
Nylon
sun lens
A light, flexible base for the whole collection. Professional lens makers already offer polarized nylon sun lenses in a range of shapes.
- Polarizing efficiency
- ≥99% target
- UV protection
- 400 nm target
- Abbe number
- ~52 to verify
These are requests to the manufacturer, not claims about a Talisman Vision lens. We will compare the supplier's certificates and measured samples for each tint and frame shape.
Nylon sun lens example: ZEISS ↗Material researchExample raw resin
G850
Rnew®
A transparent, partly castor-derived nylon worth discussing with lens manufacturers. It is a resin example, not a selected Talisman Vision lens grade.
- Refractive index
- 1.511
- Resin density
- 1.01 g/cm³
- Bio-based carbon
- 45%
Arkema publishes these values for Rilsan® Clear G850 Rnew® raw resin and highlights the grade for eyewear frames. A lens maker must confirm whether it suits our lens construction. The 45% figure does not describe a finished lens containing film and coatings.
Resin data: Arkema ↗A different certified bio-based optical nylon grade may be the right fit. “100% nylon” describes our base-material direction, not the lens's bio-based carbon percentage or its film and coating layers. We will weigh and test actual finished pairs.
Beyond the blank / 02
The layers
do work.
Our nylon brief asks for an embedded PVA polarizer and a carefully chosen coating stack. Each layer solves a different problem.
Cut reflected glare.
In PVA polarizer production, film is dyed and stretched to align its molecules. In a lens, a correctly oriented polarizer suppresses much of the horizontally polarized glare reflected by roads and water. We are asking suppliers to demonstrate ≥99% polarizing efficiency on a finished lens, measured with a stated method.
Trade-off: some phone, dashboard, and other LCD screens can look dim or strange through polarized lenses.
Quiet the light behind you.
Sunlight can reach the concave side of a sunglass lens from behind and reflect toward the eye. A multilayer anti-reflective coating on that inner surface is intended to reduce this bounce-back while leaving the front appearance available for the tint design.
Backside coating: ZEISS ↗Protect the surface.
Optical plastics benefit from a hard coat against everyday abrasion. Our request is for a compatible dip-applied coat, with a numerical abrasion result and its test method. “Scratch resistant” never means scratchproof.
Coating methods: ZEISS ↗Make cleaning easier.
Hydrophobic and oleophobic top coats reduce how strongly water and oils cling to a lens. We will ask for durability data, because a beautiful beading demo on a fresh sample says little about how it cleans after months of use.
Repellent coatings: ZEISS ↗The evidence / 03
A sample has to
earn the spec.
The same material can yield different results after tinting, polarizing, coating, and edging. We will review manufacturer certificates and test reports for the exact finished construction, then inspect it in the frame.
01
Color and light
Measure the spectral transmission curve, visible light transmission, UV transmission, and filter category for every tint. Tint darkness does not establish UV protection.
02
Optical geometry
Check unwanted power, prism, haze, and stress patterns. The target of an Abbe value around 52 for nylon needs a supplier test report; “zero birefringence” needs measured evidence, not a label.
03
Polarizer and finish
Measure polarizing efficiency and axis, coating reflectance and adhesion, abrasion resistance, and water and oil repellency after wear testing.
04
Real use
Check signal-light recognition and driving suitability where relevant, screen readability, and how each shaped pair sits in the frame. The applicable sunglass standard covers more than UV alone.
Our test framework starts with ISO 12312‑1:2022 for general-use sunglasses and ISO 12311:2023 for test methods. We will publish measured specifications for each finished product before it is offered.
Color studies / 01—03
Now, play
with light.
Compare three imagined tint directions against the same landscape. The color preview is artistic, not a measured simulation of a finished lens.
Choose a lens direction
Warm / luminous
Golden Hour
A honeyed amber wash inspired by the low, warm light that makes an ordinary afternoon feel memorable.
Stone turns golden. Green takes on a softer edge.
Illustrative digital color treatment on AI-generated images. It is not a simulation of a finished lens or a measured transmission curve. Final tint, UV protection, and optical performance require testing.