Fashion for minimalist eyewear ebbs and flows but few would deny that there is a solid group of wearers that value high quality spectacles but prefer the eyewear not to make a bold statement.
Everyone encounters those customers who say “I don’t want people to see that I am wearing glasses” and rimless has been the go to product. Until recently the pinnacle for minimalism was Hoya’s Pinfeel technology which mounted the frame using holes drilled into the edges of each lens. Hoya’s latest tilt at the ultra-minimalist market is Hoya DF, Distortion Free Optics, using the Avantek mounting system.
Hoya DFuses modern edging technology to create a boss on the edge of the lens to which a variety of three piece frames can be fitted. The completed piece is marketed as distortion free as no drilling or pressure is placed on the lens.
Hoya and the US based Avantek have devised a series of sides suited to the UK market. The model on test sported carbon fibre sides creating a smart look which has a snug feel when worn despite its airy and ultra light feel. While barely visible front-on the sleek carbon fibre adds a sophisticated feel when viewed side on.
Where Avantek really scores is the robust feel of the build, despite the low weight, and the fact that there are no fixing points on the front or the back of the lens. This is a small detail that makes the package sleeker, much less visible on the face but, crucially, very easy to clean.
Despite the low weight the frame carries the lens well. In this case the lenses are, MyStyle V+ with Blue Control in Hoya’s 1.6 Eyas material, are simply superb and glazed in very neatly. The prescription is a maximum of -1.75 with a slight cyclinder and a +2.00 add. Adaptation to the lenses was instant, the vision good at all distances and the width of field excellent. The Blue Control also make it a great office lens. A neat and sophisticated package offering great optical quality.