When Bausch & Lomb sold the Ray-Ban brand in 1999 to Luxottica, it was preceded by a period of transition in which some production of B&L Ray-Ban sunglasses were produced in Italy and the B&L marks were gradually dropped from the frames and lenses. This transitional pair of Ray-Ban 58mm aviator sunglasses was owned by the same gentleman who had the rare Deep Freeze Ray-Bans now on the site, and they're a time capsule of the period when ownership and production of Ray-Ban was shifting. These 58mm Arista aviator sunglasses still retain the original marked BL nose pads and leather Bausch & Lomb Ray-Ban case, but the B&L has been dropped from the impressed marks of the nose bridge which here is marked Ray-Ban 58 [] 14. One ear pad is marked Ray-Ban Made in Italy CE, and the right lens is marked with the Ray-Ban logo in script. Another way you know this is a transition aviator c 1999 is the absence of the laser etched BL on the lenses now being used but preceding the laser etched RB which was soon to be introduced. Most vintage Ray-Ban aviators cannot be dated quite so precisely, but the combination of the original frame quality and hybrid markings allow us to more precisely date these to the period of ownership and manufacturing transition. You will not find later models of Ray-Ban aviators on the site, for the design and manufacturing standards began to diverge from the original B&L construction.

Item VS356 / Price: SOLD

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