In the early days of the new year it feels right to take stock of one’s life and note which pursuits need attention. Most would apply this thinking to an altruistic activity such as learning a new language or reading more books, but I also think about which pieces of my wardrobe need to be refreshed. This line of thinking led me to realize that it was time for a new pair of glasses – happy new year to me!
One of the most cherished – and most used – objects in my apartment are my Garrett Leight “Hampton” glasses. I’ve written about the brand (and the glasses) a few times – you can find my review here (and another model here), and some more background on the Garrett Leight (aka GLCO) here and here.
My first pair from early 2016 is in demi blonde acetate – although I had always adored their chestnut acetate, I was worried that it would be too bold a look for me. The demi blonde was also handsome and has a milder presence on the face, so that was what I decided on. Now that I am older, more stuck in my was than ever, and even less interested in what those around me think, I went with the chestnut. And I feel great about it. You can see the difference between the chestnut and demi blonde on their site and from my images below.
Changes from 2016 to 2023
Overall, virtually nothing has changed on the Hampton in the past seven years. The typeface on some tiny text was updated a bit and changed from white to gold, which is nice. The shape is identical, as far as I can tell. They are still made in China from Japanese acetate. The old pair has been adjusted to fit my head perfectly, which is a treatment the new pair will also undergo once it’s fitted with prescription lenses.
The only notable change isn’t with the glasses at all, but with the case. GLCO has gone through many case iterations over the years, but one constant is that they have moved away from the hardshell cases and instead opt for the soft folding variety. I think this is a shame as I can toss the old case in the bottom of my backpack and not worry about it, whereas the new cases will only really protect from superficial damage like scratches.
One other change of sorts is GLCO’s retail pricing – it has come up a bit since 2016 (and who can blame them), but they also are more frequently on discount. Around two times per year GLCO offers sitewide discounts that are in the 15-30% range, which equates to sizable savings. When I first purchased these frames, it was near impossible to get a discount on them. There’s no saying if these new sales will continue, but in the meantime it seems like it’s the new normal. I purchased these on Black Friday at 30% off, which was a price that I felt was more than fair. They also have a standing 10% off discount for getting on the email list, so there’s no wait to get a price below MSRP.
Performance and Wear Over Seven Years
From a functionality perspective, the old pair works just fine. They’re on their second pair of lenses (also from Replace-a-Lens) and all of the hinges still perform well. The finish has lost its polished surface and is now very matte, with some dull gray areas peeking through. I would have expected sheet acetate to be uniform all the way through, but I don’t know nearly enough about this material to say for sure.
I honestly hadn’t noticed how much the finish on the old pair had begun to wear away until I had both pairs in my hands. On their own they seemed more or less the same, but next to the new pair the change in finish is obvious. Garrett Leight glasses proudly say “Hand Finished” on the arm – I suppose you could say that my first pair had an extra seven years of hand finishing. And to be frank, I think seven years is probably way beyond the expected lifecycle for a pair of glasses. It would be cool if they still looked as good as they did brand new, but the amount of wear seems totally reasonable given daily use.
As mentioned in my initial review, I wear the size 42mm lens here – it’s an admittedly uncommon size, and most people will be happy with the 46mm or maybe the 44mm. But I have a narrow head and like the small lens look, so I am particularly grateful that GLCO offered such a broad range of sizes. Very few makers offer such a small lens size for this style of P3 frame.
Conclusion
My favorite types of brands are those move slowly, those that offer the same products for years and years. I understand the need for new releases to keep customers interested, but there’s something to be said for a collection of classics that have years of R&D invested in them and are throughly vetted by many customers. The bulk of GLCO’s assortment will change over time, but the Hampton – and other core models – seem to be evergreen. I certainly hope that continues to be the case so that I can buy another pair in seven years.
I’ll still hang on to my old pair and will retire them to a more relaxing life – perhaps in my emergency earthquake kit, or maybe my travel bag so that they can continue to explore the world in their golden years. We’ve had a great run together and I definitely want to keep them around. But they deserve a break, so a changing of the guard will benefit everyone. Thank you for your service, demi-blondes.
