If you want to improve your style, consider getting a quality pair of glasses. Check out this pair from JINS!
In return for my honest, unbiased review, JINS offered to send me a pair of glasses. I chose a pair of JINS SABAE glasses.
Glasses are an essential accessory for visually challenged folks, so it’s a good idea to get a quality pair you love.
Your glasses are one of the first things that people notice about you. If you’re like me, you only have one pair of glasses with your current prescription.
When in the market for new specs, consider your full range of options.
While the glasses industry is dominated by just a few brands, most notably Luxottica, many people prefer to shop from smaller, more artisanal brands.
We’ve already covered some of the best non-Luxottica sunglasses here at The Modest Man.
I’ve also personally visited Randolph Sunglasses’ Massachusetts factory, where craftsmen make luxury-quality frames.
While I’ve been very happy with my Randolph sunglasses, I wanted to try a quality, handmade pair of prescription eyeglasses.
After browsing JINS’ expansive online catalog, I chose JINS SABAE 409 frames in Brown Tortoise.
JINS SABAE 409 Style
Partnering with SABAE, a Japanese heritage eyeglasses manufacturer, JINS offers the JINS SABAE 409.
These frames are a classic Wellington style. Wellington frames have an inverted trapezoid style and are very popular in Japan (source).
These browline frames are very close in style to my previous specs — they have a similar lens shape and overall profile.
However, my JINS SABAE frames are more stylish.
Made from handpainted acetate, they have a rich brownish-orange faux-tortoiseshell pattern. I appreciate that the color is quite subtle — these aren’t a loud “professorial” tortoiseshell, but rather a more subdued deep brown.
Frame Quality and Features
These frames look good and are made from quality materials that undergo a more than 200-step process to create a fantastic finished product.
The yellow metal pieces are highly polished and well-crafted. They appear to be brass, but I couldn’t confirm that on JINS’ site.
The hinges, however, are made from titanium and “unite the tilt and spring function into one titanium component, making both lightweight and hard to break.” I’ve never seen hinges like these before.
They work very smoothly and allow for some bounciness in the temples. They do, however, seem to make the glasses a bit less compact than traditionally-hinged glasses when stored with the temples folded.
The frames have metal nosepieces and metal wire rims surrounding the lenses.
The finish of all the components, from the lenses to the metal screws, to the acetate, is stellar. It’s obvious to me that these are well-made glasses.
Read more here to learn about SABAE’s precision crafting process.
Comfort
These glasses are quite comfortable, but I need to get them adjusted.
While you might think metal nosepieces would be irritating, I find them as comfortable as soft rubber ones.
However, I need to get the temples adjusted. They hug my head a little too snuggly, and by the end of the day, the slight pressure can start to give me a headache. This is an easy fix; I just haven’t brought them to an optical yet.
JINS has an article about how to adjust glasses at home, but I’d rather take them to a professional.
Lenses
All JINS glasses lenses come with anti-glare and UV-cut coatings. High-index and aspheric lenses are available at no additional charge but are only applied to high prescriptions. These features are a big plus!
My glasses have hand-polished edges and seem to be of good quality.
JINS included a lens polishing cloth with my order.
Q&A
Here are answers to a few common questions about JINS:
Where Is JINS Located?
Jins is a Japanese company based in Tokyo. According to their site, “every JINS frame is designed in Tokyo and carefully assembled with the spirit and passion of Japanese craftsmanship.”
Can you order JINS glasses online?
Yes! It’s easy to order JINS glasses online.
What is JINS’ warranty policy?
JINS lenses and frames are covered by warranty for a year against manufacturer defects.
Value for Dollar: Are JINS Glasses Worth It?
The fact that lenses were included in this price, with anti-glare and UV coatings to boot, is an important consideration.
I fully expect these glasses to last me many years. Should my prescription change in the future, I intend to swap out the lenses and keep the frames.
It’s difficult for me to think of any critical feedback (i.e., flaws) concerning these glasses. Yes, they need to be adjusted, but that’s typical. The price is a bit steep, but for what you’re getting, it’s not outrageous.
These JINS SABAE frames are made in Japan by specialized craftsmen with a long history in the industry. Some of the high price is probably due to this provenance.
However, most of JINS’ glasses, which SABAE does not make, are significantly less expensive, with most pairs priced around $140. Assuming the quality of those glasses is anywhere close to what I’ve observed, then I think that JINS is an excellent economical choice.
Overall, I think JINS, the glasses I received, are worth the almost $300 price tag.
What do you think? Are $300 glasses worth it? Let me know in the comment section!
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