Vogue Magazine Specs

The History Of Spectacles Explained – Who Created The First Specs?

It is difficult to estimate how many people wear spectacles, either with or without prescription lenses, but estimates by the Vision Council of America suggests that up to 75% of the population requires some sort of vision correction. If you are a history enthusiast or a spectacle wearer you will find their history very intriguing.

The History Of Spectacles Explained:

Historians agree that the first recorded use of a corrective lens was by the Roman emperor Nero in the first century. Nero used to watch gladiatorial games using an emerald. Around 1285, monks in Italy produced the first form of wearable spectacles, which looked very different to today’s frames as they were made from leather mountings riveted together. Not quite the sophisticated materials we see today. In 1450, Johann Gutenbergs became the first entrepreneur to widely manufacture affordable quality spectacles. Despite their growing popularity, spectacles at the time still had one major problem.

It wasn’t until the 1730 when London based optician Edward Scarlett solved the problem of making the frames stay in a usable position throughout the day. Scarlett achieved this by introducing a short, stiff side pieces that pressed against the temples above the ears. Later on, Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America came up with what we now call, bifocal spectacles. Franklin wanted one pair that he can use for both, reading and distant seeing so he fused together two different pairs and came up with one usable pair.

Spectacles grow in popularity exponentially in the 1960s after they became a fashion accessory in magazines such as Vogue and Tatler. In 1980, iconic specs-wearer John Lennon died. His trademark orange-tinted specs (said to be worth a £1m/$2m) are on permanent display at The Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool.

Spectacles are so deceptively simple, yet they’ve changed the course of humanity since being created 800 years ago.

About the Author

Glasses Direct offers spectacles online – giving people the chance to bypass traditional high street opticians, buy glasses directly from the manufacturer, and pay far less.

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