The phenomenon of fake glasses is more common than ever! According to an OECD report published in 2019, 3.3% of the global trades represents pirated or counterfeit goods. Much of it is represented by sunglasses, for more than obvious reasons.

As people are starting to realize the importance of wearing quality, designer sunglasses, and demand increases, the risk of fraud is on the rise. Some brands, like Ray-Ban, are particularly preferred by crooks.

To make it even more sensitive, designer sunglasses are expensive, given the quality they provide. And if you’re going to make such a significant investment, you most certainly want to pay for the real deal.

Problem is, however, that you can find fake sunglasses in all price ranges. You don’t need to aim for the diamonds and gold adorned Chopard sunglasses that cost an arm and a leg to risk getting a fake. Even the ones in the more accessible category, priced at around a few hundred dollars, can have cheap replicas for sale all over the web.

If you’re trying to shop for genuine designer sunglasses, you’d petter pay attention to all the details that may indicate an imitation. Do not forget that faking strategies are getting more and more sophisticated. The more things you take into account, the lower the chances of getting tricked.

Long story short, here are the essentials that you can’t afford to overlook, while trying to spot potential differences between original and fake designer sunglasses:

 

Carefully Inspect The Box

Needless to say, designer sunglasses are made with quality in mind, a feature that should reflect at every stage of the process. The box containing your sunglasses must have the name and the designer logo on it, with a serial code or a barcode imprinted next to the manufacturer information.

For your information, details like the manufacturing country, the size of the frame, details about the lens, the color, and the model number must all be visibly imprinted on the glasses. And should be easy to check with the information from the seller’s website. If you can’t match what’s on the box with what you see online, that’s a big red flag.

 

Know What Kind Of Case To Expect

Even the simplest medical optic sells its glasses in a dedicated case. It’s a sign of appreciation for their customers, and a practical accessory that anyone who wears glasses will make use of. With your designer sunglasses, as expected, the quality of the case should be superior.

Whether it is an actual hard case or a soft pouch, it must be well-made, with attention to details, and, of course, with the brand imprinted on it. Oakley is famous for its premium quality hard cases. Prada ships its sunglasses with heavenly soft black microfibre cloth in the case. Not to mention the distinct lettering that shows up imprinted on their products.

It’s hard to miss on a case that reflects quality and is well-aligned with the high-standards that the seller promotes. If the case you’re getting feels anything but high-quality, beware!

 

Keep An Eye On The Quality Of The Lenses

Of course, if you’re a first-time buyer of sophisticated designer sunglasses, there’s a good chance that you don’t know what to expect. But this is precisely the reason why you must do your research and understand exactly what you should expect.

Reading reviews online, from people who bought the same model as yours, can also help you set up your expectations. This way, you will come to know some details in advance. Like the fact that the Ray-Bans have glass lenses on their classic designs. Should you get yours with plastic lenses, again, that’s a big warning sign!

 

See How Heavy The Frames Feel

Just like the quality of the lenses, the weight of the frame is yet another detail that might take you by surprise. You should know that some counterfeit Ray-Bans will feel lighter than the originals, especially the ones with plastic frames. While the stainless-steel versions might, on the contrary, feel heavier.

Check how they feel in your hand, but also inspect them from the top, to spot any potential asymmetries. Anything weird, any imperfection or scratch, regardless how small or big, should make you think twice.

 

Look For The Brand Symbols

On the one hand, you should check for the company symbols, the name of the brand, their logo or whatever to be imprinted on the glasses. Closely compare them with the symbols from the official website.

If you’re getting fake sunglasses, you can’t ignore the possibility that the one who replicated them was a bit sloppy, and you could discover things that don’t match. So, look for the frame-embedded O on the Oakley sunglasses or for the clearly lens-etched RB on the Ray-Ban sunglasses.

On the other hand, even if the brand symbols are correctly displayed, check if they are made with quality paint. If you can scratch the symbol with your fingernail and it easily comes off, the fake is pretty clear.

 

Consider The Quality And Flexibility Of The Hinges

Smooth and easy is how your designer sunglasses should open and close. If you’re getting any resistance, or the hinges don’t feel solid or lack a quality molding, there’s a good chance you’ve been tricked.

One example that is unfortunately more and more common is with the fake Louis Vuitton models. Because of the single-attachment screws they come with, the fake versions, being poorly made, instantly give you the wrong feeling when you try to open or close them up. That’s a flaw that won’t go unnoticed.

 

Don’t Miss Out On Any Other Details That Reflect Quality

The best way to tell if sunglasses are fake is to actually compare them with an original pair. If you have a physical shop in your neighborhood, go and try the glasses there.

You may not get the same model as the one you’re looking to order online. But you’ll get an accurate image and feel for how the sunglasses from a particular designer should really look and feel.

Once you’ve held a real pair in your hands, you’ll be able to tell when you grab a hold of a fake one. Just pay attention to all the possible details.

 

Don’t Let The Price Blind You

This is an easy clue, but one that buyers often tend to overlook, excited by the unexpected low-price tag. Designer sunglasses cost a lot, for all the right reasons. Even when discounts are available, the price is still high. Which means that anything heavily discounted, sold at a suspiciously low price, if it seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t.

Then again, some crooks will bet on the high-price as an indicator of a quality, “genuine” product. So, they might deliberately price fake sunglasses higher, as a bait. This only means that while you have reasons to be suspicious when you see a low price, you must simply never choose a pair based on price alone.

Check The Box For Warranty And Authenticity Certificate

Spotting the differences between real and fake sunglasses is sometimes easy, other times hard. Receiving a warranty and a certificate of authenticity should help you build trust with a particular seller. The same if you go online and you encounter buyers or reviewers who have already taken advantage of the warranty and can vouch for the quality of service.

In the end, the rule of thumb is that if you are ever in doubt, you should follow your gut. There is probably something wrong with the sunglasses you don’t feel comfortable to buy. Going for a legitimate dealer or an already reputable seller might bring you the much-needed peace of mind.