A few retailers, like Saks Fifth Avenue, quietly sell some BMW-branded sunglasses. Not only are these smart-looking sunglasses, they also function extremely well. Though the lenses are polarized, they have special manufacturing that allows them to not block out the Head-Up display, which is a known problem with many other polarized sunglasses. We were sent a few pairs a few months ago to test in different scenarios and one of them was a ski trip to Colorado aboard the BMW X3 PHEV.
Work Well With The Head-Up Display
The BMW-branded sunglasses come in a variety of shapes and sizes. We tested out three different pairs. One set was a tortoiseshell style with large square lenses. Both temples of these square glasses had BMW letters in gold-plated metal. There was a very subtle BMW logo embossed in the top left of the left lens and as well as a Roundel hidden on the right temple tip. The lenses are “smoked”, meaning that the lenses darken the light but do not colorize it.
The Pilot sunglasses have a classic look and come in a Gunmetal finish. Small roundels are molded in the temple piece close to the hinges. There’s a Roundel on each side. The Pilot Sunglasses have an interesting dimpled metal bridge across the center top that at certain angles has an hommage to the Roundel grilles. These glasses also have the subtle embossed BMW on the top left of the left lens.
But more importantly, these sunglasses address one of my huge pet peeves when driving a BMW with polarized lenses – the inability to see the Head-Up Display unless you turn your head sideways. Granted, we only tested them with the Head-Up Display in the BMW X3, but it’s likely that will work just as well in other models as well. In my case, the sunglasses came with a grey BMW-branded case and cleaning cloth both made of recycled PET plastic. They protect the glasses well and are crush-proof.
Great For Different Activities
I wore the BMW-branded sunglasses doing various things including running, skiing in Colorado, and did lots and lots of driving in them. They were very comfortable, shaded the bright light, and are rated to protect your eyes from UV. And they do it in style. The sunglasses block 100% of UV with a smoked polarized lenses. According to the listing, Dalloz Creations makes the high-tech lenses, while Marcolin makes the sunglasses. The latter produces eyewear for a diverse array of brands, including Ermenegildo Zegna, Marciano, Skechers and Swarovski. In total, according to them, they sold about 14 million eyeglasses in 2019.
You can find these glasses at high end glasses retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue. There are also other design options available in the 2021 collection, including some with or without Vi/ON lenses. Check our video review of these lenses.
