Gold Jewelry Design · 2022
EyeWris Reading Glasses
by Kenzo Singer
- A' Design Award 2022 Gold Winner in Jewelry Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: EyeWris
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 94,846
- Verification code 5650D168E8 · Verify this award
About EyeWris Reading Glasses
EyeWris is a pair of folding reading glasses that wrap around the wrist. The frames are worn like a bracelet and can be opened into eyewear with one hand, one motion and one second. A patented bi-stable nose bridge made of nitinol memory metal springs open and snaps shut, and is tested for at least 25,000 cycles. Frames are made of lightweight TR-90, with flexible temples shaped for comfort on both the wrist and the face. Polycarbonate lenses include blue-light blocking, UV protection and anti-scratch, anti-smudge and anti-reflective coatings.
EyeWris Reading Glasses by Kenzo Singer represents a remarkable convergence of jewelry design sensibility and optical functionality, embodying the contemporary pursuit of objects that transcend singular categorical definitions to serve multiple roles within the rhythm of daily life. This innovative accessory addresses the perennial challenge faced by those requiring reading magnification, transforming the often-misplaced spectacles into an elegant wrist-worn companion through a sophisticated articulated mechanism that allows the frame to encircle the wrist when not serving its optical function. The design demonstrates exceptional material literacy, juxtaposing the substantial presence of matte black polymer temple components against the ethereal transparency of the lens housing, creating a visual dialogue between opacity and translucency that rewards sustained contemplation. Technical achievement manifests in the precision-engineered hinge system visible at the temple junctions, where diminutive metallic fasteners suggest the meticulous attention to mechanical reliability essential for an object intended for repeated transformation between configurations. The chromatic restraint, limiting the palette to sophisticated neutrals with subtle cool undertones in the transparent elements, positions the work within contemporary luxury accessory traditions while ensuring versatile integration with varied personal styles. One might observe how the design negotiates the tension between the conventions of eyewear and jewelry, neither fully abandoning optical tradition nor completely embracing ornamental excess, but rather discovering an intermediate territory where functional necessity and aesthetic pleasure coexist harmoniously. The folded presentation captured here invites viewers to imagine the kinetic experience of deployment, the satisfying mechanical action of unfolding the glasses from wrist to face, suggesting that the design considers not merely static form but the embodied experience of use. How might the integration of functional objects into wearable accessories reshape our relationship with the tools that support daily activities?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- EyeWris reading glasses wrap securely around the wrist so that they are always within reach, eliminating the daily frustration of not having reading glasses when needed.
A balancing act of precise geometry and materials engineering, the world's first bi-stable nose bridge utilizes memory metal to both spring open and snap shut.
EyeWris represents a meeting of timeless style and innovation, bringing brand new functionality and unparalleled convenience to a familiar product. - Dimensions & Packaging
- 40mm x 40mm x 60mm (closed/wrist configuration)
- Tags
- EyeWris, eyewear, glasses, readers, reading glasses, folding, wrist
- Production Technology
- Patented bi-stable bridge: nitinol memory metal in combination with precisely engineered geometry results in bi-stable spring behavior.
Premium Lenses: polycarbonate lenses for best-in-class durability. Includes blue-light blocker, 100% UV protection, anti-scratch, anti-smudge, and anti-reflective coatings. Swiss-developed TR-90 frames: lightweight and extremely durable. Flexible temples engineered for comfort on both wrist and face. Minimum 25,000 open/close cycles - Design Challenge
- The field of eyewear, having been around for centuries, has been thoroughly explored and optimized in terms of form and function. As a result, true innovation in eyewear is exceedingly rare and challenging to achieve. While the concept of "glasses on the wrist" is not new, the design challenges are such that it has never been well-executed. Looking back at the design process, with all the challenges along the way, the biggest hurdle was the first one: creating a brand new category of eyewear.
- Project Duration
- The project started in 2017 in Santa Barbara, with fully functional prototypes completed in mid 2018. The design was continuously refined during the production prototyping process. Withstanding interruptions due to the global pandemic, the first production models were completed in November, 2021.
- Operation Flow
- On the face, the glasses are worn like traditional eyewear, with the exception of the "arms", which gently but securely grip the temples.
On the wrist, the glasses function similarly to a bracelet.
It takes one hand, one motion, and one second to change the glasses from wrist-wear to eyewear. The haptic experience of the folding mechanism truly brings the glasses to life. - Research
- Ergonomic research was applied to determine the optimal frame dimensions to fit 95% of human faces and wrists.
Fatigue limits of nickel-titanium memory metal was critical to ensure that the bridge could open and close for at least 25,000 cycles. The heat treatment process for this part was also critical to optimize for the spring mechanism to function.
For the lenses, due to the high base curve needed for ergonomics on the wrist, a proprietary solution was developed to mitigate optical distortion. - Inspiration
- The idea for EyeWris began as a response to a need; specifically, the needs of my father and co-owner, Mark Singer. He needed a better solution to reading glasses, so that he could always have them with him.
My background in structural engineering proved pivotal. As it turns out, physics at the scale of a skyscraper also applies to something as small as a pair of glasses. This unusual meeting of structure and eyewear resulted in the invention of the bi-stable bridge, which made EyeWris possible. - Image Credits
- EyeWris
- Patents
- Patented. Patent No. 10175501. Kenzo Singer and Mark Singer. 2018. USA
Patented. Patent No. 6833122. Kenzo Singer and Mark Singer. 2018. Japan
Patented. Patent No. 2021070100181360. Kenzo Singer and Mark Singer. 2018. China.
Patent Pending. Application No. 18840116. Kenzo Singer and Mark Singer. Europe.
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Patented Wrist-Worn Reading Glasses
We revolutionize reading glasses with our patented design that transforms from eyewear to wrist-wear in one second. Never lose your readers again. Our premium glasses feature memory metal technology, Swiss TR-90 frames, and lenses with blue light blocking.
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