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Ford calls his aviators “incredibly potent accessories,” and if by “potent” he means “indulgent and hard to buy,” we concur.

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Landing Gear

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Shades : Mercedes Lens

Tom Ford releases very-limited-edition sunglasses -- not for minimalists or the financially grounded.

By: Nick Kolakowski
August/Sept 07 , Page 104

The phrase handmade in Italy by artisan craftsmen typically applies to items that are highly engineered and ridiculously expensive — the Ferrari F430 or, say, the Piaggio Avanti II. Silly little sunglasses? Not so much. Then again, Tom Ford has never been a designer known for understatement. Case in point: his brand-new set of limited-edition aviators, {1} Carlos ($2,200; above right) and {2} Pavlos ($2,400; below).

Ford calls his aviators “incredibly potent accessories,” and if by “potent” he means “indulgent and hard to buy,” we concur. The frames of each are constructed from gold-plated metal and santos rosewood, the same reddish timber that goes into high-end sideboards and boardroom tables. Each boasts lenses with a gold anti-reflective coating that significantly boosts image clarity. Only 1,000 of each will be produced — all individually numbered and available for purchase only through the Tom Ford Collection store in midtown Manhattan.

It’s highly unlikely, in other words, that when donning either of these aviators you’ll be faced with the shameful indignity of encountering another pilot wearing a pair in your presence. As Ford says: “A strong frame expresses the essence of its wearer in a subtle but very sexy way.” For those not wanting their “essence” nicked or scratched, the sunglasses arrive in a velvet-lined, hand-stitched carrying case borne of a process that involves hammering wet leather on wooden molds. Considering that you just dropped more than two grand, you’ll want to use that case.

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Tom Ford Collection: 845 Madison Avenue, New York, tomford.com