Replicas Of The Apollo 11 Mission Sunglasses Could Soon Enter Your Orbit

In 1969, as NASA’s Apollo mission set forth on its historic journey to the Moon, three esteemed astronauts, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins, donned a pair of American Optical aviator sunglasses. Upon their safe return to Earth, these iconic eyewear pieces found their way to the Smithsonian, where space enthusiasts could marvel at their significance. An exciting collaboration has now emerged between Huckberry and American Optical, bringing forth the opportunity for you to own a replica of these legendary sunglasses.
 
American Optical, renowned for producing sunglasses for the US military since 1935, was the natural choice for NASA when they sought sunglasses designed specifically for their astronauts embarking on the monumental Moon voyage.

Of course, for the rest of us stuck on Earth, sunglasses are not just fashionable but do a mighty good job of keeping our eyes shielded from harmful sun rays. But when you’re out in the cosmos, those rays can be even more harmful. That’s where these special aviators came into play. They were meant to go hand in hand with their gold-layered helmet visors to reflect as much of the sun as possible while not hindering their field of view.
 
When the Apollo mission touched down on the Moon, and Neil Armstrong took that historic first step, the AO FG-58 sunglasses became the first to witness and explore the uncharted lunar world.

Aviator glasses have a rather fascinating history. Medical equipment firm Bausch & Lomb first designed them in the 1930s. Each facet of them had a function, especially to aid pilots. Its tear-drop shape allowed them to look down at the equipment without tilting their heads or moving the them out of the way. The larger circumference also gave better coverage from the sun, and the anti-glare made it easier for them to see. This iconic shape eventually led to Bausch & Lomb renaming its sunglasses brand to Ray-Ban in 1936, and the rest was history.
 
American Optical later stepped in with its Original Pilot Sunglasses, which are now being remade for new generations to don. The latest versions are exact replicas of the Apollo 11 ones and come in a 23K gold-plated frame with green scratch-resistant SkyMaster Polarized CR30 lenses with a squared-off base. It also has bayonet-style temples, which were incorporated to reduce helmet interference.

The glasses are crafted with military-grade precision, so you can rest assured that they won’t shatter if you drop them. And to keep them extra safe, they also come in a replica of the original case.

These inter-galactic sunglasses are now up for grabs on Huckberry’s website for US$250, allowing you to own a piece of astronaut history and embrace the spirit of exploration. 
 

[via HiConsumption and Gear Patrol, images via Huckberry]