ZIGGY CHEN&RIGARDS

Created in collaboration with avantgardist designer Ziggy Chen, RG1911CU expands RIGARDS’s iconic “Mad Scientist” form with a bridge based on the Hanzi character for the number 8 — the auspicious number of infinity and abundance in many cultures, East and West. Special production techniques animate the copper material with a gentle verdigris, an artful tribute to Bronze Age ritual vessels. Each pair is an individual piece of art as the copper takes the patina finish differently from frame to frame, so no two are ever alike. An interchangeable clip-on made from ultralight aluminum-magnesium converts the glasses from optical to sun in a heartbeat. The sun-clip also attaches to a chain to double as jewelry. Exclusive spring-hinge mechanism further ensures a product that is both aesthetically pleasing and effortlessly maintainable.