Would you spend over Sh100,000 on a pair of glasses? What would it take to convince you to buy such eyewear? Would it be for status, identity, or simply quiet indulgence?
Eyewear has evolved beyond functional necessity to become a luxurious accessory for those seeking subtle sophistication.
In Nairobi, a small but growing group of style-conscious Kenyans is embracing high-end optical fashion on frames, such as 18-carat gold frames, hand-carved wood, and buffalo horns. And yes, they are willing to pay more than Sh100,000 for the eyeglasses. From Maybach to Lindberg and Cartier, luxury brands have found a generous clientele in this growing niche.
At Jaff’s Optical House in Nairobi's Sarit Centre, they do not have a public showcase of luxury spectacles. I was quietly escorted into a small, secure room, a sort of vault with transparent glass walls. A surveillance camera hung overhead.
The room held what must be tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands, in inventory. Every pair of glasses here retailed for above Sh100,000. I learnt that they were not shown to just anyone. There’s a kind of vetting process, though no one quite explained how it works. Still, I was in.
The first pair I held was a titanium frame by Lindberg—feather-light and so delicately crafted that it appeared as though it might snap under the slightest pressure. As if reading my mind, Rizwan Gulamhusein, the director at Jaff’s Optical House, said, “Don’t worry, this will not break. It is made of titanium wires.”
Lindberg’s Air Titanium Rim collection caters to the minimalist bespoke clientele. Its signature is the spiral hinge, a rimless, screw-free design.
The newer Thintanium line has ultra-thin titanium strips that are nearly weightless yet remarkably strong. Again, the glasses are so light you probably wouldn’t feel them on your face.
Titanium is valued in eyewear for being hypoallergenic, corrosion-resistant, and almost indestructible. Unlike many modern designs, Lindberg frames do away with hinges altogether. The hinge is spiral. It is also rimless. This design has been awarded several prestigious awards worldwide and stands as one of the great original Danish designs.
Next, Mr Gulamhusein handed me a pair of Maybach glasses: wood-framed with 18-carat gold accents, retailing at 2,600 euros (about Sh394,000). Only a handful of Kenyans have bought this particular model.
Maybach, a German brand operated under licence from Daimler AG, uses rare materials such as buffalo horn, fine wood, titanium, and even gemstones. According to the company’s website, the buffalo horn is, “Obtained in harmony with nature and meticulously worked by hand, horn from the Asian domestic water buffalo offers the wearer warm, skin-friendly comfort.”
The buffalo horn frame I tried on? It goes for around Sh240,000.
These glasses are handmade, giving them an air of exclusivity, finesse, uniqueness and a more personal, customised feel. In a review, one optician once put it this way, “Lindbergs are pretty much for life.
Their frames have such a long lifespan that it isn't uncommon to have a well-worn pair brought in for a new prescription, decades after they were first purchased. The value kind of evens out eventually, but it's not a good choice for someone who follows fashion trends.”
Dita, another favourite among the fashion savvy, offers frames that are as bold as they are refined. The Statesman-Seven retails at Sh177,100, while the Grandmaster-Nine is Sh135,100.
My personal favourite, the Schema-Two, is Sh116,900, a titanium frame with acetate lens inserts and custom titanium nose pads. Sleek, screw-less, and precise, it speaks elegance. The nose pads, particularly, are what won me over.
The Sh525,000 spectacles
However, not many eyewear stores in Nairobi stock up on luxurious glasses. This dawned on me as I did a spot-check for this article around the city. The puzzled look and haughty eyes, especially when I said I was looking for eyewear that cost Sh100,000 and above, made me realise they were not so common. In some stores, the stares lingered, often sliding from my shoes to the tiny notebook in my pocket, curious whether I was a real buyer or just passing time.
At one store, I was met with mild suspicion. Was I buying for someone else? Would insurance cover it? I guess I didn’t look like their clientele.
Baus didn’t have the glasses I wanted, despite their best efforts to find them, even in a different store. Tom Ford was one of the alternatives offered.
I find the brand’s eyewear a bit masculine. Don’t get me wrong, the perfumes are wonderfully versatile. But the branding? From its name to the clothes and accessories, it strikes me as being very masculine. Tom Ford frames in Kenya typically range from Sh40,000 to Sh100,000.
At Optica in Nairobi's Village Market, optometrist Sohail Gureshi showed me their Lindberg collection. The display featured three solid-gold Lindberg frames, with the 18-carat gold model retailing at Sh525,000. The silver version was Sh500,000.
“These frames do not have any screws, making them durable,” Mr Gureshi explained. “The solid gold can go for up to Sh675,000.”
Customisation is part of the Lindberg appeal. "You can change the colour of the frames and add other details that you can’t with other brands," he said, removing his own engraved pair. His name, Sohail Gureshi, was etched onto the inside of the arm. Custom engraving, I learned, takes about a month.
The next case is empty, and he informs me that a customer, whose details they cannot disclose, had purchased the third Lindberg.
“There is no specific clientele that asks exclusively for our Lindbergs,” Mr Gureshi said. “What we have are those who need a lightweight frame, those who do not like the feel of metal on their faces.”
He introduced me to Silhouette, an Austrian brand founded by Anneliese and Arnold Schmied, who wanted to “make the world’s most beautiful eyewear.” It’s a favourite among celebrities, professionals, and even astronauts.
Silhouette glasses have been featured in films, fashion shows, and on the red carpet, solidifying their status as a symbol of sophistication, silent luxury and modernity.
At Optica, the Silhouette collection ranges from rimless to full-rim and half-rim styles. I tried on The Dawn, or Dynamic Dawn, a polished, high-tech titanium frame that felt like air on the skin. Sleek and minimal, it carried the same ethos as Lindberg, just more affordable.
Finally, I reached out to Urban Tortoise on Instagram. I asked if they stocked frames over Sh100,000.
They replied: “No, we don’t. But if you have something specific, we can order it for you.”
