Persol goes for gold with special edition 100th anniversary sunglasses

To mark its centennial, the Italian eyewear label is launching a collector's item. Limited to 200, the handcrafted pairs of Persol's 18-carat gold trimmed aviators will be available at Saks Fifth Avenue.

These limited edition Pilot sunglasses, featuring solid gold, cafe-hued acetate frames and turquoise blue polarized crystal lenses offering 100% UV protection will retail for $2,770.

Adorned with details such as the ‘750 gold' marking on the arm, the Persol centennial date and the limited edition certification engraved in gold on the inside of the temples. The ultra luxe 100th anniversary 9649SG model is available at select Saks Fith Avenue boutiques and globally via Saks online store.

Persol has also released a less embellished limited edition design of the iconic 6649S model. The lighter, sleeker frames in red tortoise shell/blue-tinted polarized lenses or yellow tortoise shell/green polarized lenses are also now on sale.

Prior to attracting a movie star following including Steve McQueen, Marcello Mastroianni and Ornella Muti, Persol founder and keen photographer Giuseppe Ratti honed his eyewear expertise making sunglasses for the Armed Forces in the US and Italy, and Turin tram drivers in the late 50s.

Silver flex arrow hinging and the patented "Meflecto" flexible stem system are hallmarks of the brand whose name means 'for the sun' in Italian.