Marine Optical

The 1950s and 1960s had some iconic looks, and eyeglasses played a big part in many of the contemporary fashions. Today, wearing antique eyeglass frames can give your prescription eyewear a unique touch or complete a nostalgic costume.

One of the vintage brands we sell here at Eyeglasses Warehouse is Marine Optical. Marine made cat eye glasses for women and other glasses in some of the era’s most popular styles, and a pair of our vintage Marine frames is a great addition to your wardrobe.

About Our Vintage Marine Optical Glasses

Marine USA was a high end eyewear designer during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. They made many of the popular styles in those decades, such as Wayfarer-style men’s glasses, aviators, and cat eye glasses for women.

The cat eye glasses were their primary style, and much of what you will find available from Marine today. By the 1960s, cat eye glasses were made almost entirely of plastic, specifically acetate. Earlier metal or aluminum frames were no longer in use, although aluminum was still a popular decorative element for the tops of the frames. The lens shape of 60s cat eye glasses was also rounder than the narrow lenses of the 50s. The various design embellishments Marine offered on their cat eye glasses included:

  • Rhinestones
  • Sunburst Style Corners
  • Aluminum Engraving

Marine also offered plain frames for a sleeker look that lets the color or tortoise shell pattern stand out.

Vintage Marine glasses are a great choice for modern wear. The majority of their glasses do not use nose pads, but instead have a keyhole bridge, making them easy to fit as prescription eyewear or sunglasses.

Marine was also unique in that they used a wire inside the temples and the frames to provide extra strength and stability for the plastic, providing you with a pair of glasses that will continue to look beautiful for years to come.

Our retro 1950s glasses from Marine are authentic vintage pieces which can include new old stock and gently worn pre-owned glasses, all ready to be customized with your preferred lenses or sunglasses at your optician. You can find glasses made by Marine USA here, or browse through specific categories on our site to find cat eye glasses, Wayfarer glasses, and other popular styles from the 1950s and 1960s.