Mitch Ruda, a top optical engineer, was working on a NASA research product in the 1980s when in 1985 he had a big idea - why not apply optical and UV protection technology originating in NASA programs to men's and women's sunglasses. The idea was revolutionary, and Revo began designing and manufacturing the most advanced polarized sunglasses in the world. The key NASA technology they employed was a special coating NASA used on optical instruments on its satellites to protect them from the intense radiation common in outer space - see vintage 1980s Revo ads featuring astronaut Pete Conrad and US Olympic skiers Steve and Phil Mahre. Over the ensuing years, Revo led the way in developing the most stylish and highest quality men's and women's sunglasses found anywhere. Among Revo advances were unisex frame styles, strong and lightweight carbon fiber frames, extensive use of intricate etching on its Italian, French, and Japanese frames, mirrored lenses in all the colors of the rainbow, and advanced polarization technologies and lens including H20, Revo P (Polarcast), and LMS (Light Management System). Revo lens technology has always used multi-layered tempered glass with up to 12 micro-thin layers of different coatings to provide maximum protection.

Vintage Revo sunglasses produced c 1980s - 1990s were grouped into several groups known as the Revo Collections. The information below is provided from a Revo marketing brochure mid 1990s:

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- Shapes Collection: Distinctive and alluring, the Revo Shapes Collection is the ideal synthesis of technology and style. It features revo LMS lens technology for better vision every day.

- Sport Collection: The Revo Sport Collection features revo polycarbonate LMS lens technology to give you the competitive edge. It offers unsurpassed visual enhancement with the added benefits of lightweight comfort and impact resistance.

- Polarized Collection The Revo Polarized Collection features Revo polarized LMS lens technology for the ultimate combination of enhanced vision and glare reduction. The H2O on the lens lets you know you have the best polarized sunglasses.

- Traveler: The Revo Traveler Collection features Revo Athermic lens technology for those who prefer an understated lens appearance without compromising vision.

- Revo RX: Revo LMS technology and Athermic lens technology for those with prescription needs.

Revo mirrored lens are one of its most distinctive style features, with the most popular being stealth (a light blue highly reflective mirrored lens), blue, green, orange, and purple. Revo combined glass lens technologies with a multi-layer coating system to provide the ultimate in sun protection and vision enhancement. Reflection off the interference coatings results in a range of remarkable lens colors, a by-product of the serious technology used in Revo glass lenses. They provide superior visual sharpness in all light conditions, and they do not distort, discolor, or overly darken your view.

There are so many popular vintage Revo styles that it's difficult to classify the most desirable, but many styles with tortoise shell ear stems such as Revo 962 and 1110 sunglasses have always brought some of the highest prices of any vintage sunglasses. While not universally true, most Revo composite fiber frames were made in France, most predominantly etched metal frames were made in Italy, and most frames that combine a metal front with black or tortoise shell ear stems were made in Japan. Other of the most desirable vintage Revo sunglasses styles include Revo 1111 python, 1107 with etched gunmetal frame, 953 tortoise shell line with a variety of lens colors, 973 with light and dark tortoise shell accents on top of brightly colored mirrored lens, 840 / 850 / 860 composite material styles, 967 and 970 aviator styles with some incredible etching, 1208 combining etched metal and tortoise, and the 3046 and 3047 wrap styles. Revo sunglasses were always marketed for both style and high quality optics as per their Clearly Superior and See No Evil ads that ran in the early 1990s.

Like many higher end consumer items, Revo sunglasses are extensively reproduced in Asia and cheap sunglasses and dishonest sellers will often market "Revo lenses" or "Revo lens technology." At Vintage Designer Sunglasses, we take great care to vet every pair of vintage sunglasses we sell for period authenticity. There are various ways to identify fake Revo sunglasses if one knows what to look for. For example, our experts have seen and have a database of all the Revo styles and marks, and Revo used some very distinctive features in their frames such as certain types of hinges, marked nose pads, and the like. If you buy vintage sunglasses on auction sites, your chances of buying a fake are not insignificant.

Revo was acquired by the Luxottica conglomerate in 1999, also now the owner of many of the world's most famous brands of sunglasses including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Persol, Chanel, Versace, DKNY, and more. In our view, the quality of Revo sunglasses quickly declined with corporate ownership and a blurring of the lines with other Luxottica brands. While the new styles are fine if you like them, Vintage Designer Sunglasses focuses its attention on Revo styles and models produced c 2000 and earlier. The unique and eclectic frame styles produced during this period coupled with the most significant advances in Revo lens technology easily explain why these vintage Revo sunglasses styles often sell for higher prices than brand new Revos.

You can see our entire selection of vintage Revo sunglasses with complete descriptions or with thumbnail pictures all on a single page in our photo gallery.

Get cool and eclectic vintage fashion style and quality in men's and women's sunglasses, and don't be fooled by fakes. See our entire inventory of vintage Revo sunglasses all on one page in our Revo sunglasses photo gallery or with complete descriptions in our listing gallery.

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