Tints, Mirrors and Transitions® Explained
Turning a frame into sunglasses — or glasses that adapt to light — is easier than it sounds. Here's what each option in our lens picker actually does, in plain English.
Solid tint
An even sunglass colour across the whole lens, in brown, grey or green. Grey keeps colours true and is the classic all-round sun lens. Brown boosts contrast and depth — great for driving and bright, changeable days. Green is the heritage look (think classic aviators) with natural colour balance. All our tinted lenses carry full UV protection.
Gradient tint
Darker at the top, fading lighter towards the bottom. You get sun protection where the sky is while still seeing clearly at close range — which is why gradient lenses are popular for driving (the dashboard stays easy to read) and as a fashion look.
Mirror finish
A reflective coating applied on top of a solid tint — you choose the tint colour first, then add the mirror. It bounces extra light away, cuts glare in very bright conditions, and hides your eyes completely behind the finish. In our picker: choose a solid tint, then tick Full Mirror and pick from fifteen finishes. (Mirrors pair with solid tints only — over a gradient, the finish doesn't sit evenly.)
Polarised lenses
Polarisation is different from a simple tint: a filter inside the lens blocks the horizontal reflected glare that bounces off water, wet roads and car bonnets. If you spend time driving, fishing, sailing or by the water, polarised is the biggest real-world upgrade you can make. One quirk: some phone and sat-nav screens can look darker at certain angles.
Transitions® — lenses that adapt
Genuine Transitions® lenses are clear indoors and darken automatically in sunlight, triggered by UV. One pair works as everyday glasses and sunglasses. They come in a wide range of colours — including the latest Gen S range — and the XTRActive versions also darken behind a windscreen, which standard photochromic lenses do less well. If you'd rather not carry two pairs, this is the option to look at.
How to choose in 10 seconds
Everyday sunglasses: solid tint (grey to keep colours true, brown for contrast). Driving a lot: polarised, or brown gradient. Very bright conditions — snow, water, summer holidays: solid tint + mirror. One pair for everything: Transitions®. Every combination is glazed to your prescription by our specialist glazing lab, and if you're torn between two options, add a note to your order — our eyewear specialists are happy to advise.