Thank you for your help, gentlemen.

Probably should have asked this before getting into a debate with a self-proclaimed Oakley expert at work ....

Anyone know what the first "Official" special edition eyewear was? And I don't mean OPDs, unreleased prototypes, athlete-only LEs, or any of that other noise; I mean an official production special edition with the SE name on the box (stickers count if it happens to be in the pre-cool box era)

Anyone know the model and the year was it released? I got it in my head the first ones were the Ducati Minute & New Straight Jacket. Those seem correct, but also released during a time when a lot of other stuff was floating around, and I guess it could be kinda hard to tell.

My co-worker seems to think there was an athelete or team specific M-Frame released in the mid-1990s (he couldn't say who specifically tho - figures!) Looked through the database but didn't come across anything of note; of course, the M-Frame section is so vast yet sparsely filled I could have rolled right over it and not noticed.

So what you all think? Any validity to that? Probably a good piece of Oakley trivia there if I can find it.

Great question. I don’t think a “special edition” the way you defined it came before 2002, but I’m going off of memory (did the Ichiros come out in 2002 or was 2001?).

I don’t think there was a “signature” etched series with matching barcode label in the ‘90s. Oakley was far too cheap of a company for that. They did have Jordan’s face on the Mars and OO boxes in the ‘90s, and they may have Agassi on a box as well, but I don’t think that matches your criteria.

The EJ2 came out in 2000 and had Cannon Red, which of course is named after Scotty Cannon. “Cannon” is on the label, but I suspect that’s not what you mean either.

I forget what came out in 2001 but I can’t remember a sig series. Then 2002 heralded the lens etchings (other than polarized) and you got stuff in February like the Blade IIs and eventually the Finito, JPM, Guevara, Armstrong and the like following it the same year or following years. Ducati in 2003, I believe.

For Ichiro, I know in Fall 2001 he signed an endorsement from Oakley, but I can’t recall when the glasses actually hit the market.

Interesting! I figured it wouldn't be an easy answer; just from judging by the database it looks as though when Oakley first adopted the special edition concept they kinda overloaded on the different editions in the first couple of years, almost as if they came out all at once before finally normalizing.

I think it's a good bet that whatever edition my co-worker was referring to, if it does indeed exist, may just be one of the many "one-off's" floating around. Not that he's a bad guy or anything like that; he just seemed so confident about this thing at the time that I second guessed myself. That's why that criteria I laid out was so specific, to draw that demarcation line so as not to get lost in the seemingly endless deluge of one-off's. But that is probably the case here, and I don't necessarily fault him for assuming.

Still tho - I'm not sure why I didn't think about Agassi at the time! LOL! That's a great candidate, right? It's a good bet there are at least several dozen pairs that fans probably attribute directly to him, even if there was never an official SE.

I do appreciate the input, Oak! Thanks.

I'll mirror Oak's thoughts with the Cannon Red Straight Jacket as the first Signature edition, even if it's a distant view of what we now see as a signature model. Blade II stuff later on, and then the Artmstrong/Wallace Pro M Frames after that. Since those were in their infancy and still working out how to do the editions, I wouldn't think there was much established before that, otherwise we'd see a more robust offering in the early 2000's.

1 of the earliest pairs I can remember were the David Duval M frame. Not sure on what the release date was . But being over in the UK at the time were behind the US

1 of the earliest pairs I can remember were the David Duval M frame. Not sure on what the release date was . But being over in the UK at the time were behind the US - lord oakman

I was about to say the same thing. The first "Signature" pair I can think of is the Duval M-Frame. My brain says very late 90's early 2000's.

It depends which Duval M Frame you refer to. The 06-584 Golf M Frame from the ‘90s is pretty much like the Mars, OO and Tennis M Frame in that it had Duval’s pic on the box but it didn’t have his name on the label. So that doesn’t meet Steve’s criteria.

There is also the Duval Pro M Frame with the etched lenses, but I thought I remember that coming in the 2003-ish timeframe (both with the B&W and coloured boxes). Please correct me if my memory’s off.

EDIT: this site has a post for Nov. 2000 and features the Duval sig M Frame. I don’t know what it says, but if the dates are correct, then 2000 it is:

http://www.anserfreak.ne.jp/d-report/2000/0011/0011b.htm#OAKLEYのDavid%20Duval限定サングラ

And using the time machine, it confirms the Armstrong and Duval M Frames were available in 2000:

And using the time machine, it confirms the Armstrong and Duval M Frames were available in 2000:


- Oak

That's the ones I was thinking of. I was remembering never being able to keep either one of those in stock when I worked for SGH.

My earliest memories of special/ signature editions was the Series 23 for Michael Jordan. Red earsock Romeo, Timebomb, leading to the leather Mars. I think those started around ‘97.

For lack of a better thread:

Can anyone take a good picture of the Size? Eye Jacket Redux on a while background so I can add it to the database? Thanks.

For lack of a better thread:

Can anyone take a good picture of the Size? Eye Jacket Redux on a while background so I can add it to the database? Thanks. - Dann

Here are a few to choose from







And here are a few of a Clifden if you’re feeling froggy lol

Why does old unobtanium break down and get gummy? Not all of it does but some of it does even if you never touch it. Anyone discover a catalyst to stop the reaction?

I think it can pull some moisture from the air. Others seem to break down randomly if they had been worn at a previous time. I've tried to wash some of them with mild dish soap, but it's not perfect.

And here are a few of a Clifden if you’re feeling froggy lol




- SiRacer420

I’m kinda feeling those, I hope they come in a Ruby or Sapphire lens

I haven’t encountered any unobtaium that breaks down if it is untouched. I’ve always figured the unobtainium absorbs the body oils and hair product chemicals, which leads to it getting gunky, oily and gross. I have pairs from 20 years ago that have pristine unobtainium because they haven’t so much as been tried on, while I have seen a lot for sale as second hand items that I would even want to touch.

The Clifden looks pretty interesting. Oakley’s about a decade too late getting in the game, as mountaineering-inspired eyewear has hit its peak a while ago, but I’m glad they’re finally in it. The blinders look cool by itself.

Side-blinders wouldn’t be homely on a Holbrook, J/S.

I dig these. And I agree they need some Ruby or Sapphire lenses!

I dig these. And I agree they need some Ruby or Sapphire lenses! - JP

Both of those are out there, I'm working on it!

I was wondering what makes an OO lens an OO lens? Some have a G40 base, some a gray base. They got all kinds of coatings, so what makes them OO and what does OO stand for?
thanks

OO is oakley's stock symbol. Years ago, they made some wires under that name and had some unique blue and red lenses that they simply called OO red/blue.

Later the G40 Base ones adopted that name too, but there's no real relation

thanks, i appreciate the quick answer. off to watch the orange review. maybe i can learn something about oranges too

These are the OO Red Dann is taking about. They’re for an OO A Wire. The OO Series of Wires are as far as I know the only authentic Oakleys to have that O on the lenses. Besides RX, that O is different.

Dose anyone know if they made a polished clear oil rig 2 frame found a set in interested in but can’t verify them through the data base thanks for any help