Since the first eyeglasses appeared many centuries have passed. But the richest in the history of the evolution of eyeglasses was the twentieth century. At the beginning of the last century, glasses were still a rare and expensive product, the use of which was available only for selected segments of society. The main production materials at that time were metal, tortoise shell and horn.
Today, in the times of the growing popularity of optics and sunglasses, the range of materials for their manufacturing is also growing. No one is surprised anymore by the abundance of shapes and colors of plastic and cellulose acetate frames. The market also offers frames made of natural materials which are much more expensive, and therefore reflect the high status of their owner. Natural horn is one of the oldest materials for creating glasses.
The most sophisticated and exclusive frames are usually made from the horn of a water buffalo, the complex structure of which creates a rich gamut of color shades from anthracite black to brown and even white shades. The country of origin of animals as well as their age affect the color and quality of the horn. The laborious process of manual production makes horn eyeglasses expensive and exclusive.