Legacy Reinvented – Why Serengeti Still Makes the Best Sunglasses You’ve Never Heard of

Our look at the history and philosophy of Serengeti, an innovative eyewear brand with over 140 yars of R&D under its roof.

James Smith

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Sunglasses are much more than a utilitarian boon to protect your eyes from the sun—they inspire confidence, complete outfits, and can fine-tune the way you see the world. When it comes to understanding and employing these tenets, Serengeti is a guiding force in the world of eyewear.

Founded in the 1980s by technical glass giant, Corning, Serengeti has put out some of the most innovative sunglasses with technologically advanced lenses, all without sacrificing timeless Americana style.

Touting their lenses as the best in the world, Serengeti offers highly technical glasses with spectral control, blue light protection and more across a diverse range of styles suitable for all walks of life. We’re taking a moment to look at Serengeti’s 40+ year history, innovative design philosophy, and iconic styles.

Serengeti History & Philosophy

Corning

The history of Serengeti is tied to the history of the American technology company, Corning. Founded in 1851 as Corning Glass Works, the company developed glass for Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulb, and then the world’s first Borosilicate glass in 1912.

Borosilicate glass can withstand sudden temperature changes and is resistant to chemical corrosion, features that saw Corning introduce world-famous cookware line, Pyrex, just 3 years later.

Corning continued to innovate throughout the early twentieth century, working tirelessly to provide the mirror blank for the Hale telescope at Palomar Observatory. After much trial and error, Corning cast the mirror blank in the mid-1930s, using low-expansion Borosilicate glass.

Completed in 1949, the Hale telescope was the largest in the world for over 20 years, and helped in the discovery of a minor planet which was aptly named 34419 Corning.

Fast forward to 1964, and Corning developed the world’s first photochromic borosilicate glass lenses. A photochromic lens darkens on exposure to light of a sufficiently high frequency, most commonly ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In the absence of activating light rays, the photochromic lenses return to a clear state.

By darkening in bright light, photochromic lenses help minimize squinting and eye fatigue, leading to a more comfortable visual experience.

Serengeti, Spectral Control, & The Driver’s Lens

Corning invented spectral control technology in 1980 and launched Serengeti just two years later. Spectral Control enhances contrast to vivify one’s view of the world while simultaneously filtering blue light, which is more tiring on the eyes.

Corning founded Serengeti with an exclusive range of lenses that combined the aforementioned photochromic technology and Spectral Control into one ‘smart lens’.

The name “Serengeti” was chosen to reflect the spirit of a brand that encourages freedom, exploration, and the beauty of nature. Serengeti glasses didn’t just keep the sun out of your eyes, photochromic and spectral control technology increased the vibrancy and beauty of the world, all in one package. 

Serengeti became known for pioneering the concept of “eyewear as eye care”, a notion compounded by the introduction of their Drivers Lens in 1985.

Considered the ultimate lens for driving, the Drivers lens balanced three technologies in one lens:

1. Polarization to reduce 99.9% of disruptive glare

2. Photochromic technology that allows the lens to adapt to different light conditions

3. Patented spectral control for vibrant, high-definition vision

The Drivers lens was hailed as the most important new sunglass in decades, and Serengeti was named as one of 100 Products That America Makes Best by Fortune Magazine.

Serengeti continued to innovate throughout the coming decades. Underpinned by its technological advancements, the brand was offering the kind of specs you’d expect on a ski-goggle or pilot’s lens on stylish frames that could slot into everyday life. Their lenses weren’t just the best for driving; they were the best for experiencing the world in general.

Serengeti’s innovative spirit lived on through the decades, and they introduced an award-winning Trivex lens in 2009, made from a material traditionally used for helicopter windshields, forming a lightweight, impact-resistant, and heat-resistant frame with superior optical performance.

Serengeti Today

Serengeti has seen a host of ownership changes in the last 25 years, some of which have affected the brand’s visibility in North America. Despite this, Serengeti’s sustained philosophy of innovation has seen it maintain a presence in Europe, and many of its 80s and 90s models are coveted by vintage sunglasses collectors worldwide.

Now under independent and private ownership as part of the Bollé Brands group (based in Carlsbad, California), Serengeti uses its decades of experience to produce innovative, premium eyewear that looks as good as it performs.

Serengeti produces sunglasses, eyeglasses, prescription glasses, and clip-on lenses, all manufactured in Italy using traditional processes that emphasize hand-finishing, a ‘devil’s in the details’ approach, and the use of high-quality components. Serengeti still sources mineral glass from Corning and finishes their lenses in collaboration with Barberini, maintaining a link from its heritage that drives quality and performance.

While the brand deploys technology at the pinnacle of optics, its silhouettes are built for experiencing the everyday world at its most beautiful. Whether you’re cruising in an old Dodge, cycling through the city, or staring at the ocean on vacation, Serengeti glasses make blue skies bluer, improve definition, and protect your eyes at the same time.

Serengeti Tech

Powered by 140 years of R&D, Serengeti is one of the most innovative eyewear makers in the world and is the only brand offering 3-in-1 lens technology on its polarized lenses. Here’s a rundown of some of their most important tech:

• Spectral Control – Unique and specific to Serengeti, Spectral Control technology offers higher visual definition by improving colors, contrast, and enhancing depth perception. Spectral control also blocks 95% of harmful blue light, protecting the eye from damage

• Photochromic Technology – Serengeti provides the eye with the exact amount of light needed in a variety of weather conditions. The lens reacts to UV light and smoothly transitions between lighter to darker tones depending on the environment. drastically reducing eye strain and allowing for better vision in different light conditions.

• Polarization – Offers absolute clarity and relieves eye fatigue by eliminating disruptive glare and reflections coming from the road, the snow, the sea, and other surfaces.

• 3-in-1 Lens – Combining the above three technologies, Serengeti offers a 3-in-1 lens that they tout as the best in the world.

• Lens Tints – Serengeti’s different lens tints provide different options for varying conditions and lifestyles:

Iconic Models

Serengeti produces glasses frames from acetate, metal, and nylon. There are dozens of timeless styles to choose from in both men’s and women’s options.

Delio – A classic acetate square frame

Available at Serengeti for $360.

Carrara – Serengeti’s Aviator

Available at Serengeti for $380.

Marco – Navigator style souped up in Acetate

Available at Serengeti for $450

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