What style of frame should I choose?

Read our guide on choosing frames here.

 

What size and fit should I choose?

Choosing the right size is as important as choosing a style you love. Our frames come in a range of sizes, from Extra Small to Extra Large.

As well as different sizes, some of our frames are available in different fits - such as those with a narrow bridge or low bridge. If you struggle to find a frame that fits your nose, some frames are available with adjustable nose pads. 

All of our frame measurements can be found on the product page so you can match to your face measurements or compare them with your existing frames. 

See our guide to size and fit here for more help.

 

What materials do you use?

Acetate

Lightweight, hypoallergenic, exceptionally strong, semi-synthetic material of wood pulp and cotton. It's coloured by hand, meaning no two frames are completely alike. Infinitely adjustable with traditional pinned hinges, for durable and repairable spectacles that last a lifetime.

Our core collection is made from premium Mazzuchelli acetate, world leaders in spectacle materials since 1849. For more information please visit the Mazzucchelli site here.

Titanium

Impossibly strong. Incredibly light. Hypoallergenic. And, we contend, rather beautiful. The four spectacles in our Titanium collection are a wedding of form and function - each component individually designed and weighing a total (excluding lenses) of 5g - ten times lighter than acetate. Corrosion resistant and exceedingly strong, these frames are made to last.

99.7% pure titanium front and Ion plated to over 0.3µ

Stainless Steel

Frames constructed with industrial strength stainless steel. A modern reinterpretation of 1930s spectacle construction.

This is a strong material which means it can be very thin. Steel itself is not hypoallergenic, so we typically add acetate sleeves around the ears, and titanium nose pads. One benefit of steel frames is that the nosepads can be easily adjusted.

Our steel frames contain a very small amount of nickel but 316L so are not suitable for anyone with severe nickel allergy.

Components

Our hinges and pins are a steel alloy that is strong enough to withstand most daily activities of the everyday spectacle wearer. Our supplier is OBE, a German based company renowned for precision engineering.

Cases

The Aluminium Cases are made from 5052 grade 0.6mm sheet aluminium with a clear anodize coating. Lined with a soft microfibre in charcoal grey, subtlety exposed along the outer edge.

The Box Case is made from PU leather.

The Redux Case is made from Italian vegetable tan leather, it features hand stitching which means it can be easily repaired and will last for many years to come. If you;re not into leather, our Wool Redux Case is made from Filzfelt wool.

 

What colours do you have available?

We have 130 acetate colours and patterns available through our Bespoke service. Bespoke+ customers can choose from these, plus an additional 170 archive acetate colours, only available at the Cubitts Studio in King’s Cross, London.

 

What if my frame doesn’t fit perfectly?

We’re confident that your frame will fit you perfectly on the first try. If you find your frame does not fit as expected as a result of our measurements, we will be happy to provide a remake with revised measurements at no additional cost.

 

Can my frames be adjusted?

Yes, and it's important that your frames fit you well - both for comfort and so that the lenses are positioned correctly for your vision.  

Minor adjustments are straightforward and we will carry them out free of charge in any of our stores. There’s no need for an appointment, just pop in with your frames when you can. Alternatively, any credible local optician should be able to make adjustments for you (we don't recommend performing any adjustments on your frames yourself). 

The most common adjustments are:

• The temples (also known as sides) - and the length to bend (the distance between the hinge and the point where the temple bends around your ear) can be adjusted to fit, and the angle of the let back (which determines a frame's temple width).
• If your spectacles are crooked, the angle can be adjusted to make the frames sit evenly.
• If your spectacles are sliding down your nose, the angle of bend and the let back can be adjusted to prevent this.

Our metal frames all have adjustable nose pads which can be altered for different shaped bridges. We also offer additional nose pads on our acetate frames free of charge on request.

 

How do you make your frames?

We make all our frames in the same way, to the same exacting standards to ensure exceptional quality and consistency. Each frame goes through fifty crafted stages of production over a period of six weeks. You can read more about ten of those steps here.

All our final spectacles are assembled at our production facility in King’s Cross, London (England).

We make our frames in workshops in London (England), Shanghai (China), and Sabae (Japan). 

• London (England), our own workshop in King’s Cross, making all our small batch frames, including Made to Measure and Bespoke
• Shanghai (China), our own acetate workshop in Jiangsu province, making our core collection acetate frames, employing around forty skilled makers
• Sabae (Japan), an independent spectacles factory in Fukui prefecture, specialising in titanium production who are over a century old, employing around fifty skilled makers

 

What accessories are available for my frames?

See our range of available accessories here.

Clip ons - see our guide on using clips on here, and range of clip-on available frames here.

Cloths

Care products

 

How should I look after my frames?

Read our frame care guide.

 

Can I try frames at home?

Although we don't offer a home try on service, we have a 30 day no quibble returns policy, so if you order a frame that doesn't suit you or you want to try on a few, you can make a return or exchange.

To do this, choose 'non prescription' when selecting the lens at checkout and then 'Frame only' at the next step. When you've decided on the right one, you can return all of the frames to us and either buy them again, or we will fit lenses to the one you send back.

We also have a virtual try on tool here.

 

Can I have my frame made in horn?

Yes, our bespoke and bespoke+ service with horn is exclusive in our St James' and Hampstead stores.

 

Can I have my frames matted?

We can matte any of our fully acetate frames.

If you can't see the colour you like available as matte online, get in touch with us here and we can add this service to your order.

We'll matte your frames for free when you place the order or within the 30 day return period.

After the 30 day return period, we charge £25/$40 for this service.

 

Can I order frame only?

All our frames can be fitted with clear, non-prescription (‘plano’) lenses.

We have two options that can be selected at checkout when clicking through to 'Choose lenses'.

1. Choose 'Lifestyle' If you'll be wearing the frames without a prescription. Your frames will come with ZEISS ClearView lenses, including DuraVision coatings.

2 If you're ordering the frame to have the lenses fitted elsewhere, choose 'Frame only' and your frame will be sent with plastic dummy lenses which can be replaced by your local optician.

Our frame only option costs £150.

 

What are ready readers & how do I order?

Ready readers are ready to wear lenses for close-up work, such as reading. You don't need a prescription, just choose a strength up to +3.00.

Available online and in store.

Once you've chosen your frame, click through to 'choose lenses' and you'll have the option to add 'Readers', click through again to choose your strength.

 

I can't find the frame I like. When will it come back in stock?

If the frame you have your eye on is currently out of stock, fear not. Just give us a shout, and our team will check if and when it will be available for you.

If you're looking for an archive frame, we do hold stock. Feel free to reach out to us here and let us know the style, size, and colour you're looking for.

We'll do our best to help locate your perfect frame.

 

What types of nose pads do you offer?

Our acetate frames come with fixed acetate nose pads as standard. In almost all cases we can replace these with adjustable nose pads or deeper fixed nose pads, free of charge.

Our steel and combination frames come with adjustable nose pads. We use metal nose pads as standard, but we can fit silicon or porcelain nose pads in different shapes and sizes on request.

Our titanium frames come with inbuilt titanium nose pads. We can’t change these, but we can fully adjust them.

 

Can you change the nose pads on my frame?

We can change the nose pads on almost all our frames. If you'd like to do this get in touch, let us know your order number, and we can add the service to your order. We offer this as a complimentary service. 

For acetate frames we can change the fixed nosepads to adjustable nose pads or deeper fixed nose pads for a better fit. For metal or combination frames we can change the adjustable pad from metal to silicon or porcelain.

If you want to add nose pads to a frame you already own, get in touch with us, or pop into our Mercer Street store and the team will take care of you.

There are some frames we can't change the nose pads on (Titanium). But we are still able to make alternative adjustments or frame recommendations to help resolve fitting issues.

 

Can I request screws?

If your frame has lost a screw, contact us with the frame style and your address, and we'll get some spares posted out to you.

If you need a screwdriver, you can purchase one here.

 

Do your cases fit all of your frames?

Our aluminium case fits over 97% of our frames. For a handful of extra large styles we have an alternative case available. All of our frames will always come with a case that fits.

 

How do I claim my free cloths?

Every time we release a new Artist in Residence cloth you be will an email with a code to redeem your cloth either online or in store, provided you are signed up to our mailing list.

 

How do I order a rehab service?

You can order here, or visit any of our stores.

For the 1-year complimentary service get in touch with us with the frame you would like to have serviced and your delivery address, and we can place an order for you and send you a returns label (UK and US only). Alternatively, you can pop into any of our stores.

 

What colour lenses do your clip ons come with?

All of our Clip Ons come with green tinted UV400 CR39 lenses as standard.

 

What is the difference between Made to Measure and Bespoke?

With Made to Measure, you can recreate any existing Cubitts design to your exact facial measurements and requirements. Bespoke is our couture option, creating a completely unique frame from scratch,  in consultation with our design team.  

You can see the summary of the main differences between Made to Measure and Bespoke here.

We take full payment at the beginning for Bespoke, and a deposit of £200 for Bespoke.