Immaculately Designed: Embedded Corewire

The steps to develop an embedded corewire are as purposeful and exquisitely detailed as the feature itself. To start, the corewire is created using a carefully selected piece of metal where a custom-drawn filigree pattern is tooled in and executed with a stunning three-dimensional surface design that provides noticeable depth. From there, a milling process is used to precisely cut the exact shape of the corewire into the acetate. After, a second layer of the acetate is applied using heat and pressure. Then, once the two layers are placed, the shape of the temple is cut around the intricate corewire, and the edges of the temple are beautifully rounded and softened so that the area is barreled. Lastly, the hinge is attached with genuine pins and the temple is polished. It’s an incredibly thoughtful process for something that truly just makes up a part of the entire frame, yet its purpose is arguably one of the most important features.

The remarkability of an embedded corewire does not just stop at its functionality. At Oliver Peoples, this distinctive frame detail is seen as an opportunity. Much like every element of a frame, it’s a chance to take something needed and make it exceptional – more times than not, convening a design story along the way. Throughout the history of the brand, there are three key patterns that have shaped the make-up of an embedded temple: Feather Embedded, Mid-Century, and Sunset Tower. Feather Embedded has the longest history at Oliver Peoples. Its design features a classic, almost scroll-like look to the pattern. In contrast, Mid-Century was the first geometric offering in an embedded corewire. Similar to each design, the Mid-Century corewire was first sketched in-house with the Oliver Peoples Los Angeles design team. The look itself was inspired by architectural features at the acclaimed Parker Palm Springs hotel. Evolving further, the latest iconic embedded corewire is the Sunset Tower design. Inspired by the art deco details at Los Angeles’ Sunset Tower Hotel, the pattern stands out with its chevron like pattern and grid concrete temple tips.

Each design in an embedded corewire is thoughtfully chosen to best reflect the personality of the corresponding frame pairing. Similarly, the selected acetate colors for each frame with an embedded corewire are carefully paired – sometimes alongside a crystal acetate to make the pattern clearly visible or in other instances, matching the main acetate for a more subtle look with silver, gold, or rose gold tones. No matter the color pairing, embedded corewire is a truly unique design detail at Oliver Peoples. With the opportunity to see filigree engravings on both sides of the temples, it’s a defining marker of an OP aesthetic. For a detail like corewire that is needed no matter what, it’s worth taking the opportunity to truly elevate the form and function of the offering.