Berkshire Chase Review & Pics

scotrace · Post by **scotrace** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 3:42 pm

After fussing and watching for about three years, my new glasses came today.
I ordered the English Beaufort frames, in chestnut, via Frames Direct. The company was really great and easy to work with. I bought the frames (at an extremely reasonable $114) and had them shipped to me (7 days), whereupon I took them to my optometrist to have the lenses added. A week later, here we are!
I can confirm for certain that the covered temple cables are no longer offered on any Berkshire Chase style. When I called to order, they were specified with the cable temple "half cover," with the chestnut acetate bit on the sides, at an additional $5. A few days later, they called to tell me they could not get them for me that way. The reason was that Berkshire Chase has stopped offering this option altogether due to a nagging quality control problem. As several of you have observed, this acetate covering (apparently) tends to become damaged. Based on the product return rate, they made the decision to drop this feature completely. I asked about going to the Panto style, and the rpresentative told me it was across the line. No more half-covered cable temples.
So you guys who have them? Be super careful and enjoy the envious looks of we late comers.

Meanwhile, I like these frames a LOT. I got them not so much because I wanted Indiana Jones' glasses, but because I'm a big guy; 6'3" 225lbs. Those little oval frames that are so popular right now look silly on me. I've always worn larger round frames and these are the style I have been searching for for some time. The entire berkshire Chase line of frames is attractive, in my opinion, and more in keeping with the rest of my clothes, hair, etc.
Next week, a new hat!

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:00 pm

Algha Works UK offers the "Saville Row", which are essentially the BOIC style frames from another manufacturer (Ken - correct me if I'm wrong here).

IIRC, they are offered with the acetate pieces.

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scotrace · Post by **scotrace** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 5:59 pm

Guess a few year's looking wasn't enough.
Now ya tell me.

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:27 pm

Got my BC's in today. You are right the correct color is chestnut.

I miss the acetate on the cables.

Post by **Michaelson** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:41 pm

Matt, you can get clear tubing made specifically for cables from a good optical store. I get mine from Horner-Roesh. Regards. Michaelson

Post by **Ken** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:53 pm

Scandinavia Jones wrote:Algha Works UK offers the "Saville Row", which are essentially the BOIC style frames from another manufacturer (Ken - correct me if I'm wrong here).

IIRC, they are offered with the acetate pieces.

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Exactly right - saville row, berkschire chase, BOIC are all jsut different trade names but the same frames made by the same people. Algha are the factory who makes the frames and then supply and are therefore the most knowledgable about what you need. Very helpful people indeed.

Ken

Ken

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 6:12 pm

Hmmm... I went to the Algha Works website. Looking under their "collection" , I don't see any styles with cables.

Post by **Ken** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 6:31 pm

You need to phone contact them, though I do seem to remember it came up ont he website as an option - trust me its where I got my glasses from and they very definitly have the cables.

Ken

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 12:51 pm

got 'em
wearin' 'em
likin' 'em.

I'll get some pics up soon.

Even without the plastic on the cabls they look great.

The cable are much narrower than the ones used on the plastic coated model, though the thin wire is more authentic to every pair of metal frames I have seen from the era.

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 2:36 pm

Glad it worked out, Matt. Once you're used to the original style thin wire cable, everything else falls into place. I buy and wear vintage wires, like you obtain and wear vintage hats, and have never felt the need to buy a pair of these, as I find frames in antique store that are NOS, and have some have had prescription papers in the cases dating them to 1936 and earlier. The last pair two pairs I purchased still had the original clear glass that came with new unissued 12k gold frames, and both were under $12!

Like I said, once you're used to wearing them, it's hard to wear anything else! (grins)

Regards! Michaelson

Skippy · Post by **Skippy** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 1:49 pm

Can I be anoying & confirm that on the Saville Row website, the correct frames are the - Panto Curl side - and the obviously in the Chesnut colour as mentioned above?

Ken...?

I'm about to pull the trigger on a pair of these myself $\:D/$

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:49 pm

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:57 pm

That steak looks dahm good!!!

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:03 pm

Steak looks good, though the frames aren't holding up as well as BOIC.

Berkshire Chase.
The tortoise colored plastic around the lenses is loose from the metal and slides around the frame.

If I'm not very very careful the plastic could pop off and be easily broken... very different than the BOIC.

--Edit-- Just called Frames Direct and they will have a look at them. Hopefully They will replace the frames with a pair that has a more secure tortoise plastic.

parsa · Post by **parsa** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 2:54 pm

I know if I get cable glasses they'll drive me nuts. I want the same look though. If I order the Beaufort 2's from FramesDirect should I still get Chestnut, or is blonde right for this model? I'm going to see if my optemetrist will order them for me. Otherwise I'll have to get the frames and have lenses ordered to fit.

Parsa

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:54 am

Chestnut is what I have on.

The cables wont drive you mad after a week.

Post by **Ken** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:18 pm

Skippy wrote:Can I be anoying & confirm that on the Saville Row website, the correct frames are the - Panto Curl side - and the obviously in the Chesnut colour as mentioned above? Ken...?

I'm about to pull the trigger on a pair of these myself $\:D/$

I would phone up Peter on the Algha site and speak to him directly to confirm everything. I forget exactly what the details were bit from memoery it was chestnut, NOT hockey ends but cable ends with the bits on the temples.

Ken

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:57 pm

Just recieved my pair back from Frames Direct and it appears they reglued the plastic to the frame.

HJJr · Post by **HJJr** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 2:10 pm

I have recently received a pair of the Berkshire Chase Beauforts. They no longer put the "colored" plastic down the arms of the frame. Mine was gold from the temple back.

Anyone else have the same experience?

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 6:21 pm

I just did my annual order (to flush out my FSA account) to framesdirect. They still are selling the Berkshire Chase Panto 14K acetates. And yes, they verified that they still have in stock the 1/2 frame acetate cables.

Berkshire Chase Review & Pics

Just Got My New Berkshire Chase Glasses too

No cables for me