When Guy Buchan conceived of Bold London in 2013, the premise was simple: high-quality eyeglasses handmade in England to each client’s specifications. The idea combined Buchan’s knowledge of craft and design – garnered from his studies and experience in sculpting – with the top-tier branding work he’d made his living from as a consultant. “I felt the time was right to create something that I could put into people’s hands,” he says. And since launching the brand in 2016, he’s delivered.
Working with four workshops across England, Buchan sees that each pair of glasses is made from the client’s choice of materials, which can include sterling silver in the frames and subtle diamond inlays. The cases are made from thick English bridle leather and every pair of spectacles comes with the option of a matching signet ring. “Providing that personal experience is important to me,” says Buchan. For this reason, monthly production runs are in the dozens rather than the hundreds and every pair takes weeks of painstaking work. So some clear-sighted advice: get your orders in early.
