Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer Classic — Advanced Review
Seventy years on, still the default answer to which sunglasses to buy — provided the weight doesn't bother you.
The verdict
An independent 2026 field test gave the Original Wayfarer a top pick for timeless style, crediting the thick acetate frame and seven-barrel hinges as genuinely strong and durable rather than merely iconic. Luxury and style publications put it at the head of the Wayfarer field it spawned, and it has held a place on best-sunglasses lists for years. The consensus caveat is physical: at 45 grams it is heavy by modern standards, and the pantoscopic forward tilt leaves the top of the frame open to stray light. Nobody disputes that it flatters almost every face.
Rated by category
- Style & Versatility. The reference point every other frame is measured against
- Build Quality. Field testing calls it strong and durable; hinges are the tell
- Optics & UV Protection. G-15 lenses cut glare cleanly; polarized costs extra
- Comfort & Coverage. Hefty on the nose, and the slant lets light in from above
What reviewers praise
- Style that has outlived every trend since 1956
- Thick, durable acetate build with seven-barrel hinges
- G-15 lenses with full UV400 protection
- Suits nearly every face shape
Worth knowing
- Heavy at 45 grams
- Forward tilt reduces top coverage
Price and value
At $191 it is the least expensive genuinely iconic frame in eyewear — a fraction of the designer houses that borrow its silhouette.
How it compares
Persol's 649 is more refined and roughly $80 more; budget clones copy the shape but not the hinge quality. Ray-Ban's own New Wayfarer (RB2132) is lighter and sits straighter if the classic's tilt bothers you.
The bottom line
Seventy years on, still the default answer to which sunglasses to buy — provided the weight doesn't bother you.
How this review works
This isn't one editor's opinion. MyBase's Advanced Review is our own AI-synthesized editorial assessment: it draws on the published verdicts of the industry's most trusted independent expert reviewers and testing publications, alongside large pools of verified-owner reviews, and weighs them together into a single clear verdict. Expert testing is weighed alongside real-world owner consensus, so the rating reflects how a product actually performs — not how it's marketed.
MyBase is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any third-party publication. Advanced Reviews are MyBase's independent editorial synthesis and may not reflect the opinion of any single source.