Reef™
£34.99
Sunglasses Lens Guide
The colour of a lens changes more than the look. It changes how bright the world feels, how sharp the contrast is and how true the colours stay. Here's how each lens works, so you can pick the right pair for the light you actually live in.
Lens colours at a glance
| Lens | What it does | Best for | Try |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black and grey | Cuts brightness evenly and keeps colours true | Strong sun, everyday wear, driving | Phantom, Glacier, Equinox, Shadow |
| Dark tints on tortoiseshell | Calm, neutral view with a warmer frame | All year, city and coast | Inferno, Sahara |
| Brown | Warms the view and lifts contrast | Changeable light, driving, golf | Miami, Malibu |
| Blue | Cool, calm tone that looks striking from the outside | Beach days, water, summer | Alpine, H20, Oceano, Midnight, Pharaoh |
| Light blue and green | Keeps things bright and natural | Hazy sun, long days outdoors | Turtle Bay, Reef |
| Orange and warm tones | Brightens flat light and adds a golden-hour glow | Overcast days, festivals, late afternoons | California, Sunset |
| Light red tint | A see-through, fashion-led tint that shows your eyes | Softer light, nights out, festivals | Nomad |
Black and grey lenses
The all-rounder. A dark neutral lens brings everything down evenly without shifting colour, so reds still look red and greens still look green. If you only own one pair, this is the safe bet, and it's the go-to for driving in bright sun. See our black sunglasses.
Brown lenses
Brown adds warmth and sharpens contrast, which helps you pick out detail when the light keeps changing, like a drive through trees or a round of golf. It's also the classic aviator lens, and it flatters most skin tones.
Blue and green lenses
Blue lenses give the world a cool, calm tone and look great from the outside, which is why they're a summer favourite. Lighter blue and green lenses let more light through, so they feel bright and natural in hazy sun. Browse our colourful sunglasses.
Orange, warm and light tints
Warm lenses brighten up flat, grey light and make everything look like golden hour. Light, see-through tints are more about style than shade: they let people see your eyes and look brilliant at festivals, but they're not the pair for a day of bright beach sun. Our tinted lens guide covers how to wear them.
Mirrored lenses
A mirrored lens has a reflective coating on the front that bounces some of the light away before it reaches you, and it hides your eyes completely. It's a confident look that works on almost anyone. The mirror is a coating, so it's separate from polarisation, but all our mirrored pairs, Silverback, Orchid and Nebula, are polarised too. Treat the coating gently, and see the care guide for how. Shop mirrored sunglasses.
Gradient lenses
A gradient lens runs from dark at the top to lighter at the bottom. You get shade from overhead sun while still seeing your phone, a menu or the dashboard clearly through the lower half. It's the classic aviator finish on Miami and Malibu. Shop gradient lens sunglasses.
Polarised lenses
Polarisation isn't a colour, it's a filter that cuts glare off water, wet roads and glass. Every Havaners Wayfarer-style and round pair is polarised, whatever its lens colour. Our aviators are non-polarised. Read polarised vs non-polarised sunglasses for the full story, or meet Aura8™, the best lens we make.
Lens categories explained
In the UK and Europe, sunglasses lenses are graded from category 0 to 4 by how much light they let through. The darker the lens, the higher the number.
| Category | Light let through | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 80 to 100% | Clear or very light fashion lenses, not sun protection from glare |
| 1 | 43 to 80% | Light tints for dull days and style |
| 2 | 18 to 43% | Medium sun, everyday UK days |
| 3 | 8 to 18% | Bright sun, beach holidays, the most common sunglasses lens |
| 4 | 3 to 8% | Very strong light such as glaciers and high mountains, never for driving |
Darkness and UV protection are separate things. A lighter lens can still block UV completely, and a dark lens without a UV filter can actually do more harm, because your pupils open up behind it. That's why the label to look for first is UV400, and every Havaners pair has it. Want the exact category of a pair before you buy? Email sales@havaners.com and we'll tell you.
UV400 on every pair
Whatever lens you choose, it blocks UVA and UVB rays up to 400 nanometres. More on that in our guide to what UV400 means.
Still deciding? Try the sunglasses finder, see our frame styles guide or shop all sunglasses.
What lens colour is best for bright sun?
Black or grey lenses are the best all-rounders for bright sun. They cut brightness evenly and keep colours looking true.
What lens colour is best for driving?
Grey and brown are the favourites for driving. Grey keeps colours true and brown boosts contrast. Avoid very dark category 4 lenses and light fashion tints in bright sun, and never wear sunglasses to drive at night.
Are mirrored lenses polarised?
Not automatically, because the mirror is a coating. All Havaners mirrored pairs, Silverback, Orchid and Nebula, are polarised as well.
Does lens colour affect UV protection?
No. UV protection comes from a filter in the lens, not its colour. Every Havaners pair is UV400 whatever the tint.
What are sunglasses lens categories?
Lenses are graded 0 to 4 by how much light they let through. Category 3 is the usual choice for bright sun, and category 4 is too dark for driving.
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