T HENRI. Hypercars, in a pair of glasses
Tuatara, Pantera, Diablo: T HENRI turns the world’s most coveted cars into eyewear handmade in Sabae, in runs of 199 pieces or fewer per colour. The story, the construction and the models in the OCCHIO selection.
Almost nobody has a Lamborghini Diablo in the garage. Wearing its character every morning is another story. T HENRI takes the world’s most coveted hypercars and translates them into glasses handmade in Japan, in runs that end and never come back.
01 / The man
Ten years of supercars, then eyewear
Before designing glasses, Tyler Gelb spent ten years selling exotic cars to collectors and clients around the world. He had studied fashion and design in Paris. In 2021 Forbes covered the launch of T HENRI as one of the most meticulously crafted projects in luxury eyewear.
The idea is to treat a frame like a collector’s car: chosen materials, visible mechanics, a number of pieces fixed from the start. When a run is sold out, it is sold out for good.
02 / The construction
Open it as you would open a bonnet
T HENRI frames are made in Sabae, and the brand prefers screws and mechanical fastenings to glue. You notice it as soon as you pick one up: it has just the right weight, it opens with a full movement, every component sits where it should.
The Cobra has a 12 mm sculpted acetate front, fixed with three octagonal rivets to a modular seven-barrel hinge. The Elva combines titanium and acetate in a monobloc structure, with a hand-carved 8 mm front, a five-barrel titanium hinge and Torx screws. Even the temple tips, in titanium engraved with the emblem, are treated as pieces in their own right.
03 / The models
Every name is a car
Tuatara, Pantera, Diablo, Speedtail: every model has a precise reference and translates its lines into acetate and titanium. These are the pieces in the OCCHIO selection, all ready for prescription lenses.
Availability is kept up to date on each model’s product page.
04 / Optical
The same mechanics, every day
If you need an optical frame, the construction stays exactly the same. The Cobra, in Cocoa and Shadow II, and the Elva Deep Blue II bring the rivets, hinges and thicknesses of the hypercars to shapes designed for everyday wear.
Before choosing, compare lens width, bridge and temples with your current glasses in the size guide. To understand how weight changes between materials, read titanium or acetate.
Frequently asked questions
Before you choose
Where are T HENRI glasses made?
In Sabae, Japan, the district in Fukui Prefecture where high-end handmade eyewear is concentrated.
How many pieces exist of each model?
At most 199 per colour. Some runs are much smaller: the Corniche Port exists in 35 pieces, the Tuatara Port in 55, the Tuatara Shamrock in 65. Once a run is sold out, it is not reproduced.
How much does a T HENRI cost?
In the OCCHIO selection, price rises with the rarity of the series: the rarest editions and the collaborations sit at the top end.
Can they take prescription lenses?
Yes, the models are ready for prescription lenses. For particular prescriptions, write to us before you buy: we will check compatibility together.
Do you ship abroad?
Yes, to Italy, Europe and the rest of the world by tracked courier. Every frame comes with a case and a cloth.
Can I see them in person in Crema?
Yes, at the OCCHIO boutique in Crema, Italy. Write to us first to make sure the model you are interested in is available.
OCCHIO · Crema
Before the run ends
Of each colour, at most 199 pieces exist in the world. Open it, choose yours, or come and feel in your hand how a seven-barrel hinge closes.
Sources and images
Forbes, the launch of T HENRI (2021) and thenri.com. Official T HENRI photography, used for editorial purposes for products sold by OCCHIO.