ENGINEERED FOR ASTRONAUTS: OAKLEY, AXIOM SPACE LAUNCH NEXT-GEN VISOR SYSTEM

https://youtu.be/5N4V1ApZq2c?si=JJO1sokKELfeqA9o

Very cool

I wonder if Prizm Space will be available for inter-atmosphere frames…

Prizm Cosmos I believe is the branding they are going with and I think it will make its way into some limited editions at least.

I look forward to what they do with Prizm Cosmos in terms of consumer products. Oakley gave a pair of the Gold Fleck Ellipse to Sergio Sacani (which of course was presented in the big honking and cool custom tube), and Caio said the lens is the same the astronauts will use, but it's really just regular Prizm 24k. I look forward to what the difference between Prizm Cosmos vs. Prizm 24k will be.

I look forward to what they do with Prizm Cosmos in terms of consumer products. Oakley gave a pair of the Gold Fleck Ellipse to Sergio Sacani (which of course was presented in the big honking and cool custom tube), and Caio said the lens is the same the astronauts will use, but it's really just regular Prizm 24k. I look forward to what the difference between Prizm Cosmos vs. Prizm 24k will be. - Oak

So the 50th Anniversary Ellipse has the same lens as the Astronauts are going to use? Thats cool. If it's Prizm 24k seeing how they spin Cosmos being different will be interesting.

They way I interpret his response is that all astronaut visors are normally coated with gold as a standard. Prizm 24k has gold, so technically it infers that it's the same between both. Not sure what the difference between Prizm 24k vs. Prizm Cosmos will be, but you're right, it'll be interesting to see what the marketing spin is.

Was 24K Gold, actually gold? I just figured it to be Iridium, with a certain bake time to get the right hue.

That's how telesales and field reps represented it back in 2000 for 24k Gold Iridium, especially on the XX X-metal. That filtered to dealers who then told clients that. How accurate it is and exactly how much gold is used in the iridium if it is indeed true is a big question (as well as to what quality). I wish we still had access to the PR articles from product intros (such as with the XX and Oscar) from the LA news site, but they no longer listed.

They way I interpret his response is that all astronaut visors are normally coated with gold as a standard. Prizm 24k has gold, so technically it infers that it's the same between both. Not sure what the difference between Prizm 24k vs. Prizm Cosmos will be, but you're right, it'll be interesting to see what the marketing spin is. - Oak

I did know that gold was used on astronaut shields/helmet visors. That's why I wasn't too surprised to hear it mentioned with the Cosmos. But like Dann said I wasn't 100% it was really used or that I remembered that when it came to the 24k Gold lens. Good info and a good reminder. Thanks Oak.

24K and Cosmos are different, but do look a lot alike from my understanding.

Also there were supposed to be a very limited run of the 50th Anniversary Elipse with Cosmos in them. I don't think they were intended for sale, but for marketing (influencers famous people Etc) but the only one I have heard happened is the one Oak mentioned.

Oh cool, glad to see they're out there in the wild.

24K and Cosmos are different, but do look a lot alike from my understanding.

Also there were supposed to be a very limited run of the 50th Anniversary Elipse with Cosmos in them. I don't think they were intended for sale, but for marketing (influencers famous people Etc) but the only one I have heard happened is the one Oak mentioned. - Defenderoftheo

If what Sergio got was Prizm Cosmos, and if my eyes don't deceive me, it seems it's a tad duller gold than Prizm 24k. Either way, being involved in a space program this publicly is exciting. Probably the most exciting thing to come out of Oakley for me in a long time.

LA news site - Oak

Which LA news site is this, Oak?

The LA Times. Plus the news site that The Free Library pulled from that is no longer available:

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Oakley+Holds+Successful+Preview+of+X+Metal+Sunglass+Line-a018943114

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Oakley+Celebrates+Release+of+New+Eyewear%3A+X+Metal+XX+and+New+Straight...-a058086224

That's a shame. It appears someone on the oakleyforum pasted the first article's text into a thread so has kept it alive:

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Oakley, Inc. (NYSE: 00) announced today that it previewed the first model in its upcoming "X Metal" line, named "Oscar," last night to athletes and personalities who will be involved in marketing the product. The event took place at the company's soon-to-be- completed new headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California. Among the 350 guests were beach volleyball star and model Gabrielle Reese, world snowboard champion Terje Haakonsen, world surf champion Taylor Knox, NBA basketball players Sean Elliot of the San Antonio Spurs and Bo Outlaw of the LA Clippers, major league baseball players Tony Gwynn and Jason Giambi and 1996 Olympic medalists Kent Steffes, Allen Johnson, Kim Batten, Ato Boldon and Inger Miller.

"Last night's event was a successful combination of the core culture and technology that makes Oakley unique and distinguishes our products," said Jim Jannard, chairman and president of Oakley. "It is very encouraging to see our athletes and friends as excited as I am with "Oscar," seeing for the first time the physics of Oakley's technology wrapped in sculpture and topped with art," Jannard added.

The preview of "Oscar" was the first phase of the company's carefully orchestrated release of "X Metal." Beginning next week and over the next two months, Oakley will show "X Metal" to its most influential retail accounts, work with athletes and personalities to gain editorial exposure and begin to create marketing materials for "X Metal" and "0scar." The company indicated that "0scar"'s suggested retail price in the domestic market would be $250.

"Allowing time for finishing refinements to our design process and completion of engineering, we conservatively expect "Oscar" to be available in stores by the end of February, well before the spring selling season," said Jannard. "In fact, because I am so confident that we will complete and ship "Oscar" by the end of February, I have advised the company I will voluntarily forfeit my 1996 incentive bonus of approximately $1.0 million if "Oscar" does not ship by that date." Jannard added, "The company is also very pleased with its early success in producing "X Metal" parts, using a revolutionary process for metal eyewear, in the Nevada facility. This vertical integration in manufacturing is expected to have a positive impact on the company's already enviable gross margins."

The company also reported that at last night's event there was excitement at the surprise unveiling of Oakley's new "Racing Jacket," a sport-application model from the "Jacket" line. The "Racing Jacket" is characterized by a stronger hingeless frame, is more aerodynamic, sleeker and faster in design than current "Jackets" and draws on the performance features developed for the "Pro M Frame." The company expects to ship these new models by the middle of the first quarter of 1997. The "Racing Jacket" follows the recently released "Pro M Frame" and the new "Frogskin," which just began shipping today, creating excitement in the market for the new and distinctive Oakley product offerings.

Oakley is an innovation-driven designer, manufacturer and distributor of high-performance eyewear.

SOURCE Oakley, Inc.
-0- 12/12/96

Not so lucky for the XX article. It's cited as a source on a Revant Optics blog article, but they don't provide a link to any Business Wire news page. I tried to Web Archive the Business Wire site from early 2000 but it's a mess.

March 1997 is the only article I can find on the Wayback Machine

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 1997--Oakley, Inc. (NYSE:OO) today announced that Romeo, the first product in the X Metal eyewear line, was released on Friday, February 28, to selected high-end optical retailers in California.

"We are very excited about the release of Romeo. The X Metal design and manufacturing technology represents a radical application of a new metallurgical process, previously unheard of in the eyewear industry," said Jim Jannard, Chairman and President of Oakley. "We look forward to the response from our retailers and loyal Oakley consumers who have been eagerly awaiting the launch of Romeo."

In the coming weeks, the company will continue the orchestrated release of Romeo, with a wider distribution to select retail accounts throughout the country. The company indicated that Romeo's suggested retail price in the U.S. is $250. Romeo will soon also be released to an elite group of athletes and personalities who will be involved in marketing the product.

Oakley is an innovation-driven designer, manufacturer and distributor of high-performance eyewear.

CONTACT: Oakley Inc., Irvine

Link Newcomb, Chief Operating Officer

Renee Law, Corporate Communications Manager

714/951-0991

Alright guys, plot thinking on the Ellipses potentially getting prizm cosmos. I bought a set on the third party market, and the lens sure doesn’t look anything like 24K. Debating on if they are fake and I got hosed


or if I got extremely lucky.

Alright guys, plot thinking on the Ellipses potentially getting prizm cosmos. I bought a set on the third party market, and the lens sure doesn’t look anything like 24K. Debating on if they are fake and I got hosed

or if I got extremely lucky. - Chattabox23

I think you indeed got lucky and got Prizm Cosmos. Congrats! It looks great, and I hope that version (with the 50th anniversary logo) gets a retail release.