One of the first questions customers ask is, 'How much will it cost to fix my glasses frames?'. Of course, there is no simple answer except 'probably a lot less than you think.'
How much a glasses frame repair will cost depends very much on the nature of the problem, the materials that make up the spectacle frame, and if customers require original branded replacement parts or are happy with top-quality custom replacements.
There are so many frame materials, from simple plastic to precious metals, that evaluating a repair can be difficult without seeing the broken eyewear first.
Nevertheless, AlphaOmega Frame Repairs can offer a provisional quote based on a description of the fault and, better still, some photos of the broken frames.
Once we agree on a provisional price for repair, you post your broken glasses directly to our repair workshops, where we can confirm the quote once our expert repairs team inspects the glasses.
In 90% of cases, we can confirm the original quote and start the repair, but for some repairs, we need to offer a final quote before we can begin work. Sometimes, the final quote can be even lower than the original one!
AlphaOmega is at the cutting edge of eyewear repair technology and can fix eyewear of many materials and styles, including plastic, metal, titanium and carbon fibre.
Our technical repair experts are highly skilled in electric spot welding, brazing, soldering and laser weld equipment. They are proud of their ability to complete 'invisible' repairs that help make mended glasses look as good as new. AlphaOmega is so confident of its ability to create virtually unnoticeable repairs we offer an unconditional one-year warranty.
To give customers some idea of the charges they can expect, we outline in general terms what it costs to fix the most common problems and the approximate timeframe for returning repaired glasses. Please note this is not a quote for any repair. Prices are just a general indication, and the time for any repair can vary.
Indicative prices for glasses repair.
Replace/Repair | Price | Time |
Laser weld metal | £20-£35 | Same day |
Laser weld titanium | £35 | Same day |
Custom lenses | £46 | 5 days |
Designer lenses | £45-£75 | 7-10 days |
Custom arms | £35 | Same day |
Nose pads | £10 | Same day |
Straighten frame | £20-£35 | Same day |
Many varieties of metal and plastic materials are commonly used to manufacture modern eyewear. Metal materials for glass frame construction can include various alloys such as :
Monel
This group of nickel-copper alloys may include small amounts of iron, manganese, copper, and silicon. They are popular i frame manufacture because of their malleability and resistance to corrosion. However, its main advantage is that it is relatively inexpensive to produce.
Titanium
Titanium metal has become increasingly popular with designer-label eyewear manufacturers. It is a sliver-grey metal that is exceptionally light, durable, corrosion-resistant, and highly hypoallergenic. Colour-tinted titanium has helped increase its use in eyewear models.
Flexon
A titanium-based allot, Flexon is very popular with eyewear makers as it is a 'memory metal' that will reform to its original shape after bending or twisting. Although not as light as titanium, Flexon is not as heavy as some other metals and is corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic.
Breyllium
Beryllium is a grey steel metal that offers a lower-priced alternative to titanium, has many of the same properties, and is available in a wide range of colours.
Stainless Steel
Another alternative to titanium, stainless steel, is an alloy of steel and chromium. It is light, strong, corrosion-free, and hypoallergenic because it contains no nickel.
Aluminium
Frames made of aluminium tend to be more expensive. Lightweight and very resistant to corrosion, it is usually used for high-end designer eyewear. Aluminium is generally blended with iron and silicon to increase strength and durability.
Carbon Fibre
Carbon fibre is a solid but lightweight material increasingly popular for eyewear manufacturing. It is five times as strong as steel and consists of thin fibres twisted together in a crystal alignment. As well as having a low weight-to-strength ratio, it is corrosion-resistant, temperature-tolerant, and hypoallergenic. It is also relatively expensive.
Precious Metals
Some upmarket eyewear is made from precious metals such as gold and silver. These tend to be heavier and not as strong as many modern metal alloys but are flexible and corrosion-resistant. Although it can be used as a trace element in some alloys, silver is heavy and difficult to wear.
Plastics offer a modern alternative to metal eyewear frames. Although they have some drawbacks, such as being easier to break, becoming more brittle in strong sunshine and colour fading over time, they allow much more flexibility in design. Modern plastic acetates have overcome the problems of original plastics. The most common plastics used in glases frame manufacture are:
Nylon
There are many blended nylon frames on the market, and the materials family includes polyamides, gliamides and trogamids. Today's nylon blended frames are lightweight, flexible and long-lasting. Nylon-blended frames are used for sports performance eyewear because they are easily moulded for wraparound frames and resist temperature change.
Zylonite
Also known as zyl, zylonite is a cellulose acetate that is a cheap, lightweight option for many eyewear companies. It comes in many colours, and laminated frames offer multicolour eyewear options.
Proprionate
Nylon-infused cellulose acetate, called propionate, is used for high-end eyewear. Slightly more transparent and glossy than other acetates, it is known for its featherweight characteristic without loss of strength.
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