Ray-Ban New Wayfarer vs. Original Wayfarer

Ray-Ban New Wayfarer vs. Original Wayfarer What is the difference between the new Wayfarer and the original Wayfarer? Both come in a variety of fun colors like pink, plaid, and turquoise. There is a cool matte rubber that the new Wayfarers came out with a couple seasons ago, and some cool two-tone colors in the originals. But the main differences lie in the angle of the tilt and size of the frame.

Sharper angle in the tilt on the original Wayfarer (left)

Tilt A big difference between the two is the original Ray-Ban Wayfarer has this forward angle called pantoscopic tilt. When you wear them, depending on your face shape, diameter, nose bridge, etc., the tilt allows a lot of sunlight to come in from up top. Personally, these glasses don’t fit me very well, and I’m sort of an example of how the pantoscopic tilt can go wrong, but with that said, they do tend to create an awesome super-retro look on the majority of face shapes. The new Wayfarers got rid of that tilt. They’re a little more modern, but still have an essence that retro-classic look. For me, they’re much more comfortable and have a better fit – not to mention they don’t let in as much sunlight.

Size The original Ray-Ban Wayfarer comes in two different eye sizes: 50 and 54. The 54 is a pretty big fit. The new Wayfarer comes in a 52 and a 55. Even though the number is bigger, the actual fit is still bigger on the original Wayfarer.

Original 54 (left) New 55 (right)

Original 50 (left) New 52 (right)

To sum it up, if you’re going for that real classic Wayfarer look, it’s the original. If you’re going a little more comfortable and modern, it’s the new Wayfarers. If you’re having trouble deciding, our opticians are happy to help you find the perfect pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses. Just hit us up!