MAYBACH Eyewear — The New Collection

Mercedes-Benz has presented eleven new designs from its MAYBACH Eyewear collection, ranging from sunglasses to optical frames. The glasses are handmade in Germany, using a selection of natural materials, precious metals and different finishing techniques.

The Collection and Its Development

MAYBACH Eyewear was introduced in 2010 by MAYBACH Icons of Luxury, a German family-owned company co-founded by Wolfgang Thelen and Ulrich Schmid-Maybach, the great-grandson of automotive pioneer Wilhelm Maybach. Operating under licence from Mercedes-Benz, the company has extended the MAYBACH name beyond automobiles into handcrafted eyewear, leather goods, luggage and other luxury accessories.

The collection brings together classic eyewear styles and more contemporary designs, with some models drawing inspiration from the 1970s and 1990s. Selected glasses also incorporate details associated with Mercedes-Maybach, including engraved metalwork, flowing lines and the double-M emblem.

The frames are made by hand in Germany, using traditional eyewear-making techniques alongside modern manufacturing methods. Their construction brings together natural materials, precisely worked metal components and decorative finishes, with different combinations depending on the design.

Materials and Craftsmanship

The design approach behind MAYBACH Eyewear draws on the same attention to material selection and finishing found in Mercedes-Maybach vehicles. Natural woods, including Macassar ebony with its dark, striped grain and Amboyna burr with its distinctive swirling patterns, are used alongside buffalo horn, Japanese acetate and lightweight titanium. The horn is shaped and polished for use in the frames, retaining its natural variations in colour and grain, while Japanese acetate, a cellulose-based material, allows layered colours and transparent finishes. The metal components receive coatings in 24-carat gold, 18-carat rose gold, palladium or platinum rather than being made from solid precious metals. Selected designs also incorporate diamonds and mother-of-pearl, with the individual components finished and assembled by hand.

THE IDOL I combines several of these materials in a rimless pair of sunglasses with diamond-shaped lenses. The frame incorporates precious wood, natural horn and titanium, with a carefully shaped bridge and connecting metal pieces. These feature embossed Flowing Lines inspired by Mercedes-Maybach vehicle interiors, alongside a three-dimensional double-M emblem. The side arms carry decorative metalwork and integrated spring hinges. The titanium components are available with finishes in 24-carat gold, 18-carat rose gold or palladium.

THE VIPER I draws on eyewear designs from the 1990s, using a frame handcrafted from natural buffalo horn. The material’s individual colouring and grain remain visible across the polished surface. A small metal plaque embossed with the MAYBACH name is set into the side arms, providing a decorative detail without covering the natural material.

THE LOYAL I uses Japanese acetate for a rectangular optical frame. The material is worked into layered colour combinations, with precisely shaped edges and contrasting matte and polished surfaces. A raised double-M metal emblem is integrated into the side arms, alongside spring hinges. The frame combines the acetate with titanium components, available with gold, rose-gold or palladium finishes.

Beyond these examples, the collection comprises eleven designs in total. The remaining models are THE KING IV, THE HIGHNESS II, THE MAGIC III, THE HUSTLER I, THE EDGE I, THE ARTIST III, THE GUARDIAN I and THE PRESIDENT II. They include pilot-style sunglasses, rimless optical frames and navigator designs, with different combinations of natural materials, metal finishes and decorative details. Several sunglasses feature Carl Zeiss lenses, while others use specially developed MAYBACH lenses.

Conclusion

Developed by MAYBACH Icons of Luxury, the eyewear collection extends the MAYBACH name beyond automobiles. Like Mercedes-Maybach vehicles, the designs draw on selected materials, detailed craftsmanship and carefully finished surfaces. Natural materials, precious metals and elements inspired by the car interiors bring this approach into eyewear, with each pair made by hand in Germany.