Cutler and Gross and London jeweller The Great Frog have returned with six new sunglasses under the name Modern Relics, continuing a collaboration that first began in 2021.
The collection looks to the experimentation and youth subcultures of the early 1970s, when The Great Frog opened its first shop just off Carnaby Street. Rather than simply borrowing the imagery of the period, the frames incorporate details taken directly from the jeweller’s archive: skulls, bones, chains, baroque engraving and semi-precious stones translated into eyewear.
All six styles are handcrafted in Japan from pure titanium, while much of the decorative metalwork begins as hand-carved designs before being cast in solid 925 sterling silver in Vicenza, Italy. Select editions take the treatment further with 24K gold-plated details.
The Carol
Named for Carol Lehtonen-Riley, co-founder of The Great Frog, the Carol strips the frame down to an unusually spare rectangular silhouette.
Its largely rimless construction leaves the lenses and temples exposed, shifting attention toward the sculpted metalwork rather than the frame front. Faceted lenses add another layer to the geometry, while sterling-silver detailing and pure titanium temples give the design considerably more presence from the side than its minimal front suggests.
The Carol is limited to an exclusive run of 350 pieces in its Gun Metal/Gold configuration.
The Paterson
The Paterson pays tribute to Paterson Riley, who opened The Great Frog with Carol in 1972.
It takes the form of an oversized titanium aviator with a pronounced double bridge and long, narrow temples. Bones and Skull motifs cast in sterling silver run along the sides, turning the most functional part of the frame into its primary decorative feature.
At 144mm across with 58mm lenses, the Paterson carries considerably more visual weight than its thin titanium construction might initially suggest.
The Paisley
The Paisley takes the collection in a more curved direction.
Its exaggerated cat-eye lenses draw from the paisley patterns associated with the bohemian side of the 1970s, while The Great Frog’s Lock Down Chain motif traces the rim wire. Bones and Roses detailing continues through the temples in sterling silver.
The shape is unusual without becoming theatrical. Much of the character comes from the relationship between the sweeping lenses and intricate metal surrounding them, rather than from sheer frame thickness.
The Capri
The Capri combines a broad rectangular navigator shape with one of the collection’s most distinctive mixed-material details.
A pure titanium front is crossed by an acetate brow bar incorporating The Great Frog branding, while baroque engraving runs around the rim wire. Sterling-silver Bones and Skull details appear along the temples.
Cutler and Gross describes the frame as drawing inspiration from the iconic automobile of the same name, bringing another piece of 1970s design into a collection already rooted heavily in the decade.
The Triumph
The Triumph is the largest and most overtly ornamental of the six.
Its oversized aviator shape stretches to 148mm across, with a wide double bridge and baroque-patterned rim wire surrounding the lenses. Small cabochon onyx stones are set into the temples, a detail drawn from The Great Frog’s jewellery archive.
The stonework gives the frame an almost jewellery-first quality, particularly when viewed from the side. Rather than simply placing a logo on the temple, the collaboration treats the eyewear itself as a setting for precious materials.
The Ganton
Named for Ganton Street, where The Great Frog first established itself in 1972, the Ganton brings together several of the collection’s recurring details in a large navigator shape.
The pure titanium frame uses the Lock Down Chain motif around the rim wire, while hand-cast sterling-silver Bones and Skull detailing decorates the temples. At 145mm wide with 59mm lenses, it is one of the larger frames in the collection, but the thin titanium construction keeps the silhouette relatively open.
Its name also makes the Ganton the most direct connection to the physical history of The Great Frog itself: not a musician, motif or piece of jewellery, but the Soho street where the brand began.
Jewellery Built Into Eyewear
The strongest common thread across Modern Relics is not any one shape. The six frames range from rimless rectangles and cat-eyes to oversized aviators and navigators. What connects them is the metalwork.
The Great Frog’s jewellery motifs are not simply printed or engraved onto conventional frames. Sterling-silver emblems are cast separately and incorporated into the designs, while details such as chain-pattern rim wires, onyx stones, engraved bridges and mixed-material brow bars change how the frames are constructed and viewed.
About Cutler and Gross
Cutler and Gross is a British eyewear brand that blends bold design with traditional craftsmanship. Founded in London in 1969, the company is known for handmade acetate frames that combine fashion with function. Each pair of glasses is crafted in Italy using time-honored techniques, offering a unique balance of structure, comfort, and personality.
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About The Author:
Will Benjamin is an advocate for independent eyewear and one of the driving forces behind Project Spex. With a passion for unique, collectible, and limited-edition eyewear, Will aims to inspire people to build their own collections through Project Spex, while supporting the success of independent opticals.
