The journey of Wayfarer sunglasses has been an unusual one. Designed by Ray-Ban, one of the most fabled brands this design variant was introduced in the mid-1950. Since then, it has seen several highs and lows.

Wayfarer arrived with a bang and remained one of the popular designs after its launch. But then, it gradually faded into oblivion. Wayfarer sunglasses made its comeback in the 80’s, created quite a stir but once again retreated from the popularity list. However, its return since mid-2000 has been pretty impressive in terms of persistent popularity.

Today, these iconic sunglasses have become the darling of all age groups and gender.

Nonetheless, Wayfarer has always been confused with Clubmaster, and not without a reason. To the uninitiated, the design might appear similar but on close inspection one can clearly see subtle differences. Mentioned below are some of them –

Material – While Wayfarer sunglasses are constructed purely from plastic material, Clubmaster is usually built in tandem with metal/s. This could be steel wires, aluminum or any type of alloy.

Frame – As mentioned above Wayfarers are entirely molded from plastic, even the nose pads and arms are extruded from the same material, although they are also created in various color combinations. On the other hand, Clubmasters sport wire frame design, especially for the lens while the rest of the frame is made up of plastic, something similar to Wayfarer.

Lens & Overall Appearance – Clubmaster sunglasses are designed with a thick brow or upper frame which is made from plastic / acetate while the lower part is made from metal. The lens typically sits on this wire frame. The temples too are crafted from the same acetate material. At times temples are built in tandem with metal flats or wire/tube, suitably chrome or gold plated.

Most of the times, the bridge of Clubmaster sunglasses forms an integral part of the brow-frame, which means it is also made from plastic. However, there might be exceptions to this feature. Clubmasters are not categorized for any particular gender, but it is assumed that they look good on men with narrow chins or oblong faces. Wayfarers, especially from Ray-Ban are mostly unisex in nature.