Gold & Wood
Life moves at a rapid pace and the more we do and faster we move the more we become disconnected from life itself.
By taking the time to hand craft the world's most elegant Eyepieces, made from the most exquisite natural materials, Gold & Wood strives to bring its owner back in touch with the magical world that surrounds us.
Before Gold & Wood products become Eyepieces, they are the noble materials in their raw form: The Gold, The Wood and The Buffalo horn. Only by the patient hand craftsmanship in the Gold & Wood atelier do these materials transform into Eyepieces.
To unite these rare materials is the process that awakens the magical element. This is what makes Gold & Wood unique. This magic is the secret ingredient of Gold & Wood.
Introduction
It is not just the time they spend and the incredible passion driving our employees that make Gold & Wood frames unique. It is also their uncommon expertise in using the most refined and desirable natural materials that gives the Collection its unique character. Unparalleled expertise has become an art whose secret – from design to production – is well kept.
Design
Innovation and seduction are the heart of what preoccupies the Gold & Wood team of designers. That means giving that extra touch of soul to our eyewear by seeking news shapes, by inventing new combinations of materials and colours and by developing new techniques. Each set of frames is therefore designed in the same pursuit of comfort, luxury, elegance and purity – following a distinct philosophy merging the tradition of fine craftsmanship with industrial innovation. To better seduce and satisfy the customers of the planet, by enriching the Gold & Wood Collection with original models, in step with their times, such is the ambition of our designers.
Production
The workmanship invested in temples, with materials as noble and natural as Finewood or Authentic Buffalo Horn, is an art that many envy, and some try to imitate, but none has succeeded in matching. Entirely handcrafted with traditional artistry in our own workshops, they are the result of the talent and dexterity of seasoned craftsmen. Apart from this skill, their workmanship is inspected at each stage in the production process – from shape cutting, varnish sanding to perfect the comfort of the temples, right through to the polishing that shows the material in all its splendour. The work combines delicacy and strength in perfect balance, when the fronts and other metal parts as well as the lenses are added. The metal parts are made from high-quality alloys and the fronts are carefully machined according to a design developed to create the most harmonious frames.
A unique quality
Every set of frames bearing the Gold & Wood signature has received the most attentive care by our eyewear designers and craftsmen. They are assembled and adjusted by hand then inspected and approved by an experienced controller. The tests performed on the frames – and particularly on the spring-hinges are a guarantee of workmanship and reliability.
Material sophistication
The naturalness of rare and exotic woods, the incomparable quality of buffalo horn from Asia or Africa, the originality of carbon fibre and the exceptional properties of titanium. All these magnificent materials enhance the inimitable style of Gold & Wood frames.
Unique designs
Beyond their quality and refinement, each item in the Gold & Wood Collection expresses its uniqueness in a very subtle way. An extensive, varied range of temples, combined with a multitude of fronts and lens shape, means you can find the right combination to suit even the most demanding tastes. Modularity ensures exclusivity and personality for every Gold & Wood wearer.
Time is a luxury
At Gold & Wood workshops, passion and time drive the hands of the artisans who craft each component, one by one, in the purest tradition of exclusive eyewear. Because everything here is handmade, it takes three days to craft a pair of temples of such remarkable quality. Taking the time to do it well: There lies the expression of the luxury.
As rare as they are unique
Over the past few years, the artisans and designers at Gold & Wood creating ever-more successful models, slowly forging a different, exclusive and authentic collection. Their discreet and stylish looks, as well as the quality and nobility of the material used in Gold & Wood frames, give them their uniqueness. Such workmanship is guaranteed to excite the enthusiasm of buyers, connoisseurs and collectors everywhere.
A commitment to sustainable development
Gold & Wood is socially responsible for a creative process, which fully respects sustainable development, in terms of manufacturing and in the procurement of raw materials.
About the horn
The African and Vietnamese buffalo horn is taken from domesticated animals meant for the butcher’s shop. Indian horns are taken without mutilation or cruelty, mindful of cows’ sacred nature in this country. A Health Certificate issued by Indian authorities attests to the veterinary origin and good health of the animals.
About the wood
Very little wood is used in manufacturing the settings. For example, the production of a thousand eyeglass temples requires cutting down a single tree. The anallergic nature and lightness of this entirely natural material is a major asset for the settings. For all woods used in its collections, Gold & Wood resorts to an FSC-certified supplier, a guarantee of the right and proper monitoring of the wood’s traceability by an independent certification agency. Its raw woods, from a controlled provenance, come exclusively from regions of the world where systematic reforestation is in effect and monitored by local authorities. Furthermore, the supplier’s facilities are equipped with used-water filtration and purification systems. As for the dyes used in staining the raw material, they boast extremely low toxicity rate and are strictly environment-friendly.
A certified manufacturing process
Gold & Wood incorporates the most demanding ecological criteria in the entire manufacturing process of its settings, along with specific ecological and economic management of its waste. In April 2009, Gold & Wood’s latest relevant evaluation allowed the company to obtain the renewal of the « SuperDrecksKëscht® für Betriber » certificate, issued by Luxembourg’s Ministry for the Environment, represented by the Environment Directorate and the Chamber of Professionals. This certificate of high quality concerns the collection and sorting of waste, its storage, removal and elimination, as well as preventive measures, to limit the production of waste.
History
- 1995 - One man, one ambition
Captivated by the beauty and feel of fine woods, Maurice Leonard embarked on a fascinating adventure in a small spectacle-making enterprise that at the time had only about ten employees. Starting originally with all-wood or wood and silk, Maurice Leonard set out to make elegant, refined frames for people who appreciate beautiful objects.
- 1996 - Renaissance of a collection
His unique expertise was soon turned to producing exclusive, upmarket eyewear. The factory perfected its technique and improved the style of its collections. The models became more refined and balanced, and were designed to be “Retro” or “Classic”. They now used other materials too. Gold & Wood started making metal fronts, while wood was reserved essentially for temples.
- 1997 - The craze for rimless
The advent of rimless frames on the eyewear market injected the company with enthusiasm for a new direction in style. Gold & Wood followed the trend by offering a “Rimless Fashion” Collection – still with finewood temples. The new models immediately attracted an American and European audience in the market for light, sophisticated frames.
- 2000 - The advent of Buffalo Horn
Our spectacle-makers again demonstrated their talent and expertise in their work with a highly sought-after, yet very fragile material genuine Buffalo Horn. The beauty and mobility of this material give these frames a distinctly upmarket dimension. Connoisseurs immediately appreciate the beautiful workmanship as well as the modularity of the collections, which permit a variety of combinations of fronts and temples.
- 2001 - The Bijoux Collection is born
Luxury, brilliance and supreme refinement describe this exceptional collection. The frames are solid gold, inlaid with gemstones and adorned with inimitable temples. With these frames, Gold & Wood made a return to the true values of luxury and elegance. They have a rare and striking look that quite naturally implies that they are reserved for a select few.
- 2002 - Development
To keep up with demand for Gold & Wood frames, the company is reorganizing. The Design Team is being reinforced, a communication unit has been set up and the sales and marketing department is extending its activities. Creativity and innovation are what drives these teams, ceaselessly seeking and developing new eyewear applications. Titanium has joined the list of materials, carbon fibre is used for decoration, surface coatings are being perfected – and the Bijoux Collection is being reborn with new features.
- 2003 - A brand image takes flight
Today, Gold & Wood is a prosperous enterprise and growing rapidly. It has not only earned its reputation as a luxury brand but more importantly, it has been able to combine two powerful forces – Tradition and Modernism. Two forces that the 32 employees strive every day to preserve and defend ardently as they do the art of “hand crafting”. To further reinforce its position in the world of luxury products, the company is rethinking its logo and asserting its brand image through more distinctive communication.
- 2004 - The year of consecration
Gold & Wood won its first Silmo d’Or for “Star”, a model in the sunwear category; this award symbolises the recognition of the entire profession for exceptional savoir-faire. Two further nominations in the same category followed in 2005 and 2006. The sunwear collection was taking shape and becoming synonymous with fashion. A new men’s kit (kit A) was created, considerably enhancing the collection.
- 2006 - Conquest of the US market 2006
A sales bureau was opened in Miami for a more convivial, efficient approach to the American market. Gold & Wood once again demonstrated its capacity to innovate by launching the first side-piece made of a combination of wood and horn. The “Bling Bling” collection was launched, specially designed for the US market. It quickly became a worldwide success. Diamonds know no borders.
- 2007 - Second award for a worldwide expanding Brand
The “Moon" model won a second Silmo d’Or in the sunwear category, rewarding the daily, committed efforts of a team that has grown to 60 people. Gold & Wood is today a prosperous, fast-growing brand. Its excellent reputation in luxury eyewear, combined with a continuous determination to innovate, presage a bright future. The markets in China, India and the East European countries are covered by excellent partners to ensure exponential growth for the future.
View a PDF of the Gold & Wood Catalog