What made the Ray Ban Aviator popular and still makes many Ray-Ban sunglasses favoured over other styles, was their unprecedented light weight construction, unparalleled lens quality and undeniable fashion status. Pioneering technology was used by Ray Ban UK to make the lenses, including using top-grade reflective green-tinted mineral glass to filter out infrared and ultraviolet rays from the sun - even then recognised as dangerous, but now known as deadly - and a uniquely thin gold-plated metal frame that ran against the trend of thick, bulky and heavy frames that were then popular. It helped that the mirrored lenses provided a bit of anonymity, always good when standing guard or out in unfamiliar places.
What’s more, the military guys loved them! Ray Ban sunglasses quickly became the preferred choice among the United States Army Air Corps pilots. More notice was taken after American General Douglas MacArthur wore them while landing on the beach in the Philippine Islands in World War II. Once Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses were introduced in 1952 using the first-ever plastic frames, Ray-Ban sunglasses became more popular than ever.