Ørgreen Optics
Sheet Titanium Showcase
Manufacturing showcase

Titanium is an extraordinary element, found in nature and extracted from locations across the globe - Australia, South Africa, China, Russia, and Japan. Once mined, the titanium ore undergoes a rigorous refining process, where heat and chemical treatments strip away impurities. What remains is pure titanium, refined to an impressive 99.5% or more.

Once refined, the titanium is transformed into thin sheets through a meticulous process of heating and pressing. For Ørgreen frames, we work with sheets that are precisely 2 millimeters thick. These sheets are carefully measured and cut, ensuring each one accommodates four frame fronts. To optimize efficiency, 25 of these sheets are stacked together and bolted, forming a solid titanium block.

From here, the real craftsmanship begins. Pilot holes are delicately drilled inside each eye shape and along the edges of the frame, preparing them for the precision cutting process. A fine 0.25- millimeter copper wire is threaded through these holes, and with the titanium block submerged in water, an electrical current is introduced. This current allows the wire to slowly carve out the exact inner and outer shapes of the frames. With 25 sheets stacked together and four frames per sheet, this cutting process spans between 24 and 36 hours, ultimately producing 100 front cuts.

We proceed to tumbling of fronts. At this stage, the freshly cut frame fronts still bear sharp edges from the wire-cutting process. To refine them, they enter a tumbling machine filled with ceramic chips. This step isn’t just about softening the edges—it’s about perfecting the surface. When magnified, the titanium initially appears pitted, resembling a lunar landscape. The tumbling process smooths out these tiny imperfections, setting the stage for the next steps. Completing these initial steps requires a total of three weeks.

This next step begins with pressing each front into a precise base lens curve, also known as a base four curve. To achieve this, the frame is secured in a specialized nylon holding fixture, with distinct placements for the left and right eye shapes. A pressing machine then carefully bends the front, giving it the perfect curvature.

With the bending complete, it's time to attach the rim locks and nose pads. Traditional soldering won’t work for titanium, as it requires extreme heat and an oxygen-free environment. Instead, a process called brazing is used. The frame is placed into a fixture, the rim lock is positioned precisely, and an argon gas chamber is used to displace oxygen before the brazing begins. Once secured, a saw blade is used to carefully slice through the rim lock, allowing it to open and close. The same method is applied to attach the nose pad arms.

Next comes a critical adjustment—bending the end pieces. This step determines two essential angles: the pantoscopic angle (or inclination angle) and the temple opening angle. To achieve this precision, the frame is placed in a steel holding mold while a bending arm gently pushes the end pieces into their final position. Once in place, the hinges are brazed onto the end pieces. Now, the frame front is beginning to take its final form. It takes three weeks to complete the Front bending and brazing and the end piece bending, setting the foundation for the rest of the process.

With the frame fronts taking shape, attention turns to the temples. This step applies both to Sheet Titanium and Imaginary Lines and here, precision is key. A steel cutting mold, crafted to the exact shape of the temples, is used to stamp each piece from beta titanium sheets. This method ensures uniformity and accuracy.

Now, it's time to refine the surface. The frames go through multiple tumbling and polishing stages, each designed to create a flawless finish. First, a rough tumbling with ceramic chips smooths out the surface over a period of 4 to 6 hours. Next, a finer tumbling process uses bamboo chips and polishing paste to further refine the surface over 6 to 8 hours.

But machines can only do so much - final hand polishing is performed by expert artisans who meticulously align and perfect every detail. This step ensures that any small imperfections, especially in the bent areas, are completely smoothed out. For the ultimate finish, a soft cloth wheel and polishing paste create a mirror-like sheen. Before moving on to coloring, the frames undergo sandblasting, adding micro-abrasions to enhance paint adhesion. The tumbling and polishing process takes 4 weeks to complete.

With the raw titanium frames now complete, it’s time to introduce color. This process takes place in a specialized climate-controlled facility, where frames are meticulously cleaned before painting begins. Ørgreen’s signature two-tone design—one color on the outside and another on the inside—requires careful layering.

For example, if a frame is designed to be black on the outside and blue on the inside, the entire frame is first painted black and dried. Then, the front is masked with tape, and the inner section is painted blue. Once partially dried, the masking tape is carefully removed, any overspray is cleaned, and the frame is fully dried. A final clear lacquer coat is applied for durability and UV protection. This intricate coloring process takes a total of six weeks to complete, bringing the frames one step closer to their final form.

At last, the frames reach their final stage. Demo lenses are edged and mounted, frame details are printed inside the temples, and silicone nose pads and temple tips are carefully attached. Every single frame is then subjected to a meticulous quality control inspection, ensuring it matches the original technical drawings. Only after passing this final test are the frames packed and shipped to Copenhagen. This final stage takes two weeks to complete, marking the end of the journey before the frames are ready to be worn. This is the journey of an Ørgreen titanium frame - a meticulous process of craftsmanship, precision, and design.

Titanium is an extraordinary element, found in nature and extracted from locations across the globe - Australia, South Africa, China, Russia, and Japan. Once mined, the titanium ore undergoes a rigorous refining process, where heat and chemical treatments strip away impurities. What remains is pure titanium, refined to an impressive 99.5% or more.

This specialized titanium profile is remarkably thin and flat—just 0.7 millimeters tall when viewed from the front and 2.2 millimeters wide from the top. To create this,

long rods of titanium are heated and pressed through rollers, forming the desired flat shape before being wound onto a spool. From here, a CNC, short for

Computerized Numerical Control, bending machine takes over, unwinding the profile, flattening it, and meticulously bending it into distinct left and right eye shapes.

As this shaping happens, the base curve of the lens is naturally built into the frame. It takes two weeks to meticulously complete the eye wire profile for Imaginary

Lines, ensuring every detail is perfected before moving forward.

Then we move to the Stamping and Brazing of Parts. Key components like the nose bridge, end pieces, and nose pad arms are individually stamped and bent using specialized molds to ensure accuracy. Once shaped, these parts are assembled through brazing, beginning with the nose bridge. Fixtures hold the delicate eye rims in place while the bridge is carefully brazed into position. The process continues with the rim locks, which are brazed to secure the eye rims, followed by the attachment of end pieces and hinges. At this point, the front of the “Imaginary Lines” frame is fully formed. Four weeks of careful work go into completing these steps, where precision and patience are key.

With the frame fronts taking shape, attention turns to the temples. This step applies both to Sheet Titanium and Imaginary Lines and here, precision is key. A steel cutting mold, crafted to the exact shape of the temples, is used to stamp each piece from beta titanium sheets. This method ensures uniformity and accuracy.

Now, it's time to refine the surface. The frames go through multiple tumbling and polishing stages, each designed to create a flawless finish. First, a rough tumbling with ceramic chips smooths out the surface over a period of 4 to 6 hours. Next, a finer tumbling process uses bamboo chips and polishing paste to further refine the surface over 6 to 8 hours.

But machines can only do so much - final hand polishing is performed by expert artisans who meticulously align and perfect every detail. This step ensures that any small imperfections, especially in the bent areas, are completely smoothed out. For the ultimate finish, a soft cloth wheel and polishing paste create a mirror-like sheen. Before moving on to coloring, the frames undergo sandblasting, adding micro-abrasions to enhance paint adhesion. The tumbling and polishing process takes 4 weeks to complete.

With the raw titanium frames now complete, it’s time to introduce color. This process takes place in a specialized climate-controlled facility, where frames are meticulously cleaned before painting begins. Ørgreen’s signature two-tone design—one color on the outside and another on the inside—requires careful layering.

For example, if a frame is designed to be black on the outside and blue on the inside, the entire frame is first painted black and dried. Then, the front is masked with tape, and the inner section is painted blue. Once partially dried, the masking tape is carefully removed, any overspray is cleaned, and the frame is fully dried. A final clear lacquer coat is applied for durability and UV protection. This intricate coloring process takes a total of six weeks to complete, bringing the frames one step closer to their final form.

At last, the frames reach their final stage. Demo lenses are edged and mounted, frame details are printed inside the temples, and silicone nose pads and temple tips are carefully attached. Every single frame is then subjected to a meticulous quality control inspection, ensuring it matches the original technical drawings. Only after passing this final test are the frames packed and shipped to Copenhagen. This final stage takes two weeks to complete, marking the end of the journey before the frames are ready to be worn. This is the journey of an Ørgreen titanium frame - a meticulous process of craftsmanship, precision, and design.