Miranda Frost’s sunglasses in Die Another Day are small, square and black, and they do their work by saying very little. The Ray-Ban RB4122 is a compact frame in glossy black with green-grey lenses, and it suits anyone who prefers a neat, close-fitting shape to a large one. The sunglasses are out of production and found second-hand, which we would rather say at the start than the end.
In the film
Rosamund Pike’s Frost wears them while she waits for Gustav Graves to arrive at Buckingham Palace, and again at the Icarus presentation in Iceland. The colour is believed to be 601 (glossy black) with lens code 71 (grey-green); a grey gradient lens, code 8G, is possible. It is the closest match we can identify, so check the code before you buy.
The details of the Ray-Ban RB4122
A small square shape. Ray-Ban describes the RB4122 as a small square style with a vintage feel, in propionate plastic. Retailer listings give the size as 50-18-135: 50mm lens width, 18mm bridge, 135mm temples.
A high bridge. Ray-Ban’s page for the black frame lists a high bridge fit. It matters if you have a low nose bridge, because a high-bridge frame can sit differently on the face from the way it looks in a photograph.
Green-grey lenses. Ray-Ban’s black version carries Green Classic G-15 lenses, Green G-15 is a neutral dark tint, and green-grey is how the film pair is described.
Out of production. At the time of writing, Ray-Ban’s own page for the black RB4122 shows the frame as sold out, so the search moves to second-hand listings.
Wearing it now
This is a frame for a narrower face, and Ray-Ban itself says as much. Black with a neutral lens goes with nearly everything: navy and charcoal tailoring, a camel overcoat, a plain white shirt. Because it is small it reads as precise rather than loud, which is how we would want sunglasses to behave in winter light.
Buying second-hand. Ask for the colour code (601/71) and the size (50-18) before anything else, and for clear photographs of the lenses and the inside of each temple. Scratched lenses are easy to replace, but a warped or cracked frame is not worth the saving.
In the same spirit
If you would rather buy new, look at a square frame in a heavier material. The Tom Ford Snowdon in Havana is thicker and tortoiseshell rather than black, so it is an alternative in the spirit of Frost’s look and not the pair she wears.
Specifications
| Model | Ray-Ban RB4122 |
|---|---|
| Colour code | 601/71 believed (glossy black frame, green-grey lenses); 8G grey gradient possible |
| Size | 50-18-135 (retailer listings) |
| Frame material | Propionate plastic |
| Lens | Green Classic G-15 on the black version listed by Ray-Ban |
| Fit | High bridge |
| Availability | Out of production; second-hand only |
Ray-Ban’s own page for the black frame is on its US site.
Questions
What sunglasses does Miranda Frost wear in Die Another Day?
She wears black Ray-Ban RB4122 sunglasses, at Buckingham Palace and at the Icarus presentation in Iceland. The colour is believed to be 601/71.
Are Ray-Ban RB4122 sunglasses discontinued?
Ray-Ban’s page for the black frame shows it as sold out at the time of writing, and we treat the model as out of production. Pairs turn up second-hand.
What size is the Ray-Ban RB4122?
Retailer listings give 50-18-135, a small frame. Check it against a pair you already own before you order.
Which lens colour is correct?
We believe green-grey (code 71), though a grey gradient (code 8G) is possible. The film does not let us be certain.
More from the film is on the Die Another Day page, and the wider story of the Pierce Brosnan years is in the Bonds.
