Daniel Craig’s Bond wears sunglasses in Quantum of Solace that do not announce themselves, and that is their appeal. A metal aviator in a brushed finish, lenses tinted a deep smoky blue, a touch of black leather at the end of each arm. The Tom Ford FT108 sunglasses are now hard to find new, so this is as much a matter of getting the look right as of finding the frame.
In the film
Bond wears the Tom Ford FT108 in Quantum of Solace (2008), in the scene where he visits Mathis at Villa Le Torre in Talamone. The model is listed as TF0108 in colour 19V, and some pairs are reported to have come in a special James Bond box.
The details of the Tom Ford FT108 sunglasses
A restrained aviator. The frame is brushed metal, described as semi-matte rhodium. A finish like that stays quiet in bright light, which suits a pair meant to be worn rather than watched.
Blue-tinted lenses. The lenses are a dark, smoky blue. A lens width of 57mm is reported for the model, a useful number when comparing pairs or ordering replacement lenses.
Black leather temple tips. A small detail that gives the frame a softer finish at the point where it rests behind the ear, and one of the quickest ways to recognise the model.
Scarcity. This is the catch. The FT108 is out of production and found second-hand, and pairs trade well above the original retail price. Our button is an eBay search for it. Condition and authenticity matter far more here than they would with a current model.
Wearing it now
The dark blue tint suits more than one kind of day. We’d wear them with a navy knit and chinos, with an open-collar linen shirt in summer, or with a dark suit on the drive to a meeting. Keep everything else around them plain; the glasses already carry the interest.
Buying a pair. Treat it as a collector’s purchase. Check that the colour is 19V, ask for clear photographs of the inside of both arms, the lenses and the leather tips, and ask about the box. Replacement lenses for the 57mm model exist, which helps if an otherwise good frame has scratched glass.
A less costly route. Magnoli Clothiers sells a reproduction, the Quantum Sunglasses, in stainless steel with dark blue-tinted lenses and black leather tips. It is not a Tom Ford, so think of it as a route to the same look in the spirit of the original, not a substitute for the real thing.
Fit. As with any aviator, check the lens depth against your cheekbones before committing to a rare pair.
In the same spirit
These are alternatives, not the pair from the film. The Tom Ford Marko FT0144 is a rhodium aviator with blue lenses and a double bridge, shinier than the FT108. The Ray-Ban Caravan RB3136 is a squared-off metal aviator with green lenses, and a quieter shape.
Specifications
| Maker | Tom Ford |
|---|---|
| Model | FT108 (also written TF108, FT0108, TF0108) |
| Colour | 19V |
| Frame | Brushed metal aviator, described as semi-matte rhodium |
| Lenses | Dark blue-tinted, 57mm wide (reported) |
| Temples | Black leather tips |
| Availability | Out of production; found second-hand |
For Tom Ford’s current range, see Tom Ford’s men’s sunglasses collection.
Questions
Which sunglasses does Bond wear in Quantum of Solace?
Bond wears the Tom Ford FT108, a brushed-metal aviator with blue-tinted lenses and black leather temple tips. The colour is listed as 19V.
Can you still buy the Tom Ford FT108?
Not new. It is out of production, and pairs change hands second-hand at prices well above the original retail.
Is the Tom Ford FT108 the same as the TF108 or TF0108?
Yes. FT108, TF108, FT0108 and TF0108 are different ways of writing the same model, which is why searches turn up all four.
Are there alternatives to the Tom Ford FT108?
Reproductions exist that copy the shape and the blue tint at a fraction of the cost. They are not Tom Fords, but they are an honest way to get the look if a genuine pair is out of reach.
More on the film is on the Quantum of Solace page; for similar pieces, see our eyewear collection and Craig’s Bond.
