The blend of lens color and mirror coatings can dramatically transform both the look and functionality of your sunglasses. A popular combination is a green mirror on a grey lens. This pairing not only looks great but also provides notable advantages for visual clarity and color enhancement. In this blog post, we'll explore the effects of a green mirror on a grey lens and why this combination might be the perfect choice for your next pair of sunglasses.
In This Article
Sunglass Lens Principles
When discussing the effect of a green mirror on a grey lens it is important to start with sunglass lens principles:
1) Base Lens Tint and Light Transmission: The color of the base lens tint determines which colors of light are transmitted more effectively. For instance, green lenses allow more green light through, while rose lenses let in more red and blue light (which combine to form rose).
2) Complementary Colors and Blocking: On the color wheel, the color opposite to the lens tint (its complementary color) will typically be blocked the most and appear muted. For example, green lenses block purple light (a mix of red and blue), while brown lenses (shades of orange or red) block blue light.
3) Mirror Coatings and Their Effect: Mirror coatings usually block the same color as the mirror and create an opposite effect on the lens tint. A blue mirror, for example, blocks blue light, making a grey lens appear more amber or orange. On lenses with other tints, like green, a blue mirror will push the color toward yellow. It’s important to note that green lenses and green mirrors have opposite effects—green lenses let in green light, while green mirrors block it.
4) Light Transmission and Perceived Color Brightness: Allowing more light of a specific color to pass through the lens makes that color appear brighter relative to others. Conversely, blocking more of a certain color makes the other colors stand out more prominently.
5) Contrast and Lens Color Choice: To enhance contrast, choose a lens that blocks the most dominant color in your environment while allowing others to shine. For a more neutral, low-contrast view, opt for a lens color that matches the dominant color around you.
Green Mirror on a Grey Lens
A grey lens is generally the simplest lens in many ways. All colors are reduced more or less equally, and there is no change in color perception.
A green mirror will (almost) always block green light by reflecting it away (that's why it appears green to us), meaning less green light is making it through the lens relative to other colors.
The effect of the green light reduction is to cause the rest of the tint to shift to the opposite color on the color wheel - a shade of purple.
Therefore, green mirrored grey lenses will have a purplish hue, and depending on the color of the mirror it can be subtle or very strong. The darker the green mirror shade the more subtle purple it will be, the lighter the green mirror the more purple it will be.
Think of base tint and mirrors like a seasoned chicken dish. The seasonings can radically change how it tastes and looks, but the dish will still be chicken at the end of the day. The mirror can affect the tint but the lens color will still be in the same color category. A grey lens with any mirror will always have some variation of a grey tint. The lens will not be purple, but grey with a purple hue to it.
Here are Maui Jim glass lenses. On the left is the Neutral Grey lens, and on the right is the MauiGreen lens. The green mirror changes the tint to a more purple hue. It is still not a purple lens, but it is definitely not a straight grey lens.
Otis has their Lit Green Mirror lens which is saturated enough to make the lens almost rose.
Still not a full rose lens like MauiRose or Serengeti Sedona. The tint is almost deceptive, as the Otis is a lot more neutral than the MauiRose or Sedona.
What are Green Mirrors on Grey Lenses Best for?
Because green mirror lenses block green light and therefore make reds and blues relatively brighter, they work best when you want to reduce green.
Why would you want to reduce green? Because the human eye is most sensitive to green, it appears brighter than other colors even if all colors are illuminated the same. By reducing green we equalize all colors, which then seems to be a color boost across the visible light spectrum. In other words, by making all colors the same brightness to us, we add color and definition to our view. The lens may seem purple at first, and it will seem surreal for a few minutes when you put them on, but after that, everything calms down and feels like a color-boosting grey lens. The sky is blue, the grass is green, and the roses are red, but everything seems even more so.
This will have a nice effect that works well for any regular sunglass use and is great for sports. In fact, many Oakley lenses are either rose-based, green-mirrored, or both.
The effect on mood is interesting. It is both warming from the reds and cooling from the blues, offering a soothing yet vibrant viewing experience.
These lenses perform exceptionally well in full sunlight and open landscapes where greens dominate, like beaches, golf courses, or hiking trails.
If rose lenses feel too "hot" in full sun, but you want a toned down version of what a rose lens can do, a green mirror lens is a great option. This lens is best in full sun. It does not work well in overcast conditions and is not red enough to be that useful in bright haze. It will work well on bright winter days.
It's important to differentiate between the two effects of purple vs rose.
Blocking green light boosts red or blue. When a green mirror causes a purple effect, as opposed to a rose effect, that means the lens is letting in more blue light (but still plenty of red). You can see here how the shade of purple is much closer to blue than to red.
A rose lens means the balance is tilted towards red (still with blue tones included).
Before we get too technical, let's see what this means for our view. The two lenses will be similar but with some small differences. Purple will be relatively closer to grey, while rose will be much more red.
Keep in mind as well that besides the shades, the difference between a green mirror lens and a rose lens is significant in the base tint as well. A green mirror is like adding some salt to your eggs. Brings out some flavor but it still tastes like eggs. Here, it is still a grey lens just with a slight shift to purple. For a rose lens, it's like eating chicken instead of eggs. Green mirror lenses are like the heavily watered-down version of rose lenses.
Here is the Maui Jim MauiGreen lens (green mirror on a grey lens) next to the MauiRose lens.
This is how the view would look on a sunny day:
Keep in mind that photos will never look as good as the real view looking through the sunglasses with your own eyes. These lenses are among the most difficult to show and are best tried on. These photos may look somewhat similar, but in reality, the difference is stark.
Top Picks
Maui Jim MauiGreen
Comes in glass and more impact-resistant materials with all coatings and Maui Jim's color-enhancing technology. A beautiful purple hue that is color-boosting and relaxing at the same time.
Otis LIT Green Mirror
Like the MauiGreen, the LIT Green Mirror is glass with all coatings but is closer to rose and has a warm hue to it. Easy on the eyes and a favorite for sunny days when I want a rose effect without feeling too "hot".
Oakley Prizm Jade
An impact-resistant sport lens, not to be confused with the rose-based Prizm Road Jade, this lens has no other coatings and is one of Oakley's more relaxed grey-based lenses, but more color-enhancing than their Prizm Black lenses.
Conclusion - Effect of a Green Mirror on a Grey Lens
Green mirror lenses on a grey base offer a unique combination of aesthetic appeal and practical functionality. By reducing green light, they enhance reds and blues, providing a subtle yet impactful boost to color and contrast. This makes them a versatile choice for bright, sunny conditions, offering a balanced visual experience that is both vibrant and soothing. Whether you're drawn to Maui Jim’s refined hue, Otis’s warm tones, or Oakley’s sporty edge, these lenses are a fantastic choice for sunny days and outdoor adventures. Explore these options, try them in person, and experience the subtle power of this unique lens combination!
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