My Juliets Might Not Be Juliets :(

[ucdavis4PT0gpa]

This has been a source of confusion for years. All XX models had the hammerstem...on the Juliet ALL polished variants carried the hammerstem and one mega rare Carbon Ichiro that was produced for only 3 months. As of today, only the polished with fire polarized is produced stock with hammerstems...any other variants are custom builds. And to answer the question of "why hammerstems only on polished frames" its because the polished frames were originally designed specifically for the Ichiro editions at his request so that carried over to other polished models to this day.

I looked at the site last night and they've updated everything and now the polished Juliet seems to be devoid of the hammerstems.

You would be correct. Well....glad I purchased my Polished model last month; every hammerstem polished frame became a collectors item. Another boneheaded decision to add to the long list of them made since 2006-2007 and another sucker punch too the X-Metal line.

 

[Jon]

Who knew ichiro had so much pull?

 

[ucdavis4PT0gpa]

Who knew ichiro had so much pull?

He had a ton of influence on the Juliet when it came to his models; the reason the Carbon Ichiro with hammerstems only produced for a short few months was because, at least based on a couple articles I've read, once he wore them he didn't like them and didn't want something with his name on it he didn't personally like

 

[ExMetal]

This has been a source of confusion for years. All XX models had the hammerstem...on the Juliet ALL polished variants carried the hammerstem and one mega rare Carbon Ichiro that was produced for only 3 months. As of today, only the polished with fire polarized is produced stock with hammerstems...any other variants are custom builds. And to answer the question of "why hammerstems only on polished frames" its because the polished frames were originally designed specifically for the Ichiro editions at his request so that carried over to other polished models to this day.

I looked at the site last night and they've updated everything and now the polished Juliet seems to be devoid of the hammerstems.

You would be correct. Well....glad I purchased my Polished model last month; every hammerstem polished frame became a collectors item. Another boneheaded decision to add to the long list of them made since 2006-2007 and another sucker punch too the X-Metal line.

What were the other boneheaded decisions and why didn't Ichiro like the carbon version of his juliets?

 

[ucdavis4PT0gpa]

What were the other boneheaded decisions and why didn't Ichiro like the carbon version of his juliets?[/quote]

Seemingly endless and unjustifiable price increases, pursuing fashion pieces more and more in what appears to be an attempt to "mainstream" the company's product line, lack of new cutting edge designs and killing of existing cutting edge product (Plate, Valve, Splice, Over the Top, Mag Switch), systematic purging of the company's greatest product (X Metals) by killing the Penny, Romeo, XX and limiting the Juliet to pretty basic combos through elimination of some of the standout variants (TIO2, 24k lens models). Since 2006 I can only point to 2 designs I consider epic....and this from a company that developed multiple epic designs every year for nearly a decade...which are the X-Squared and the Pit Boss with the only caveat on the latter being the insane price. Now....lest I sound like a whiny Oakley hater, I do still like many of their designs-Fuel Cell, Oil Rig, Straight Jacket, Flak Jacket etc which are better than most if not all other eyewear out there...but I guess maybe Oakley is a victim of its own creative successes because those still seem lacking compared to the products of the Golden Era-to me at least. I have many friends and know many here who still love a lot of the company's product, but to me Oakley has lost its way somewhat in the wake of Jim's departure from any salient leadership role in designs.

 

[ExMetal]

What were the other boneheaded decisions and why didn't Ichiro like the carbon version of his juliets?

Seemingly endless and unjustifiable price increases, pursuing fashion pieces more and more in what appears to be an attempt to "mainstream" the company's product line, lack of new cutting edge designs and killing of existing cutting edge product (Plate, Valve, Splice, Over the Top, Mag Switch), systematic purging of the company's greatest product (X Metals) by killing the Penny, Romeo, XX and limiting the Juliet to pretty basic combos through elimination of some of the standout variants (TIO2, 24k lens models). Since 2006 I can only point to 2 designs I consider epic....and this from a company that developed multiple epic designs every year for nearly a decade...which are the X-Squared and the Pit Boss with the only caveat on the latter being the insane price. Now....lest I sound like a whiny Oakley hater, I do still like many of their designs-Fuel Cell, Oil Rig, Straight Jacket, Flak Jacket etc which are better than most if not all other eyewear out there...but I guess maybe Oakley is a victim of its own creative successes because those still seem lacking compared to the products of the Golden Era-to me at least. I have many friends and know many here who still love a lot of the company's product, but to me Oakley has lost its way somewhat in the wake of Jim's departure from any salient leadership role in designs.[/quote]

Yeah I noticed all the interesting glasses are gone and it looks like they are trying to kill off the Juliet. Hell Colt kept producing the 1911 pistol for 100+ years why can't Oakley keep making their really good glasses like Juliet and XX. I'd totally get a pair of 24K XX X Metal's but they don't make them anymore. I know what happens when a company goes mainstream, it takes a huge dump then the game is over. Another thing that really pisses me off is that they keep discontinuing cases that protect the glasses. Prime example, the X Metal brick style vault and smaller brick style vault. I went to the oakley store near me a couple of weeks ago and the girl there told me that they sent all the brick vaults back to oakley. I'm thinking what in the sam hell is wrong with these people, they are one of the best sunglass companies in the world and yet they are screwing up left and right now. Luckily my oakleys are designed to hold up for a very long time or I'd be in trouble since the company itself is riding the express elevator down.

 

[ucdavis4PT0gpa]

What were the other boneheaded decisions and why didn't Ichiro like the carbon version of his juliets?

Seemingly endless and unjustifiable price increases, pursuing fashion pieces more and more in what appears to be an attempt to "mainstream" the company's product line, lack of new cutting edge designs and killing of existing cutting edge product (Plate, Valve, Splice, Over the Top, Mag Switch), systematic purging of the company's greatest product (X Metals) by killing the Penny, Romeo, XX and limiting the Juliet to pretty basic combos through elimination of some of the standout variants (TIO2, 24k lens models). Since 2006 I can only point to 2 designs I consider epic....and this from a company that developed multiple epic designs every year for nearly a decade...which are the X-Squared and the Pit Boss with the only caveat on the latter being the insane price. Now....lest I sound like a whiny Oakley hater, I do still like many of their designs-Fuel Cell, Oil Rig, Straight Jacket, Flak Jacket etc which are better than most if not all other eyewear out there...but I guess maybe Oakley is a victim of its own creative successes because those still seem lacking compared to the products of the Golden Era-to me at least. I have many friends and know many here who still love a lot of the company's product, but to me Oakley has lost its way somewhat in the wake of Jim's departure from any salient leadership role in designs.

Yeah I noticed all the interesting glasses are gone and it looks like they are trying to kill off the Juliet. Hell Colt kept producing the 1911 pistol for 100+ years why can't Oakley keep making their really good glasses like Juliet and XX. I'd totally get a pair of 24K XX X Metal's but they don't make them anymore. I know what happens when a company goes mainstream, it takes a huge dump then the game is over. Another thing that really pisses me off is that they keep discontinuing cases that protect the glasses. Prime example, the X Metal brick style vault and smaller brick style vault. I went to the oakley store near me a couple of weeks ago and the girl there told me that they sent all the brick vaults back to oakley. I'm thinking what in the sam hell is wrong with these people, they are one of the best sunglass companies in the world and yet they are screwing up left and right now. Luckily my oakleys are designed to hold up for a very long time or I'd be in trouble since the company itself is riding the express elevator down.[/quote]

With you 100%. I had a guy tell me at an O-Store that the metal X Metal cases were discontinued because customers said they were impractical. Whatever-I just spent $300, $400 on a pair of glasses (that now I, ironically because the company killed them, need to last forever)....putting them in something that can withstand being run over by a truck is anything but impractical. Sheesh. Now, you can still find them...but its going to run $100 per case-and I have 4 X Metals...do the math.

I actually went on a vintage Oakley buying spree because I realized it was now or never-I actually sold my two pairs of PIt Boss models to finance it which I didn't want to do...but I'm counting on Pit Boss variants continuing to be built into the future whereas these others are gone forever. I purchased a pair of XX 24K's back in late Winter 2009...then (for some insane reason) sold them in the spring of 2010...just weeks before they were discontinued and decent condition models vanished. I spent the better part of December 2010 through March 2011 scouring, literally, the world to find a pair I didn't need to sell an organ to buy. Finally found one in England for $290 that were like new-same thing with the Splice, again found it in England like new for $140. I had a pair of Titanium frame Juliets drop in my lap for free and now I'm glad I got a pair of hammerstem polished Juliets with those not gone

I still want either a Juliet TIO2 or XX TIO2...but after that....hey Oakley? I'm waiting to be impressed enough to buy something more than a pair of Flak Jackets with my Coke Reward Points so I have something to wear while mowing the lawn.

 

[oakleyguy7]

i feel you guys on what you are saying, and from what ive heard this is going to be that year for some of the really amazing stuff and the stuff that is going to drop your jaw. i was told that there is going to be some stuff thats going to make you say WTF. i hope it happens real soon to. but if your looking for xx x-metals, you can find them they are out there at oakley stores brand new, you just have to do some major leg work and start calling them. i plan to pick up a couple of the rare pairs like the xx and some romeo 2. just have to do a little bit of work

 

[ExMetal]

Those brick vault cases cost me only $25. I'm gonna have to wait a while on the 24k XX's, I just got a pair of Juliets and Pit Bull a couple of weeks ago.

 

[SpliceD]

If you go Customize your Juliets, you can still get hammerstems on the polished frame.

I might have to pick up another pair of Juliets soon. I only like the hammerstem models.

I have the same pair the OP has only mine are the Polished Juliets with Fire Iridium Polarized:


**Ignore the "Custom" box. These are the 1st gen serialized Juliets. I have the box. I just used the "Custom" box as a background when i was taking pics of my entire collection.