We review and breakdown the Oakley C-6 Sunglasses, one of the most expensive Oakley sunglasses of all time!
Table of Contents
Release and History
The Oakley C-Six (or C-6) sunglasses were released in August 2009 as a part of the Elite collection. We’ve already covered the other Oakley Elite pair, the Pit Boss, so we won’t go into too much on them here. Instead, we’re focusing on the most expensive Oakley’s ever sold.
Yes, that’s right – upon their release in 2009, the Oakley C-Six was available in two colorways which ranged from $1500 to $4000!
And obviously, with price tags like that, both pairs were limited editions.
Only 1500 of the Aluminum colorways were ever made. And Carbon Fiber is even rarer, with only 250 being produced.
And the artistry of this pair was a joint effort of Oakley and Crosby Composites, a metal milling company responsible for the precision production of the C-Six.
Upon their release, the public reaction was mixed, but the PR was fantastic for Oakley. Every media outlet had a clickbait-worthy article about $4000 sunglasses. Luxury magazines included the C-Six on their exclusive Christmas gift lists.
But the truth is your audience is limited for $1500+ sunglasses.
In the end, many of the C-Six sunglasses were bought by Oakley collectors, athletes, and celebrities.
And while both colorways sold out, it took a few weeks as many would-be buyers likely debated the sizable purchase.
Keep reading for the full breakdown of the innovation that made the C-Six so expensive!
Oakley C-Six Sunglasses Review
Frame, Weight and Design
The Oakley C-Six sunglasses frame is made of some of the most expensive materials – Carbon Fiber and Aluminum. And this ultimately dictated the sky-high price.
But the Aluminum colorway does contain Carbon Fiber accents, while most of the frame is made of Aluminum and Titanium.
Using the super light Aluminum material made the total frame weigh in at 2 ounces. It’s also important to note that this Aluminum material is different than the popular Titanium material used for the X-Metal line.
And both frames feature a full-frame design with aggressive cuts and sharp angles. Influenced by the Elite Pit Boss, the C-Six took these design elements to a whole new level.
On the flip side, the Carbon Fiber frame is made of a full Carbon Fiber exterior with a titanium spine.
By using Carbon Fiber, the same material F1 race cars are made of, Oakley was able to lighten the pair even further, weighing in at 1.6 ounces!
Each pair of C-Six sunglasses also came with a laser engraved plaque and line box that could be used to display the pair fully expanded.
They also featured a DVD with a video explaining the process of making the C-6 which we’ve included below:
Lenses
While we love the C-Six frame, the lenses in these sunglasses are, in our opinion, a bit boring.
Yes, they offer all of the impact resistance and UV protection innovation Oakley is known for. But the colors just don’t excite us.
During its release, the C-Six was available with Grey and Tungsten Iridium Polarized lenses. And while we don’t have anything against these lens tints, we’d have loved to see something with a pop of color. Plus, this was before Prizm lenses existed.
Now we should clarify.
We’re not saying we expected Oakley to turn around and throw Ruby Iridium lenses into a pair of $4000 sunglasses.
Would it be fantastic? YES.
Would the F1 driving, Yacht riding, super-rich luxury sunglasses crowd appreciate it? Maybe less than we think.
Overall the lenses are the same great quality we expect from Oakley, but the C-Six is all about the frame.
Colorways
As mentioned above, the C-Six is available in 2 primary colorways Aluminum and Carbon Fiber. However, Oakley also produced and auctioned a Lance Armstrong autographed “Livestrong” Carbon Fiber C-Six.
This frame was first spotted on Lance during the final stage of the 2009 Tour De France. Then later, Ichiro Suzuki wore the famed pair during a tour of Oakley HQ.
In total, it’s rumored that only 5 were ever made.
We’ve listed the complete colorway information below for reference:
| Colorway (Frame / Lens) | Price | Amount Produced |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum / Grey Polarized | $1500 | 1500 |
| Carbon Fiber / Tungsten Iridium Polarized | $4000 | 250 |
| Livestrong Carbon Fiber with Yellow / Tungsten Iridium Polarized | N/A - Auctioned | 5 |
Where to find C-Six Sunglasses for sale?
If you’re trying to find a pair of Oakley C-Six sunglasses for sale, you luckily won’t have to look too far. But you will need to open your wallet very wide.
As we mentioned above, you can no longer buy the C-Six from Oakley since they sold out. However, you can find them on after-market sites like eBay or our Sunglasses Exchange here at OakleyForum.com.
But you may want to sit down before you see the price.
Most of the pairs you’ll find listed on eBay are simply owners listing them at exorbitant prices for “Buy It Now” and waiting to see if anyone desperate bites.
Take, for example, this Carbon Fiber pair we found listed for over $16,000! Whereas we’ve seen more C-Six’s actually selling on the exchange areas here for realistic prices.
Bottom line – do your due diligence and be ready to pay if you’re looking for one of these!
Final Thoughts
Whether you like them or not, whether you agree with the crazy prices or not, the C-Six is an epic pair of sunglasses.
From both an innovation standpoint, being made of Carbon Fiber or just the iconic design, they’ll forever be in Oakley’s history.
Plus, this was one of the first ultra-luxury pairs Oakley launched, paving the way for the 24K Gold OTT and MUZM X-Metals in years to come.
At the end of the day, If you’ve got a pair of these, you’re a lucky member of a very exclusive club.
Looking for More?
Do you think the C-6 is worth the price? Or have a question? Join the largest online Oakley community, and let us know in the thread below!
