Akoni Juno II Custom Lenses | Blue Rio & Dinamica Amethyst | Lens Art®
Akoni Juno II — Blue Rio × Dinamica Amethyst
A second Lens Art® commission from Ohio, USA
The best measure of trust is often what happens next.
After completing his first Lens Art commission with The Optical Gallery, Theodore returned from Ohio with another frame. And this time, he already had an idea of where he wanted to take it.
The frame was an Akoni Juno II in Palladium.
Already an extraordinary piece of eyewear.
Our task wasn't to reinvent it.
It was to explore what the lenses could add.
The Frame — Akoni Juno II
The Juno II is a fascinating example of Akoni's approach to eyewear design.
At first glance, it appears to be a rimless frame.
Look closer and the construction becomes considerably more interesting.
The prescription lenses use rimless mountings, but are surrounded by sculptural titanium and acetate elements that form distinctive side shields around the lenses.
Combined with the Palladium colourway, brushed metal detailing and precision hardware, the result feels technical, architectural and unmistakably Akoni.
There was already plenty happening within the frame.
The lenses didn't need to compete with that craftsmanship.
They needed to work with it.
The Starting Point
The Juno II originally arrived with standard grey lenses.
They worked.
Grey suited the monochromatic Palladium frame and maintained its industrial character.
But there was an opportunity to do considerably more.
Theodore wanted this pair to work across indoor and outdoor environments rather than becoming a conventional sunglass.
That distinction became important.
We weren't designing one appearance.
We were designing a lens that would change its relationship with the frame as the environment changed.
The Lens Art Brief
Theodore already had a direction in mind for his second commission.
Our role was to interpret that direction and develop a lens construction that made sense both aesthetically and visually.
The objectives were clear:
- introduce colour without overwhelming the Juno II;
- create something comfortable for indoor use;
- maintain a visible, stylish lens colour in its resting state;
- allow the glasses to become substantially more expressive outdoors;
- complement rather than conceal the Palladium and brushed titanium;
- preserve the distinctive Akoni design language.
The solution became a combination of Blue Rio and Dinamica Amethyst.
Indoors — Blue Rio
The foundation of the design is a custom Blue Rio graduated tint.
Rather than leaving the lenses virtually colourless indoors, Blue Rio gives the Juno II a deliberate resting appearance.
The graduated construction keeps the colour stronger through the upper portion of the lens while becoming softer lower down.
The result is cool, clean and contemporary.
More importantly, it changes the character of the Palladium frame without turning it into a pair of permanently dark sunglasses.
Looking through the lens, the blue tone creates a cooler visual experience that Theodore finds comfortable, while aesthetically introducing just enough colour to lift the otherwise monochromatic frame.
Outside — Dinamica Amethyst
Then the light changes.
We paired the Blue Rio foundation with Marma Dinamica Amethyst photochromic lenses.
As the photochromic activates outdoors, the Amethyst begins interacting with the underlying Blue Rio.
The relatively restrained indoor appearance develops into a much richer violet.
At full activation, the transformation is substantial.
Against the Palladium, brushed titanium and dark acetate details of the Juno II, the saturated Amethyst creates a striking contrast.
Yet the colour doesn't feel disconnected from the frame.
Instead, it gives the monochromatic construction another dimension.
More Than Two Colours
One of the most interesting aspects of combining a custom tint with a photochromic lens is that the design cannot really be understood as simply having an "indoor colour" and an "outdoor colour".
There are states between them.
As Dinamica Amethyst activates and fades, the balance between the underlying Blue Rio and the photochromic colour continually changes.
Deep violet.
Amethyst.
Lavender.
Blue-violet.
Then gradually back towards the original Blue Rio.
These transitional states are part of the design.
They mean the appearance of the eyewear responds continuously to the light around it rather than simply switching between two predetermined looks.
Crystal Elite — Finishing Without Distraction
The final decision was the lens coating.
For this commission, we chose Crystal Elite.
There was already enough visual character coming from the Blue Rio, Amethyst transformation and Akoni's own material palette.
We didn't want the coating to introduce another dominant reflected colour.
Instead, the intention was to keep reflections restrained and allow the lens colour, transparency and brushed titanium of the Juno II to remain the focus.
It is a small decision, but an important one.
Lens Art is often as much about knowing what not to add as it is about adding another feature.
The Finished Lens Art Cocktail
Frame
Akoni Juno II — Palladium
Indoor / Resting State
Custom Blue Rio graduated tint
Photochromic Transformation
Marma Dinamica Amethyst
Finish
Crystal Elite
Design Character
Cool · Architectural · Transformative · Expressive
Commission
Ohio, USA → The Optical Gallery, London → Ohio, USA
The Result
Indoors, the Juno II remains wearable and controlled.
Blue Rio introduces a subtle coolness and gives the lenses an identity of their own without overwhelming the frame.
Move outside and the character changes.
Dinamica Amethyst builds over the underlying tint until the lenses become a saturated violet, bringing unexpected colour into the otherwise monochromatic Palladium construction.
And between those two states exists an entire spectrum of changing blues, lavenders and violets.
One frame.
One lens design.
Multiple visual experiences.
A Second Commission
There is another part of this particular Lens Art Interpretation that matters to us.
It's Theodore's second.
Commissioning bespoke lenses remotely requires trust — particularly when the eyewear being sent to us is something as considered as an Akoni Juno II.
Theodore trusted The Optical Gallery with one pair.
Then he chose to do it again.
For us, that's perhaps the most meaningful part of the story.
Commission Your Own Lens Art
Lens Art® by The Optical Gallery is our bespoke lens design and luxury reglazing service for exceptional eyewear.
We work with clients in the UK and internationally, including people who already own frames from Akoni, AHLEM, Jacques Marie Mage, Cartier, Matsuda, DITA and other independent and luxury eyewear designers.
Your frame does not need to have been purchased from The Optical Gallery.
Prescription and non-prescription commissions can incorporate custom tints, graduated colours, photochromic lenses, Marma Dinamica, Transitions®, mirrors and other bespoke finishes according to the individual brief.
Remote Lens Art consultations are available worldwide.
