The American Optical Original Pilot pairs a gold metal 57mm frame with True Color Gray AOLite nylon lenses. Non-polarized lenses are fitted as standard on this configuration, and the whole frame is assembled in the United States by AO Eyewear.
The Original Pilot has been in continuous production since 1958, when American Optical supplied flight sunglasses to U.S. military aviators. Its bayonet temples were designed to slide cleanly under a flight helmet rather than hook behind the ear, and the silhouette has changed very little in the decades since.
American Optical states that all AO frames are manufactured in the US using globally sourced components, which is exactly the standard the Buy American Campaign applies: the manufacturing happens here. AOLite nylon lenses are lighter and more impact-resistant than glass, while SkyMaster glass lenses give the sharpest optics and the best scratch resistance — pick the one that matches how hard you are on your sunglasses.
