The Great Optical Brands: Julbo

New stage of our tour of the biggest optical brands. It is in the Jura valley that we stop. The Julbo brand specializes in sports eyewear, with one concept in mind: innovation. Today, Julbo is a brand that counts in the world of optics as well as in that of sports equipment.

Julbo, born in the city of glasses

In France, we often hear that the Jura town of Morez is the capital of eyewear. And it is not a hazard. Indeed, it is here that a well-known former watchmaker, Henri Lissac, will found his eyewear company. Since then, Morez has become a stronghold of eyewear, with a museum dedicated to it, but also the establishment of the School of Best Workers in France (MOF) Eyewear.

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This passion for eyewear paved the way for other entrepreneurs and other artists. And in the heart of this "valley of French eyewear", a man seeks to respond to the request of Chamonix crystal makers to protect their eyes from the sun. Her name ? Jules Baud. We are then at the beginning of the 20th century.

Julbo, innovation in sight

In the mountains, equipment can save your life. Julbo understood this well and created the Vermont range, “glacier” glasses that come at the right time, when the mountaineering wind is blowing loud and strong and many "unconscious" people are trying to reach the highest peaks in the world. world.

To be at the forefront of innovation and be able to rework its models to perfection, the brand has hired the services of a high-end specialist. mountain, Yannick Seigneur, the first Frenchman to conquer three "8000" (three peaks over 8000 meters).

In the 90s, the brand, a must among mountaineers, extended its range to other sports starting with swimming, but also to very young children, with the baby range. Then, it will continue to establish its reputation as a multisport specialist by creating models for cyclists, runners, trailers, sailing…always taking into account the issues and specificities of each sport.

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The well-negotiated shift to digital

As a leader in sports optical innovation, Julbo had to throw itself body and soul into the smart glasses market . It's done with the release in 2020 of Evad-1, a little technological gem, intended to improve sports practice. Its advantages ? Allowing the sportsman's performance to be displayed in real time (speed, pace, heart rate) by allowing him not to relax his concentration.

While many brands are still groping, Julbo gets ahead. Even if this first model still needs some improvements, the first feedbacks are rather good.

As a bonus, the brand continues to secure the services of many athletes, settling as much in the "optical protection" range as that of "high quality sports equipment supplier ."

A real great brand of optics, which, no doubt, still has many other tricks up its sleeve.