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Want to increase your specs appeal? Head to the glasses market

2017-09-20 TimeOutBeijing


With an eye for a bargain, the bespectacled Time Out team heads to Panjiayuan Glasses City


There’s a lot to see in Beijing. And if you’re not viewing it all in 20/20 you’re just not doing it right. Thankfully, Panjiayuan Glasses City is overflowing with all the sight-related gear a myopic could need – all at bargain prices.



Located just north of the Panjiayuan Line 10 stop, Glasses City is not a misnomer. The surrounding area has multiple eyeglass warehouses and independent shops, however you’ll know you’ve arrived at the mothership when you see a larger than life pair of frames emblazoned on the front of the building. Inside, four floors sell everyday frames, contact lenses and sunnies. 


Quality ranges from stall to stall with many stocking the same goods, but there truly is something for everyone: trendy wire frames, bookish tortoiseshell, acrylic of all colours, sports goggles, frames for kids and the over-the-top sets you didn’t know you needed. 



For a brandless acrylic pair, we are first offered 300RMB. Bargaining is par for the course and after shopping around we’re able to get the cost down to 260RMB, which includes a very lax but cheerful eye exam. If you have a pair of glasses already, bringing those along on the day is helpful for measuring prescriptions. The market is quiet on a weekday afternoon and the entire process, from a basic eye exam to having lenses cut, takes a speedy 30 minutes.  


At a second-floor sunglass stall, we pick out a kooky polka dot ‘House of Holland’ set and pink and green marble pair of ‘Gentle Monster’ frames. With a bit of bargaining, we settle on 200RMB for each pair. Buying more than one can help bring the cost per pair down, so bring a friend along, or just buy two for yourself because chances are you’ll lose a pair a couple days after buying them anyway. These frames are likely not authentic but feel high-quality overall and we’re told have UV protection.   



The fourth floor stocks contact lenses and solution and offers imported brands like Acuvue and Biofinity, at prices that are cheaper than most optometrists around town but still more expensive than Taobao. The top floor also stocks the most expensive and over-the-top styles and is worth a visit for a pair of costumey frames or just for a laugh. 


Gather your four-eyed friends and make for the market soon. Like many markets around town, Glasses City staff tell us, there are whispers of a shutdown in 2018.


Hit '阅读原文' for the market's address.

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