Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses started as military kit — developed in 1937 by Bausch & Lomb to cut glare for American pilots — and became the most copied sunglasses shape on earth. What most buyers don't realise is that "the Aviator" is now a family: the Classic, the inverted-lens Reverse, the New Aviator and Aviator Max, the vintage-cut Old Aviator, the heritage Outdoorsman and Shooter, and a scaled-down Junior. This guide compares every version in our Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses range, sizes them for your face, and shows how to confirm a genuine pair.
The Ray-Ban Aviator Family at a Glance
| Model | The look | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| RB3025 Aviator Classic | The original teardrop, three sizes | Everyone — the default |
| RBR0101S Aviator Reverse | Concave, inverted lens curve | Fashion-forward wearers |
| RB3625 New Aviator | The Classic, subtly modernised | Updated everyday wear |
| RB3925 Aviator Max | Oversized proportions | Bigger faces, bolder look |
| RB3825 Old Aviator | Vintage proportions | Heritage purists |
| RB3029M Outdoorsman | Brow bar across the top | Collectors, retro sport style |
| RB3138M Shooter | Centre ring on the bridge | The conversation piece |
| RJ9506S Junior | Scaled for children | Kids |
Aviator Classic RB3025: Sizes 55, 58 and 62
Which size fits you
The Ray-Ban RB3025 Aviator Classic comes in three lens widths, and size is the decision that matters most: 55mm for narrower faces, 58mm as the most common fit, 62mm for wide faces. If you're between sizes, check the three figures inside the temple of any pair that already fits you and match the first number. Two common sizing mistakes: buying the 58 because it's the default when a wide face genuinely needs the 62, and judging fit by the lenses when it's the temple length and bridge doing the work. Aviators should sit so the lens bottom clears your cheeks when you smile — touching means go up a bridge fit or adjust the nose pads, which any of our stores does in minutes.
Lens options
The heritage lenses are the G-15 green — named for transmitting roughly 15% of visible light — and the B-15 brown; both colourways appear across the range alongside gradients and mirrors. The choice is temperament as much as optics: G-15 keeps colours neutral and reads timeless, B-15 warms and sharpens contrast for driving, gradients dress the frame up, mirrors turn it emphatic. Lens specs per colourway are on each product page.
Modern Aviators: Reverse, New Aviator and Aviator Max
Aviator Reverse: the concave lens
The Ray-Ban Aviator Reverse RBR0101S flips the lens curve inward — concave where every other pair is convex — which sounds like a gimmick and reads, on the face, as the most modern thing Ray-Ban makes. The inverted curve catches light differently — flatter, more graphic — and photographs unlike any conventional aviator, which is why it became the fashion-crowd pick almost immediately.
New Aviator and Max
The RB3625 New Aviator keeps the silhouette and refines the details for current taste, while the RB3925 Aviator Max scales the whole idea up — the pick if standard Aviators have always looked slightly small on you — a genuine fit solution for wider faces, not just a trend size. Between the two, the New Aviator is the daily wearer and the Max the statement; both keep the double bridge and teardrop that make an Aviator an Aviator.
Heritage Aviators: Outdoorsman, Shooter and Old Aviator
The Outdoorsman and Shooter date to the late 1930s, built for hunters and sport shooters a year after the original. The Ray-Ban Outdoorsman RB3029M adds the distinctive brow bar; the Shooter RB3138M carries the famous centre ring on the bridge. Both are stocked in Ray-Ban x Dolce & Gabbana editions — heritage silhouettes with the collaboration's finishing. The RB3825 Old Aviator completes the heritage set with vintage proportions closest to the original military cut. How to choose among the three: the Old Aviator if you want the frame history books show, the Outdoorsman if you like hardware with a story, the Shooter if you enjoy explaining the ring at the bridge (its folklore involves keeping a shooter's cigarette out of the sightline — the kind of detail that sells the frame at dinner parties).
Aviators for Men, Women and Kids
Men and women
Aviators flatter oval, square and heart-shaped faces best — the teardrop softens angles and balances a wider forehead. The shape is as unisex as eyewear gets; the ranges differ mainly in size runs and colourways — women typically take the 55mm and the lighter gradient lenses, men the 58 and 62 in solid green or brown, but these are habits, not rules: men's aviator sunglasses and women's aviator sunglasses.
Ray-Ban Junior Aviator
The RJ9506S Junior Aviator is the children's line (RJ codes) scaled properly rather than just shrunk. For anything about children's eyes and sun exposure, ask an optometrist — we fit the frames; the health questions belong with the professionals.
Prescription Aviators and How to Spot a Fake
Prescription sun lenses
Most Aviators can be fitted with prescription sun lenses — our team confirms the fit for your prescription before the order is processed, and single vision lenses are currently 50% off. If you wear Ray-Ban optically too, our Ray-Ban prescription glasses guide covers the eyeglasses side.
Authenticity checklist
The UAE grey market is full of convincing copies, so check in this order: the small "RB" etched into the lens near the hinge side on most models; the model code and size printed cleanly inside the temple; hinge quality (fakes rattle); and above all, the seller — an authorised retailer is the only check that can't be counterfeited. Weight is the giveaway the checklist sites miss: a genuine metal Aviator has real heft, while copies feel hollow the moment you pick them up. If a deal looks dramatically below market, you already know the answer.
Where to Buy Ray-Ban Aviators in the UAE
OptiVision — an authorized retailer since 1980 — stocks the full Aviator family as authentic Ray-Ban with delivery across Dubai and the UAE; current pricing per version and size is on each product page. Start at the Ray-Ban Aviator collection, compare shapes across all aviator sunglasses, or browse all Ray-Ban sunglasses if the Wayfarer is calling instead.
Narrowing the family to one pair: if it's your first Aviator, the RB3025 in 58mm is the answer to a question you don't need to overthink. If you already own a Classic, the Reverse adds something genuinely different rather than a second version of the same frame. The heritage trio suits collectors and gift-givers; the Max suits wide faces that have been compromising; and the Junior settles the family-resemblance photos. Every path ends at the same place — a metal teardrop that has outlived every trend since aviation itself was new.
Frequently asked questions
Which Aviator is the original?
The Ray-Ban Aviator, created in the late 1930s for pilots; the RB3025 Aviator Classic is today's version of that design.
Why is the Ray-Ban Aviator so expensive?
You pay for metal construction, quality lenses, a design made since the 1930s and authentic sourcing; copies imitate the shape, not the build.
Are Ray-Ban Aviators worth it?
Yes for most buyers: three sizes, durable build, prescription options and a design that does not date.
How do I know a Ray-Ban Aviator is original?
Check the etched RB logo on the lens, model code and size on the inner temple, solid hinges, and buy from an authorised retailer.
How much is a Ray-Ban Aviator in the UAE?
It depends on the version, size and lens. See current prices on the Ray-Ban Aviator collection at OptiVision.
