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Oakley’s New Sunglasses Are a Callback to One of Its Most Collectible Designs

No, these aren’t Tom Cruise’s sunglasses from “Mission: Impossible II.” But they sure look like it.

Oakley Plantaris TiOakley

By Jack Seemer

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“See the future.”

Even after half a century, innovation and radical, cutting-edge design remain the pillars of the Oakley brand. But its new sunglasses might have some fans eyeing their rear-view mirrors.

In more than one way, the just-released Plantaris Ti is a callback to the X‑Metal Romeo of the late ’90s — a pair made famous by Michael Jordan and Tom Cruise. The actor famously wore the Romeo in one of the opening sequences of Mission: Impossible II.

Oakley Plantaris Ti
The new Plantaris Ti elevate last year’s frame design to collectible grails with the addition of titanium.
Oakley

For starters, the Plantaris, first released in 2024, is seen as something of a spiritual successor to the Romeo. Oakley discontinued the latter design in 2004 due to the complexity of and cost of manufacturing, its CEO once stated.

The two designs share bold orbital lenses and similar cyberpunk aesthetics, even though the Plantaris is more closely tied to nature with its frog-like earstems.

Oakley Plantaris Ti
The sunglasses come equipped with Oakley’s Prizm Lens Technology.
Oakley
Oakley Plantaris Ti
The sculpted earstems of the Plantaris take after frog legs.
Oakley

However, the new variant further ties the two together, considering the material makeup of both sunglasses.

Apart from its aggressive design language, the Romeo of old was unique for its proprietary titanium alloy, X-Metal — an innovation that pushed Oakley beyond nylon-based frames.

The Plantaris Ti also boast a titanium construction, and while the exact composition differs from that of X-Metal, the sunglasses can boast similar levels of durability, comfort and performance.

Prized in watchmaking and EDC design, too, titanium carries an incredible strength-to-weight ratio, making it an optimal choice for sunglasses designed for all-day wear.

Oakley Plantaris Ti
With its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, titanium is an optimal choice for all-day comfort.
Oakley

Availability and pricing

Now for the bad news.

The Plantaris Ti, available from July 31, won’t be any easier to purchase than a pair of late ’90s Romeos (one of Oakley’s most desirable and expensive designs on the collector market).

The new frames carry a retail price of $2,640, with availability “ultra-limited,” according to Oakley. (The standard Plantaris, made with O Matter, starts at $283.)

That said, their shared exclusivity only further ties the two frames together.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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