Derapage’s award-winning Tornado features a micro-riveting system.

TORINO, Italy--The design-award-winning Tornado eyewear by Derapage, one of the collections of the Italian company, Nico, S.r.l., has extended its range of patented, multi-layered metal frames.

The line is the winner of the Chicago 2007 Good Design Award, the prestige Honor of the Chicago Athenaeum-Museum of Architecture and Design, and was also named “Eyewear of the Year 2008” award in Tokyo. The frames feature a unique workmanship and assembly, made in Italy, consisting of three different ultrathin steel layers, secured by a system of micro-riveting.

The Tornado’s shapes are cut by photo-blanking technology. The shapes making up the glasses are punched from a sheet of steel corroded in a precision manner by a chemical agent. The three layers are then held in a sandwich by steel micro-rivets. The process produces a totally steel, nickel-free frame.

Tornado’s 16 all-steel models are finished in black, matte steel or satin-finish steel. They range in size, designed to suit various face shapes and any thickness of corrective lens. The eight versions of Tornado RS combine resin and steel.

Tornado of Derapage is sold in the U.S. by I Optics. Prices to the dispenser range from $150 to $190; more information is available at: [email protected]. ■