Jannard’s first project was developing a new kind of motorcycle handgrip with a unique tread material and a shape that fit and moulded to the rider’s closed hand. With the strong belief that existing products could always be made better and more effective, Jannard was determined to be one of the innovators who took it upon themselves to fulfil this goal. It wasn’t long before top motorcycling professionals took notice of the new design and its Unobtainium material that increased grip with sweat.

This unique discovery inspired Jim to think even further outside of the box and to challenge conventional manufacturing methods. The new handgrip became hugely successful in MX racing for the following17 years and Jannard wanted to see what other products could be developed using the same concept. Jannard then got to work on creating a pair of sunglasses using the same grip idea and material which lead to the famous Oakley O Frame goggle; with a lens curved in the perfect arc of a cylinder. Again, popular with sports professionals including Mark Barnett, Marty Smith, Johnny O‘Mara and Jeff Ward, the goggles were considered a revolutionary product and championed for their clarity and wide peripheral view.

The success of the Oakley O Frame goggles spurred Jannard to return to his workspace and begin a project which focused on completely reinventing sunglasses designed specifically for sports. Again, many people were sceptical and few believed it could be done successfully, especially considering that Jannard was aiming to compete against the eyewear industry’s largest and renowned companies. However, Jim used his innovation and inspiration from his previous inventions to create ‘Eyeshades’; a design that began an evolution of eyewear which was escalated from a generic accessory to vital sports equipment.

Soon after the Eyeshades were manufactured, world-class cycling competitor Greg LeMond, who became a three-time winner of the Tour de France approached Oakley for a pair in addition to other pros including Scott Tinley, Mark Allen and Lance Armstrong. All of these athletes demanded the performance and protection offered by Eyeshades that could not be found in sunglasses made by any other brand.

The Oakley brand progressed from strength to strength. Decades of innovation saw new product technologies in addition to superior aesthetic forms which fuse science and art and have been awarded more than 600 patents worldwide. Today, Jannard’s Oakley brand has become the one that every sports orientated brand aspires to be like, but Jannard’s innovation, forward thinking and the ability to move beyond convention has extended to the entire Oakley team enabling the brand to always remain one step ahead of its competitors. Oakley prides itself on producing only the very best according to professional standards and therefore any pair of Oakley sunglasses, goggles, Oakley watches or Oakley accessories are assured to be of only the most superior quality, combining technical and aesthetic excellence with flawless performance.

The incredible range of Oakley watches, like the entire range of Oakley products are predominantly designed for sports including skiing, snowboarding, surfing, hiking and running but can easily transcend to every day wear and possess that dynamic, slick and unique edge that Oakley is renowned for. Some Oakley watches can definitely be described as more ‘aggressive’ in style with sharp angles, a chunky and bold aesthetic and a statement appearance in addition to boasting superior technical qualities. There are many different types of Oakley watches to cater for a range of different style needs and sporting purposes and you can choose from digital Oakley watches in addition to analog designs.

Many Oakley watches which do have that heavy-duty appeal are actually very lightweight as are made from titanium with some models also made using impact forged stainless steel or unobtanium rubber. Combining this strong and robust look with fine attention to technical detailing including Swiss Made Chronographs, jewels such pure sapphire crystal and the ability to measure cumulative time, intermediate time and split time, Oakley watches in addition to looking flawless are also one of the most superior in the industry from a functional perspective.

Oakley watches are mainly geared towards men due to their masculine and bold looks, but there is also a great selection of designs for ladies; all possessing the same dynamic edge but with the models made on a slightly smaller scale and with a streamlined aesthetic. The Oakley watches for ladies are feminine and again, incorporate superior technical abilities including gold plated 10 jewel quartz movement and three-hand analog displays, mechanical date displays and water resistance of up to 100 metres. With features such as rippled polished stainless steel straps and coloured dials including pink and silver, the ladies Oakley watches maintain just the right degree of elegance without being too overly girly!